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MillimeterHDV@Work
Mar 22, 2005 4:37 PM
JVC Introduces Affordable 24p ProHD Camcorder
JVC has announced the world’s first professional, affordable high-definition camcorder with true 24p capture and recording. The GY-HD100U employs the full resolution ProHD format.
The GY-HD100U utilizes three newly developed 1/3in. CCD image sensors, each one featuring an array of 1280x720 pixels (approximately 1 megapixel), with micro lenses. In addition, the GY-HD100U provides realtime playback in all major DTV formats, allowing easy conversion of recorded data to other formats without compromising quality.
“This year at NAB, JVC is fulfilling its promise to deliver affordable high-definition products to the professional market,” said Robert Mueller, executive vice president for JVC. “The launch of the GY-HD100U brings professional broadcasters a cost-effective, full resolution progressive camcorder unlike any other broadcast camera in its price range.”
The GY-HD100U is ideal for documentary and news programs, as well as electronic cinematography. The camcorder enables recordings to be transferred to 35mm film with full HD fidelity, without frame rate conversion. Utilizing a user selectable motion filter, this system is designed especially to provide smooth motion at low (24fps and 30fps) frame rates. The GY-HD100U is also designed to deliver spectacular quality SD recordings for those not ready to fully transition to HD.
The camera includes a standard detachable 16x Servo Fujinon lens. Other available lens options include a 13x (3.5mm) wide zoom lens, a wide-angle converter for the standard 16x lens, and an adapter allowing standard 1/2in. lenses to be used on the camera. A patented “focus assist” function exaggerates detail in the viewfinder to facilitate focusing.
A variety of features on this camera make the recording, editing, and archiving process simple. Its MPEG-2 based ProHD recording system records high-definition images on inexpensive MiniDV cassettes. In addition, the GY-HD100U can connect directly to an external hard disc recorder, allowing footage to be edited immediately by eliminating time-consuming transfers.
The GY-HD100U has two XLR audio inputs and records CD-quality digital audio with independent level controls for each channel. The camcorder also features a variety of customizable settings that can be stored on an SD memory card, and loaded into another
GY-HD100U when needed.
In addition to providing HD recording in the 24p format, the GY-HD100U can output an uncompressed 720/p60 HD signal. This is ideal for live broadcasting, remote news, and POV applications. A third party HD-SDI converter can output (with no signal delay) a full-resolution uncompressed signal.
Similar to common shoulder style cameras, the GY-HD100U’s camera and viewfinder controls are located on the left side of the unit. A specially designed Fujinon HD lens provides automatic or manual iris control, with smooth servo zoom, and a backfocus adjustment. A convenient IEEE 1394 bus interface allows for simple, quick connection to a D-VHS deck or a computer for easy downloading, editing, and archiving.
Accessories for the GY-HD100U include shotgun microphone, Anton-Bauer Power system, Quick-Release tripod mounting plate, and DTE disc recording module. Further information and high-resolution photos are available on the web at http://pro.jvc.com.
An Introduction to JVC’s ProHD Format
by Steve Mullen
ProHD supports both MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio and two-channel PCM audio. The PCM audio is sampled at 48kHz using 16-bit samples. (See the last issue of HDV@Work for more details.)
There is a tricky technical issue involved with PCM audio. As heads cross, pairs tape tracks, one frame of PCM data is read out and is ready for output via i.LINK. Before six frames of video are ready for output via i.LINK, 60 tracks must be read. Therefore, PCM audio will lead MPEG-2 video and MPEG-1 audio by six frames. There are two solutions: Simply delay the audio six frames or have the i.LINK driver delay the PCM audio. Obviously, if four channels of analog audio are to be made available, a delay circuit must be used. Because of these issues, JVC has not confirmed whether the GY-HD100 will support PCM audio.
720p24 HD Video
When a ProHD camcorder records 720p24 (720p23.976), the camera captures 47.952 progressive frames per second from the 1280x720 CCDs. As each frame is captured, it is sent to the encoder. Therefore, the encoder inputs two frames for every frame that will be written to tape. The table below shows how six frames are processed. For 24p, this pattern is repeated four times.
Red text denotes the incoming frames from the CCD. The blue text indicates the frames that are generated from the incoming frames by the “Motion Smoothing Filter.” Green text describes the MPEG-2 frames—making up one GOP—recorded to tape. After each six-frame GOP has been encoded, it is written to tape over 60 tracks.
Unlike other methods of recording 24p, ProHD is the first format to record to tape at a rate of 24fps. This means 24p ProHD cannot be played on current HDV products.
