On the pre-release unit I'm using, I could only get news gamma in the "reality" settings: 60p or 60i. Don't know if it'll be that way in the final version, but that's the way it is in this 5-week-old pre-release model.

For wide latitude you'd use Cine_Like_D, and make sure the master pedestal's not too low.

It can look like anything you want it to look like. It's got latitude at least equal to the DVX, if not wider, and substantially wider than the competition. So you just have to pick the settings you want and go with them. Cine-Like-D is optimized for dynamic range, but that's not the default gamma setting so people probably aren't using that one in the sample footage you're seeing. Cine-Like-V is a snappy, contrasty gamma setting optimized for sharp contrast, and I think that's what the F5 preset defaults to, but not the F1 preset, and I think a lot of what we're seeing has probably been shot on the F1 preset.

Barry,

Does the HVX have more menu image adjustments than the DVX?

Any idea when we can see a PDF of the manual from Panasonic?

I'm thinking of going to Meiji shrine briefly and shoot in News gamma mode I guess. There are going to be more than ten thousands of people trying to get in there, so it should be a some scene. Can't spend much time so I would just do the News style only.

And thanks Barry for the information. In the production model is the same, I could not select News gamma in 24p mode. Do you want me to lower the sharpness, too?

I think you'd probably prefer the look of your footage with a somewhat lowered detail level; I've been experimenting with the prerelease and I think -5 looks pretty good, but I can't say for the release version because I don't have one yet.

One thing that I've noticed is that having the sharpness up too high makes the footage look noisy, because the high detail level actually sharpens the edges of the noise in the video signal. Pushing the sharpening down some really shows just how clean and low-noise the camera is.

Barry, thank you very much for your prompt advice.

I supposed the parameter we are adjusting is "detail" rather than "shapness" and what do you suggest the V detail to be?

Kaku,

If you do lower the sharpness, shoot with it at normal setting and then the lowered setting so we can see were the camera is out of the box.

Michael,

Will do.

Yeah, but if you look at the intended release dates for Intel Mac systems vs. Intel's chip roadmap, Yonah won't be ready yet. ...Unless Apple will just wait until Intel starts shipping the newer chips. I do hope that current P4 and mobile CPU lineups won't go into Mac systems. Current P4/Xeon chips suck, especially the dual-core models. Apple is stupid (IMNSHO) for not going with AMD. Intel must have made them one heck of a deal.

Can you anyone hint me where is the download video for windows pc platform to watch the video?

I am eager to watch it. ;-)

TIA

Regards
Leigh

Hi Jeff -
Intel is expected to formally unveil Yonah along with its "Viiv" media center technology during the Consumer Electronics Show CES linky which kicks-off on Jaunary 5th, just days before MWSF.

Dell, in addition are expected to "unveil" Yonah based laptops in Feb.

So I think all this will be happening sooner rather than later.
Anyways, no biggie for me - quite prepared to let this initial Mactel release slide on through UNLESS I absolutely have to jump on one. I'd rather wait for a dual core merom.

edit: aww, who am I trying to kid ... hell, I'll jump on one as soon as they are released if they are dual core yonahs. I've got an old dp 533 tower dvcam rig I really want to replace so Stevo will have have my $$$$. Then unload it when merom comes out.

Unfortunately that's one parameter that's not working on my prerelease HVX, so I can't advise you as I haven't seen it in action. I can say that on the DVX it was a pretty minor effect, there wasn't a tremendous amount of difference between minimum and maximum. If the HVX is similar, then it shouldn't matter too much where you set it.

The thing is, DETAIL LVL adds electronic sharpening (white halos around black edges, etc) and V_DETAIL_LVL doesn't; it adjusts the contrast between lines, but doesn't actually paint in new lines. So it's nowhere near as important a setting as DETAIL LVL is.

Thanks Barry,

I'm posting some DVCPRO50 files as MXF files (wether these file alone would work of Windows users, I don't know) in details being zero and negative five, neews gamma on and off, 60i and 24p, room light on and off.

I hope this helps for PC users.

Hi Kaku,

I am not sure if someone else suggested before, why not wmv format?

TIA

Regards
Leigh

From what I understand, Pinnacle Liquid users should be able to import those files directly and then export .WMV files for those who don't have MXF-aware editing programs.

I simply don't have knowledge in transcode the video to wmv (my work has been concentrated in Mac platform) and it's going to be too much time for me to transcode to unfamilier codec. As it is now, I'm putting other obligations on the side and doing this. My goal here is to provide my clips as raw as possible. Hoping that we find someone that contineously provide conversions to wmv files at reasonable quality and do that part from us.

It's waaay too much work. Lucky it was new years vacation in Japan.

