BR-HD50...A solid reliable deck on all counts?
 

We're looking to get rid of a troublesome Sony DSR-50 dvcam deck.

I was thinking of replacing it with a BR-HD50.
I confirmed with a local rental house it will take the wide dv-cam tapes
and I understand it reads dvcam only but will read/write MiniDV and HDV
among other things.

I do recall reading a few threads about reliability issues.
Has this been addressed and nixed once and for all with the latest firmware?

I definitely don't want to buy one then find trouble with it. I'm not looking for any trouble, just a good solid deck that works and performs to specification.

Mark,

The deck is worth it if you're going to use it day in and day out for regular production. It is a standard deck for DV/DVCam (a la Panasonic equivalent) and does HDV1 I/O without a hitch or hiccup in my experience. I think it's a little overpriced @ $3000 (which is what I paid). You can probably get it for less now.

Thanks Stephen.

Any idea where it could be had for less?

B&H has it for 3,100

I think B&H's price is 2750 now.

I wouldn't say solid and reliable on all counts. It does not work particularly well via RS422/analogue for HDV1 Avid capture. Even with the correct Avid deck template and BRHD50 firmware version (1.04 upwards) it can take a lot of fiddling for the deck and Avid to communicate. More alarming is the lack of TC accuracy - the deck itself is only accurate to +/- 1 frame and the Avid RS422 implementation is also only accurate to +/- 1 frame, so you have to check those conforms thoroughly...

I'll be using it only with FCP 5.xx

as long as it plays back dvcam, minidv and the hdv tapes from our hd100 properly, thats all i care about. we'll likely never lay back to it.

I heard it can't play 24p for some reason.

This is not true. It would be kind of silly for us to build a camera with real 24p and then build a deck that did not support it. The BR-HD50U can record and play all of these formats:

720/24p, 720/25p, 720/30p, 720/50p, 720/60p, 576/50p, 480/60p, 480/24p, 480/60i, all on standard DV tape, large or small.

It can also play DVCam.

Regards, Carl

im sorry, it was the lower portable model that cant play 24p.

I'm really close to buying and have another question.

Can you insert edit with fcp onto an HDV tape with this deck?

you would have to black the tape first with timecode to get this to work wouldn't you?

Speaking of timecode, can you get a timecode window dub out of this deck?

Hi Mark,

No, this deck will not do an insert edit on HDV. I don't know of any decks that do.

Regards, Carl

how does it output back to tape then?

and can it do a timecode window dub?

You just do a digital cut, in the assemble mode, from your NLE. Or, just hit play/record on the deck, and hit play on the NLE.

Yes, it will do a window dub.


Regards, Carl

Carl please help me out here.
Q1: I can't control this VTR from Canopus Edius 3.62. I can capture and write back .m2t files trough firewire, but I need control the VTR manualy. Something wrong with the setup, or the VTR is not ready for Edius 3.62?

Q2: How can I reset the timecode. Right now I need unplug the powercable to reset TC. I thing that's redicoulus. Can you tell me the right way?

Q3: This is about my brand new 17" JVC HD monitor. I know this forum about the HD100, but I think this question is related to the camera)
I just bought the 17" JVC HD monitor and so far so good. But when I play back 720/30p with the BR-HD50 VTR (recorded with the HD100a) the monitor show 720/60p Also the book came with the monitor (B stock) show only play back 1080/24 I can't find nowhere about 720/24p display function. (i didn't tried 24p yet, but soon I need shoot 24p for my client) Can you give me some informations?

Thanks: Laszlo

Re: Edius
 

Hi Laszlo

I´m using Edius and it works just fine for me. Generic HDV and MPEG capture with full control from the capture window. Must be your settings. Remember the deck is recognised as : Microsoft AV/C Tape subunit device NOT as JCV deck. The deck must also be turned on before you start Edius.


Regards Erik