Analog Playback
To output 24p, pulldown is performed to convert every four progressive video frames to five interlaced video frames, as shown in the table below. This pattern is repeated six times per second.
i.LINK Playback
The recorded data is output from a camcorder or deck at the same frame rate it was encoded. Therefore, input and output capture drivers for NLEs will need to be enhanced to directly handle 23.976fps data. Once 24p video has been captured, you can edit it in a 23.98 timeline exactly as you now do telecined film. This workflow is optimal for both video-to-film and HDV-to-CineAlta/Varicam projects.
Panasonic Unveils Studio-Quality 17in. Widescreen LCD Monitor
For NAB 2005, Panasonic has introduced the BT-LH1700W, a broadcast-quality 16:9 high-definition/standard-definition LCD monitor for studio and field applications. Displaying highly color saturated images, the 17in. widescreen monitor produces exceptional color reproduction and gradation and allows the user to display widescreen high-definition images in their natural resolution.
The multi-format BT-LH1700 offers a 1280x768 pixel WXGA resolution, a fast response time, and faithfully reproduces up to 16.7 million colors. The 17in. flat panel monitor offers a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees vertical and horizontal. It offers an array of input and outputs, including SDI, Y/Pb/Pr, RGB, composite, and S-Video, as well as an audio input.
Thin and lightweight, the rack-mountable BT-LH1700 was designed to simplify demanding high-definition and standard-definition production tasks. It is equipped with intuitive, easy-to-use manual controls -- with independent control knobs for brightness, contrast, chroma, and phase -- needed for video production and broadcast applications.
The monitor displays 1080/24fps, 1080i, 720p, and 480i video format inputs. The unit also includes a built-in stereo speaker and a VESA mount. The BT-LH1700 will be available in the third quarter of 2005.
Free Application Captures, Converts HD Into QuickTime Video
HDVxDV, a new shareware application, captures and converts high-definition video from an HDV camera or deck into any QuickTime video format. The free software is available for download at www.hdvxdv.com. HDVxDV resizes video to fit the most common high-definition, standard-definition, and multi-media frame sizes. HDVxDV will change the field ordering, so that it matches what your editing system expects to see.
This application is easy to use under OS X. Simply start HDVxDV. If your HDV device is connected, you’ll see the Deck Controller window with buttons for controlling the deck. Use the Deck Controller to locate the section of the tape that you want. Once you have found the location you want to capture, press the Playback and Capture button. You can capture either 720p30 or 1080i HDV. Press the “Stop Capture” button when you are ready to stop the capture process. The HDV file that you created should appear in the Capture Browser.
Once you have captured an HDV file, you are ready to convert the video to a QuickTime movie. If the file you want to convert is not already loaded in the "Capture Browser," use the "Open Capture File" command from the menu. The "Preview Controller" has four other buttons which are: Play/Pause, Set In Point, Set Out Point, Clear In/Out Points.
The first step in exporting video from HDV to QuickTime is to determine the frame size that you want to use: Leave as is, HDTV 720p, HDTV 1080i, DVCPRO HD 720p60, DVCPRO HD 1080i60, NTSC (4:3) 640x480, NTSC DV (3:2) 720x480, CCIR 601 NTSC (40:27) 720x486, CCIR 601 PAL (5:4) 768x576, CCIR 601 PAL Sq. (4:3) 768x576, Multi-media Small 240x180, Multi-media Large 320x240, Multi-media VGA 800x600, and Multi-media XGA 1024x768.
Once the preferences have been set, select one of the two export menu items: Batch Export Movies or To QuickTime Movie. After selecting either, the Export panel will appear.
Here you select the video compression codec to use in the QuickTime movie: 8-bit (4:2:2) Uncompressed, 10-bit (4:2:2) Uncompressed, DVCPRO HD 720p60, DVCPRO HD 1080i60, DVCPRO NTSC, iMovie NTSC, or iMovie PAL. You can also select Expert Settings, which allows you to select any QuickTime codec that is installed on your computer.
For more on how to use HDVxDV, go to www.hdvxdv.com.
16x9 Announces 0.7X Wide Converter for HDV
16x9 Inc has the optical solution for getting wider angles with Sony’s HVR-Z1U and HDR-FX1 HDV camcorders. The new 16x9 Inc 0.7X Wide Angle Converter neatly threads on to add a 30 percent wider angle of view, while maintaining full zoom capability. With its addition, the original 4.5-54mm lens becomes a 3.2-38.5mm. Three multi-coated optical glass elements yield clean, high-definition pictures.
Suggested price for the 16x9 Inc 0.7X Wide Angle Converter is $707. Made in Japan, the converter weighs just 22.9 oz. (650g) and measures 45mm in length. Its standard 72mm rear thread guarantees compatibility with other camcorders like the Panasonic DVX100/A and Canon XL series. Featuring a 95mm front thread, the 0.7X facilitates direct mounting of glass filters. In addition, the converter conveniently integrates with mattebox systems such as those from Alfred Chrosziel.
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