COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA

	COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by COW Articles on Dec 20, 2006 at 2:51:04 am CreativeCOW's Bob Zelin discusses how to turn your HDV VTR into a professional product using the amazing AJA HD10AVA converter. It takes the analog component HD signal from your Sony or JVC HDV VTR, and converts it to an HD-SDI signal that can go right into the HD-SDI input of your capture card. Click on the link above to read Bob's article. Kathlyn Lindeboom Creativecow.net Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 4:37:15 am You guys all seem to have missed the point that Bob says in his article that he works with HDV nearly everyday. It's just not a format he likes, is all. It's his opinion. Best regards, Ron Lindeboom Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 3:17:09 pm Wow. The world has ended because a guy doesn't think like you... Oh well, Ron Lindeboom Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	The AJA HD10AVA by Bob Zelin on Dec 21, 2006 at 4:51:05 pm Kevin Shaw writes - Maybe Bob should be criticizing Avid for not updating their high-end products to work effectively with a very popular video format... REPLY - I have been very active on AVID-L and L-2 over the years, and have been very critical of AVID, and have been faced with threats of slander suits against me several times. If there is a "death list" at AVID, I am on it. Bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 5:00:54 pm [Bob Zelin] "If there is a "death list" at AVID, I am on it." I think it was instituted to accommodate you, Bob. ;o) Best regards, Ron Lindeboom Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: The AJA HD10AVA/JVC BR-HD50 by Bob Zelin on Dec 21, 2006 at 5:57:42 pm Tim writes - I was surprised you seem to find the JVC deck to be a bit better than the Sonys...I had such issues with my JVC DV gear over the years that I've been avoiding their HDV gear. Hi Tim - anything I say now, may seem like an attack on this forum, and it's users. The JVC BR-HD50 offers RS422 control, which is a huge advantage in a professional facility, over Sony's "firewire only" control. Actually, the Sony HVRM series HDV VTR's has LANC, and Addenda Electronics makes a LANC to RS422 converter - but it is only good for play/stop/ff/rew functions, and does not offer the cueing and search functions that are required for editing. I am looking foward to the new Convergent Design HD-Connect-MI, which will not only offer HDMI to HD-SDI conversion, but Firewire to RS422 control as well, for the HVRM-25U. Of course, all of this will be moot, when Sony soon releases the professional HVR-1500 VTR, which is based on the proven Sony DSR-1500 product. I know it seems inflamitory on this forum now, but when I questioned the Sony rep before IBC about the limitations of the HVRM series, I swear to you, he told me that pros should not even be using HDV, and should be redirected to the XDCam-HD format - and then 2 weeks later at IBC, Sony shows the HVR-1500. What can I say - we are in a wacky business. It is amazing to me that you can google search the HVR-1500, and see this new Sony HDV VTR, but it appears no where on Sony's site. It's like they want to sell as many HVRM-25U's as possible, before it's release in the US. I currently use AJA HD10AVA's on both Sony HVMR series VTR's, and the JVC BR-HD50. It is a teriffic product. I see that you are the forum leader on the AJA Xena forum. You can use this product to go right into the XENA HD-SDI input as well. Bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 3:25:19 pm Thanks Derek for reading it without turning into Chicken Little as some have opted to do. Bob is a consummate professional and while he does have a brusk style to say the least, he knows more about what he writes about than many who claim to know far more. I use After Effects but I am never offended by the Discreet Inferno/Flame guys who tell me how quaint my little toy is. I live with my tools, not through them. Still drinking South African wines and we often raise a glass to you when we do, Derek, Ron & Kathlyn Lindeboom Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 5:56:29 pm [Steve Connor] "I love the way Bob writes, I search out his posts when I need entertaining. He mixes useful advice with some pretty sharp wit which this article shows." Yes, that's why we call his column "Bob Zelin: Unchained" :o) Ron Lindeboom Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 21, 2006 at 5:55:06 pm [Derek Antonio Serra] "I'm off to my country house over the festive season, which nestles amongst the very vineyards which produce the wines you so enjoy. I'm sure the day will come when you visit Cape Town and we get to sip a glass of vino together..." I'd love to visit South Africa but since my ear surgery I no longer can fly. It's a long way there by boat and transcontinental railway would also be out of the question, I fear. :o) So, short of a miracle healing of the ole Boomie's ears, I think I'll have to leave South Africa in your capable hands. Have a great time with family and friends, Derek. Kindly, Ron & Kathlyn Freedom of Speech is never so precious as when a man hits his thumb with a hammer. Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 23, 2006 at 2:38:20 pm [Ken Hodson] "I don't see how your ears are affected in modern pressurized aircraft. But if that is the case that really sucks." Even modern aircraft do not maintain a steady "sea-level-or-thereabouts" pressure. While they do indeed save passengers from the extremes of total exposure to pressure changes, they are quite intense and extremely painful for someone who has had ear surgery and whose eustacian (sp?) tubes are blocked. Oh well, it could be far, far worse and I see many people whose lots in life make mine a cakewalk on easy street*. Best regards, Ron Lindeboom *Taken from Spock Beard's "The Kindness of Strangers." Man, I love that song! I think I better play it today as I finish up this new issue of the magazine. ;o) Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: COW Articles: HDV Format The AJA HD10AVA by Bob Zelin on Dec 21, 2006 at 11:19:38 pm This really belongs on the (lonely) AJA Xena forum, but - since you can injest the analog HD Y Pb Pr signal right into your Xena LH, you really don't need to buy anything. Both the Convergent Design and AJA HD10AVA are teriffic products, but the Xena LH is pretty amazing all by itself, and can do many jobs, including what these converters do. I regret not being able to tell you how well the Convergent will make the HVRM10U VTR respond via RS422 control, compared to direct FW VTR control (of course, your image quality is probably fantastic right now, going analog HD right into the Xena). SAVE THAT MONEY (buy yourself a toy !). Bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Re:Cow Article The AJA HD10AVA by Bob Zelin on Dec 22, 2006 at 12:54:47 am to answer your question if I understand it correctly - you said "if you have a capture card that has component inputs" - well, if you DO have a capture card that has analog HD component inputs, like the AJA Kona LH, LHe, Xena LH, or Blackmagic Decklink HD Extreme, there is no benefit (for a small facility) to purchase one of these adaptors. With that said, there are HD products, like the AVID Nitris, AVID Adrenaline HD,AJA Kona 3, and Blackmagic Decklink HD Pro, that do not offer analog HD component inputs. For these products, converters like the AJA HD10AVA, and Convergent Design products are teriffic, as they let you avoid the HDV compression codec, and allow you to go into these systems as uncompressed HD or DVCProHD. HDV is suitable for certain applications, but certain professionals prefer a superior image quality (what a dangerous statement on this forum). Working with a native HD image is teriffic in a professional enviornment. It also allows you to bring your HD signal up to patch bays and HD-SDI routers to distribute this signal around your facility, and observe your signals on HD-SDI scopes, like the wonderful Leader LV7700 - or even display the HD-SDI signal on the new Panasonic BT-LH2600W monitor, which has a built in HD scope. Many users on this forum say "aaah - you are full of crap, my picture quality is teriffic and you are a moron" - what can I say - I have broadcast clients that shoot HDV, edit in DV25, make a dub to Beta via an AJA I/O box, and deliver and AIR this on a major cable TV show in the Viacom family. At the same time, I have a "corporate event" production company that I work with that does nothing but corporate conventions - nothing hits broadcast TV - and nothing but uncompressed HD is good enough for them. It's all a matter of what your clients demand. It's all about how big your company is, and what you need for your application. I don't sell anything, but I always encourage videographers to strive for excellence, and get the best possible image, in the most professional enviornment possible. It's easy for me to talk like this, when it's your money, and I have no idea of what your clients are willing to spend for your time and equipment. bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Re:Cow Article The AJA HD10AVA