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MillimeterJVC GZ-HD7: World’s First 1920x1080 MPEG-2 Camcorder, Part 2
Sep 10, 2007 12:00 PM, By Steve Mullen
In Part 2 of this series (see part 1), we will look at JVC GZ-HD7 workflows starting with an issue shared by both fixed hard disk and solid-state camcorders. This is the danger of losing material one has shot.
Every day you venture into the field with content you previously shot on disk or cards, you run the danger of media loss if anything happens to your camcorder. Given these risks, if you travel with your HD7, you will need an “in-field” back-up plan. You will also need a workflow that yields archive media because, unlike tape or XDCAM HD discs, there is no inherent media that can be stored on a shelf.
Backup
With your HD7 powered by its AC adapter, connect your camcorder to a computer using the bundled USB cable. When you power up the camcorder you will see this message:
Press down the joystick to pick Playback on PC. You’ll soon see one, or two, hard disks mounted on your computer’s desktop. The EVERIO_SD (Memory card) drive may be mounted—as shown below.
The EVERIO_HDD harddrive will always be mounted.
Open a drive’s icon, and you will see four folders.
Open the SD_VIDEO folder. (This folder is strangely misnamed.)
Inside you will find one, or more, folders named PRG###. Open any PRG### folder and you will find one, or more, MOV###.TOD files.
You can back up to: a computer hard disk, a FireWire hard disk, a DVD disc, or a Blu-ray Disc. Simply drag PRG### folders from the HD7 to the backup media.
The CU-VD40 includes an HDMI port and an IR remote. These two features enable you to play back HD video from your burned DVDs.
Click here for a larger image
Archive
Archive media is chosen for its low cost, high write speed, and assumed longevity. Optical media is the ideal solution. And Blu-ray is the most optimal optical choice because a single $20 disc will hold most of the contents of an HD7’s disk drive. One of the new laptops with an internal Blu-ray burner would be perfect, although expensive, solution.
Two backup and archive solutions do not require a computer. One uses videotape and the other DVDs.
To make a clone to HDV tape, follow the directions under Edit Workflows that describes how to capture GZ-HD7 video using your NLE. However, for backup and archive, the i.LINK cable connects your HD7 to a 1080i HDV camcorder or VTR. The clone is possible even though the HD7’s MPEG-2 data rate is 27Mbps rather than 25Mbps.
JVC markets a red-laser DVD backup and archive solution that requires no computer because the software that controls data transfer is built into the GZ-HD7. You can purchase either the CU-VD20 (street price of about $170) or CU-VD40 (street price of about $360). The CU-VD20 represents a good bargain for the protection it offers. M2TS files are sent via the USB cable and written as data files by the CU-VD20 or CU-VD40. This explains how an ordinary DVD can record full HD.
