Need A Portable Clip Player without the Camera...

Joe Carney · June 3rd, 2009, 01:00 PM

Yes, both. Blackmagic and AJA make hdmi to sdi converters (and vice versa). For just under 500.00 usd, plus you need battery power or an ac adaptor.

Marcello Mazzilli · June 5th, 2009, 04:54 AM

I know there are cards SxS size that you can put SDHC cards inside. Like this one:MxM Express As far as I know at present they are not good for recording but will playback. So if you shoot in MP4 wrapper you'll be able to handle to your producer what should work like a standard XD-Cam Card that he should be able to see. The cost is only 50$... should be worth the test

Andy Tejral · June 5th, 2009, 06:28 AM

If you want to play with the big boys, bring the big boy's wallet!

If you want anything with SDI, be prepared for 4 digits in the price. That's all there is too it. Since each company has their own formats, each company will have to R&D their own device. It would be hard for an outside company to provide a cheap product that does everything. Theoretically, you're better off with a pre-existing format but it is a 'professional' format demanding professional prices.

I have been a Microwave van operator and have helped out in a Sat truck. I've been there when the photog has just made air and has missed their slot. I think a lot of photogs think they're job is to capture the story--wrong, your job is to get the story on the air. There's a choice you have to make: when to stop shooting and either edit your footage or send it to someone who will.

And, as others have said, for now, a laptop is the way to go. Yeah, it would suck because you've got the laptop and these lumps hanging off it to get SDI out but that's what you've got. I've not made an exhaustive study of remote vehicles but I'm guessing most have a desk big enough for a laptop.

Donald Smith · June 5th, 2009, 04:02 PM

I finally got my HM700 and did a setup only using the flip-out screen. I crushed the blacks a little and boosted the chroma. Looked great there. Came home and it was too chroma heavy according to my monitor but the client reported that the clips looked great. He described them as "warm and friendly" and boy, that's the opinion that counts.

I did a quickie cut of four clips and reduced the chroma and posted them at:

JVC GY-HM700 Sample Edit

I may do the same cut but leave the chroma the way it came out of the camera and get everyones opinion. Maybe later this Friday night or I'll do it Saturday morning.

My reduced chroma version is nice but not as great as I wanted it to be. I know the camera has the potential, it's just a matter of getting used to it.

Donald Smith · June 5th, 2009, 04:05 PM

I forgot to mention that the video linked above was shot at 1920x1080p.

I just noticed that when I put the URL to my sample edit, the URL disappeared in the post above and it was replaced with the title from the page of my sample edit. Nice! I've never seen that before.

Donald Smith · June 5th, 2009, 08:59 PM

I posted the following message in a new threat called "Example Footage - Interviews"
- -
I'm going to give you two links.

In the first link I may have gone overboard in boosting the chroma of the picture.

In the second link I reduced the chroma in Final Cut.

Tell me which you like better.

JVC GY-HM700 Full Chroma

JVC GY-HM700 Reduced Chroma

Don Smith
NewsVideo.com

Robert Rogoz · June 5th, 2009, 09:23 PM

Even with reduced chroma (imo) the the skin tones are unnatural, pinkish-red. Or maybe my eyes are off today?

Donald Smith · June 6th, 2009, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Rogoz

Even with reduced chroma (imo) the the skin tones are unnatural, pinkish-red. Or maybe my eyes are off today?

The high chroma is where I had set the camera (looking at its flip-out screen). The lower chroma is the high chroma video with a Color Corrector 3-Way filter. I think that had the camera been set with a lower chroma to begin with, then the skin tones would look more natural.

I'll do a new test over this weekend with the camera set to less chroma.

Sean Adair · June 8th, 2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Walker

If you have an HM700 that records mpeg4 files, why in the world would you want to record to mov?

The camera doesn't shoot mpeg4 </sigh> Neither does the sony EX1/3
it's mpeg2 in a wrapper called .MP4.
The .mov files ARE the same mpeg2 codec. Why on earth would you want an obscure format like .mp4 ?

Jack Walker · June 8th, 2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Adair

The camera doesn't shoot mpeg4 </sigh> Neither does the sony EX1/3
it's mpeg2 in a wrapper called .MP4.
The .mov files ARE the same mpeg2 codec. Why on earth would you want an obscure format like .mp4 ?

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I guess I should have said, why would you want *.mov files when you can give *.mp4 files.

It's all the XDCAM EX codec, right?

I just meant if the person's setup is best equipped to handle XDCAM EX in *.mp4 wrappers, why give them in *.mov wrappers?

Or mayber I'm just confused.

Sean Adair · June 8th, 2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Walker

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I guess I should have said, why would you want *.mov files when you can give *.mp4 files.

It's all the XDCAM EX codec, right?

I just meant if the person's setup is best equipped to handle XDCAM EX in *.mp4 wrappers, why give them in *.mov wrappers?

Or mayber I'm just confused.

My post came out a bit snipey - <sorry!>

It's all the same codec, and with the HM100 it makes sense to shoot in the format that best suits the recipient or editor. With the HM700, the decision is colored by whether you dropped the extra $500 on the sxs block, and if you want to deal with the extra bulk of carrying it.

