Capture from a Sony HDR-FX1 shot HDV tape. Can i use any HDV camera?
by matthewkuborn
on
Aug 25, 2006 at 5:28:37 pm
I have yet to have to work with HDV footage so I have a question coming from inexperience. Can you capture HDV footage shot to DV tape on a Sony HDR-FX1 with *any* hdv camera or are there brand specific proprietary encoding methods? The footage would obviously not play back on my regular DV deck so i need to figure out what I need or can use to capture this footage at the lowest possible price. While we're at it any one care to explain the "encoding" process that slaps the HDV onto a DV tape and what it really is (i.e. how it is not HD but not DV). Also if anyone in phoenix is reading this and would care to rent me a camera to capture 3hrs of footage I would love to hook up with you, it would only be a one day deal (pickup in the AM and drop-off that PM). Thanks in advance for the input guys!
Re: Capture from a Sony HDR-FX1 shot HDV tape. Can i use any HDV camera? by dndobson on Aug 25, 2006 at 7:24:24 pm
#1) The HDR-FX1 footage is 1080i, so you need a camera (or deck) that can plsy back 1080i HDV (I believe this is known as HDV2 vs HDV1 which is 720p which JVC picked.)
#2) HDV2 records a 1440x1080 anamorphic images (so it plays back as 1920x1080) and encodes it using a specific MPEG2 encoding method.) The Mpeg2 compression allows greater information to be stored on the same tapes as DV and at the same data rate. It really is HD, just compressed HD, and if you think about it, all HD broadcasts are encoded in Mpeg2 anyway....
NOTE: One shortcoming of HDV comes when you have to put your edit on tape via firewire, there is a very long "Conforming" process that has to happen (basically re-encoding your edit as single Mpeg2 stream.)
Re: Capture from a Sony HDR-FX1 shot HDV tape. Can i use any HDV camera? by Blast1 on Aug 25, 2006 at 8:03:32 pm
Some people use the sony HC-1/3s as decks to take the load off more expensive FX1/Z-1, it also helps to have a 2-way rewinder to also reduce the workload on the cams, also a plus to use to retension new tapes before use.