by Bob Zelin on Dec 22, 2006 at 3:15:23 pm you write - Is it possible that Sony give an option for a proper finder (at a price of course)? In this respect it is a 'toy' in my opinion. REPLY - No. The "options" are insanely expensive, like the 9" Panasonic HD monitor or Astro Systems monitor, that can take the analog HD signal into it - I believe that these monitors are in the $4000 - $5000 price range - no big deal when you have a $90,000 Sony CineAlta, but stupid when you have an HDV camera. So no, to my knowlege, there is no good solution for this. Second, you mention that the Convergent Design converter to HD "avoids the HDV compression". I use the HD-Connect to go from HDV to uncompressed HD (firewire out from deck, SDI into Media 100 HD) but surely I am not avoiding the HDV initial compression? Also the mastering from Media 100 is a pain because it's only via SDI and how many decks have that? I don't go back to HDV but to SD DVD (waiting for HD) and DV into my DSR 20 REPLY - some of the new Sony HDV cameras will let you take the direct HDMI output before any compression happens. The editing process is less painful when you don't digitize with the HDV Codec - especially when you have to mix and match with other graphics formats. If the Media 100 HD has an HD-SDI input (I believe they too are using the AJA card for capture now), the Convergent Design is an excellent way to get your video from your camera or HDV VTR into your edit system. I have NEVER seen anyone master back to a HDV VTR. People that I deal with either master to a HD VTR (even if they have to rent one for the day), or downconvert the output to master back to Beta, etc or some other standard def format. When you say "and how many decks have that" - every HD VTR from Panasonic and Sony have HD-SDI inputs on them - EXCEPT for the Sony HDV VTR series. The new Sony HVR-1500 (the pro HDV VTR) will have HD-SDI output on it, but it appears that it will only have an SDI (standard def) input. This new Sony VTR does have analog component inputs, but I cannot tell if this is HD analog component - this is the site to see the picture on - http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=so... Bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index

	Re: Re:Cow Article The AJA HD10AVA by Bob Zelin on Dec 22, 2006 at 5:11:49 pm Kevin - this article was not an attack, it's just my observation, based on my client base, which is usually considered "low end, and mid sized" users by the hi end companies. I have recently built an entire facility for Golfweek Magazine in Orlando, completely based on Sony Z1U cameras, and the Roland/Edirol V-440HD switcher, which is designed for HD cameras. All the "professional" facilities think that this is a complete joke. The image quality is quite excellent, but the perception of using three Z1U cameras with a $12,000 HDV switcher is considered by people I deal with to NOT be a professional solution (hey, I didn't have a $500,000 budget to build this place). I hope that you understand that many LA facilities consider even the highest end FCP system, or AVID Adrenaline HD system to be a piece of crap - as if you are not working with AVID Nitris, Quantel eQ, or Discreet Inferno, mastering to a 10 bit uncompressed Panasonic D5 VTR, or Sony SRV-5500 HD VTR at 4:4:4, you are making crap video. This "attack" mentality is typical of everyone that competes with equipment, and not their creative ability - "my toy is bigger, better and more expensive than yours". This is no different than 35mm film pros calling the Panasonic Varicam, or Sony CineAlta a complete piece of crap. This is not an attack on you personally Kevin - this is the way the business world is, weather you like it or not. I like to think of my little systems integration company as a professional operation, but I know that companies like Beck Associates, Ascent Media, and Systems Group - who all build large TV stations - view my work with all these small companies as a complete joke. This is just the way the world is. HDV pictures look very nice - it's the constant struggle to make things better, and keep costs as low as possible, while we try to compete with the "big players". If you look at the other forums I participate on, I try to poke "jabs" at almost everyone. People will always make fun of the equipment that you own, no matter what it is, no matter how expensive it is. There is always something new, something more expensive, something better. If this was not true, we would all be working in film (which is still teriffic). Bob Zelin Respond to this post   •   Return to posts index