Bob Richardson · June 9th, 2009, 03:28 PM

Well, I heard back from the media player company I contacted... bad news:

"None of them played. While we do support the .MOV and .MP4 file containers;
the problem is the codec. It's one of those weird spin-off variants from
MPEG-2 which is always tough to find players to support. Ours supports the
standard MPEG-2 but not this XDCAM EX format."

Donald Smith · June 9th, 2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Richardson

Well, I heard back from the media player company I contacted... bad news:

"None of them played. While we do support the .MOV and .MP4 file containers;
the problem is the codec. It's one of those weird spin-off variants from
MPEG-2 which is always tough to find players to support. Ours supports the
standard MPEG-2 but not this XDCAM EX format."

Many thanks for taking the trouble to find out.

Don Smith - NewsVideo.com

Bob Willis · June 9th, 2009, 09:13 PM

AJA Ki Pro Extends Workflow Flexiblity of JVC GY-HM700 ProHD | Studio Daily

Bob Richardson · June 9th, 2009, 11:46 PM

"Ki Pro is priced at $3995 US MSRP"

Maybe not quite the solution that Donald was looking for.

June 3rd, 2009, 01:00 PM	#31
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	Yes, both. Blackmagic and AJA make hdmi to sdi converters (and vice versa). For just under 500.00 usd, plus you need battery power or an ac adaptor. __________________ Boycott Guinness, bring back the pint!!!

June 5th, 2009, 06:28 AM	#33
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	If you want to play with the big boys, bring the big boy's wallet! If you want anything with SDI, be prepared for 4 digits in the price. That's all there is too it. Since each company has their own formats, each company will have to R&D their own device. It would be hard for an outside company to provide a cheap product that does everything. Theoretically, you're better off with a pre-existing format but it is a 'professional' format demanding professional prices. I have been a Microwave van operator and have helped out in a Sat truck. I've been there when the photog has just made air and has missed their slot. I think a lot of photogs think they're job is to capture the story--wrong, your job is to get the story on the air. There's a choice you have to make: when to stop shooting and either edit your footage or send it to someone who will. And, as others have said, for now, a laptop is the way to go. Yeah, it would suck because you've got the laptop and these lumps hanging off it to get SDI out but that's what you've got. I've not made an exhaustive study of remote vehicles but I'm guessing most have a desk big enough for a laptop. __________________ Andy Tejral Railroad Videographer

June 5th, 2009, 04:54 AM	#32
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	I know there are cards SxS size that you can put SDHC cards inside. Like this one:MxM Express As far as I know at present they are not good for recording but will playback. So if you shoot in MP4 wrapper you'll be able to handle to your producer what should work like a standard XD-Cam Card that he should be able to see. The cost is only 50$... should be worth the test

June 5th, 2009, 04:02 PM	#34
Donald Smith Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 73	I finally got my HM700 and did a setup only using the flip-out screen. I crushed the blacks a little and boosted the chroma. Looked great there. Came home and it was too chroma heavy according to my monitor but the client reported that the clips looked great. He described them as "warm and friendly" and boy, that's the opinion that counts. I did a quickie cut of four clips and reduced the chroma and posted them at: JVC GY-HM700 Sample Edit I may do the same cut but leave the chroma the way it came out of the camera and get everyones opinion. Maybe later this Friday night or I'll do it Saturday morning. My reduced chroma version is nice but not as great as I wanted it to be. I know the camera has the potential, it's just a matter of getting used to it.

June 5th, 2009, 04:05 PM	#35
Donald Smith Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 73	I forgot to mention that the video linked above was shot at 1920x1080p. I just noticed that when I put the URL to my sample edit, the URL disappeared in the post above and it was replaced with the title from the page of my sample edit. Nice! I've never seen that before.

June 5th, 2009, 08:59 PM	#36
Donald Smith Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 73	I posted the following message in a new threat called "Example Footage - Interviews" - - I'm going to give you two links. In the first link I may have gone overboard in boosting the chroma of the picture. In the second link I reduced the chroma in Final Cut. Tell me which you like better. JVC GY-HM700 Full Chroma JVC GY-HM700 Reduced Chroma Don Smith NewsVideo.com

June 5th, 2009, 09:23 PM	#37
Robert Rogoz Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 457	Even with reduced chroma (imo) the the skin tones are unnatural, pinkish-red. Or maybe my eyes are off today?

June 9th, 2009, 03:28 PM	#42
Bob Richardson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 178	Well, I heard back from the media player company I contacted... bad news: "None of them played. While we do support the .MOV and .MP4 file containers; the problem is the codec. It's one of those weird spin-off variants from MPEG-2 which is always tough to find players to support. Ours supports the standard MPEG-2 but not this XDCAM EX format."

June 9th, 2009, 09:13 PM	#44
Bob Willis Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 292	AJA Ki Pro Extends Workflow Flexiblity of JVC GY-HM700 ProHD \| Studio Daily

June 9th, 2009, 11:46 PM	#45
Bob Richardson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 178	"Ki Pro is priced at $3995 US MSRP" Maybe not quite the solution that Donald was looking for.