I understand Kaku.
You've been VERY helpful !

Thanks for posting the HVX files.
They are VERY helpful for all of us.

I'm looking forward to the HVX.

thxs,Steve

I have Telestream Flip4Mac so I can encode WMVHD. I did a couple of tests and unfortunately I can see the compression even at 4Mbps. I can do it but it doesn't show the camera at its best.

Hi Craig,

That is fine. It is better than nothing. I look forward to it.

TIA

Regards
Leigh

Right on.
So just encode it at 12 Mbps , like other HD sized footage is encoded.
Problem solved.
-Les

Craig,

Just cut my clips short and convert it with say, 20mbps which si D-VHS quality or digital broadcast quality, so people can see how these files look like on such situation.

Being responsible like how you mentioned, down to 4Mbps and show the compression, is the right kind of attitude towards such work.

how do i get the 60p clip (yugoceltap60p.mov) to act as over cranked? do i use cinema tools? right now it's just 60 frames a second, it's not slow motion...

ok i figured it out... just had to reverse telecine the footage and convert it to 23.98.... it looks awesome. Slow Motion... finally no stupid frame blending... I would like to see 60p with a high shutter speed now... with no motion blur...

Was this footage shot with the cinewave gamma curve? It doesn't look film like. My canon xl2 produces better flesh tones than this. Maybe I was waiting for a varicam type image.. but 1/3 chip CCD, well what do i expect...

I would really love to see so 60p footage with a HIGH shutter speed, actually the fastest if you can... glass breaking or something dramatic? Watching 60p footage with motion blur is something you don't see a lot of... the goal of slow motion footage is detail on every frame. I would have to see this footage if I was ever to buy this camera. Because right now I am not impressed.

60p with about a 1/1000 shutter speed:
http://www.dvxuser3.com/glass/Glass.Xwmv
http://www.dvxuser3.com/glass/Glass.Xmp4

(obviously when you download the files, remove the "X" after the period so they become glass.wmv or glass.mp4)

Barry, yea that looks nice... are there any more of these else where?

Transcoding these clips...
 

Just a few notes on how to make these clips available to everyone easily...

I have a 1GHz G4 w/FCP 5 and a P4 2.8GHz... the clips won't play full frame rate on my Mac so I exported them using QT Pro to full resolution full frame rate QT movies using Motion JPEG at almost 100%. This plays on my PC but still not at full frame rate (but at least I can see them on a PC). The quality may be a little less (it's not that much worse actually) but you can still see the contrast range and other important details of the footage.

I also exported the 1280x720 60p clip to MPEG4 codec at full 1280x720 and 60p (16000 kilobits/sec) and it played beautifully on my PC using VLC... seeing 60p at that res is something else. I'd post these files but I don't have the bandwidth. H264 is just too compute intensive for my machines both on the encode and decode side, especially for 60p.

I'm simply adding this post as an example of what can be done to make these clips viewable more easily if you don't have access to DVCPro codecs.

I would post some clips but I simply don't have the bandwidth.

Ok. I finally got FCP installed on my MAC-MINI and I downloaded one of Kaku's MXF files to play with. I can't load it? Is there a different file I need to download? I wanted to see how FCP converted from MXf to QT but I guess I am missing a step or something.

Thanks!
Marty

Marty,

Where did you download the file from? When I downloaded them, they were in a zipped file. If you have a brand new Mac Mini you may need to download a program that opens zipped files. I like StuffIt. They have a free version at http://www.stuffit.com.

When I downloaded the footage it came zipped. Then I double clicked on it and it "unstuffed" a .mov file. The .mov file is what I watch and/or import into FCP.

Hope this helps.

Derek ....thanks but that's not it. I have stuffit expander already and the .mov files are okay. I wanted to experiment with the P2 image to see the entire workflow. I am not sure how to do that. I have a folder on the MAC desktop with all of the contents of the P2 card he posted but I don't know how to get it into FCP.

Okay...i figured it out part way. I pointed FCP at the folder.......it showed me thumbnails of 2 clips.....I import all and it says it failed because both clips are corrupt or incomplete......Now what???

Marty,

I would go to:
http://www.xtream.ne.jp/component/op.../limitstart,0/

First you will have to register. Then go to the download section and download one of the clips. See what happens with it and we'll go from there.

Did you download the clips originally to your PC and then transfer them to your mac or did you download them directly to your mac?

On your importing to FCP question.
Open FCP
In the upper left corner click "File"
Then choose Import > Files
Navigate to where Kaku's clip is and choose it.

The file should then appear in your FCP browser panel.

Thanks Derek.....I got the file from Kaku's site already. I am specifically referring to the P2 image....not the .mov files. I'll try again in a bit.