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NAB Shoots for HD

Jun 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Steve Mullen

HD was omnipresent at the annual Las Vegas show, but low-cost varieties had a low profile.

Those of you who have attended the last half-decade of NAB conventions know well that HD is the technology that has been promoted the most aggressively. During this period, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt left out. It seemed that no matter how HD technology advanced, it remained beyond our reach. In fact, I began to resent the amount of time devoted to a movie director who used a quarter-million dollar camera to shoot what turned out to be lame movies.

Then, at NAB 2003, everything changed. JVC introduced an under-$4,000 HD camcorder — the JY-HD10. Suddenly those on an earth-bound budget could anticipate shooting HD. I think it's fair to say that many of us believed JVC had only a one-year lead with its HDV camcorders. Given this belief, we expected to find a large number of new HDV camcorders at NAB 2004.

This belief was bolstered by the HD-oriented themes for this year's NAB. Sony, for example, announced that we should “Ride the HD Wave.” JVC was even more specific with its “Affordable HD” tag. Therefore, it was not unreasonable to expect NAB 2004 would be the culmination of the big three's drive to implement HDTV. However, as many of you know, this is not what happened.

When it came to demonstrating new HD products you could go out and buy, shipping products were few. So despite the HD-oriented themes, the focus of NAB 2004 was ultimately on SD products.

Moreover, many of these SD products were not new. Sony's XDCAM product line had been introduced at NAB 2003. At that point, delivery was set to occur within the next year. The promise was met, leaving Sony with the task of re-introducing them a year later. Panasonic, however, had only introduced the concept of solid-state, P2-based recording in 2003. So the company had the far more rewarding task of introducing soon-to-be-shipping P2 products. Let's start our look at NAB with Panasonic's new P2 products.

The new AJ-SPX800 camcorder, which Panasonic calls a “camputer,” features three 2/3in., 520,000-pixel, IT CCDs. These CCDs support 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios and deliver 750 lines of resolution with a 65dB signal-to-noise ratio. Sensitivity is high, F13 at 2000 lux. Minimum illumination is rated at 0.09 lux (with +48dB gain) or 0.01 lux (at +48dB with +20dB Digital Super Gain). The camcorder can shoot 480p24, 480p30, and 480i using the 25Mbps DVCPRO and 50Mbps DVCPRO50 codecs.

Audio and video are stored on a P2 card using the MXF file format. The SPX800 features five PC card-sized P2 card slots, providing up to 80 minutes record capacity with DVCPRO and 40 minutes with DVCPRO50 when using 4GB P2 cards. The camcorder's hot-swap function allows you to replace any card, except the one being recorded to. A sixth PC card slot is provided for options such as a wireless LAN card or an MPEG-4 proxy video encoder. Proxy video and audio may be recorded to a P2 card and viewed later on a PDA.

The SPX800 features a built-in 3.5in., high-resolution color LCD. The LCD monitor provides review of video clip thumbnails plus the creation of an in-camera storyboard. Four channels of 16-bit audio sampled at 48kHz are available in both DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO.

In addition to USB 2.0, the AJ-SPX800 offers an optional IEEE 1394 interface for connection to computers running a range of popular NLE applications. The IEEE 1394 interface also provides a way to extend recording duration to videotape or a hard-disk recorder.

The AJ-SPX800 will be available this summer at an MSRP of $19,500 — media not included. To complement the SPX800, Panasonic introduced the AJ-SPD850 VTR, the AJ-PCD10 five-slot P2 drive ($2,500), plus the 2GB AJ-P2C002S and 4GB AJ-P2C004S P2 cards.

The AJ-SPD850 deck is equipped with five P2 card slots and features USB 2.0 and Ethernet ports. Also available are optional IEEE 1394 and SDI (with embedded audio) cards. When operating with P2 cards, the SPD850 offers shuttle search speeds up to 100 times normal in forward or reverse — with full color images. The deck provides noiseless slow and fast playback at speeds from -1X to 2X.

A built-in 3.5in. color LCD enables browsing and selection of clips. A front-panel GUI supports playlist creation. For video archiving, the SPD850 supports optical disc backup by means of an optional DVD-R/DVD-RAM drive. The P2 deck includes an SD memory card slot for reading and writing playlists.

The standard AJ-SPD850 supports composite and analog component video, analog audio, digital audio, reference video, monitor out, and timecode input/output. The AJ-SPD850 will be available this summer with an MSRP of $15,000.

When it came to HD, Panasonic had three messages. First, that DVCPRO HD was the logical choice for those wanting to shoot very high-quality HD. They even showed a model of a P2-based Varicam that could record DVCPRO HD data.

Panasonic's second message — working with DVCPRO HD need not be expensive — is exemplified by the new AJ-HD1200A. The AJ-HD1200A plays 480i NTSC and 576i PAL DVCPRO, DVCPRO P (480p), and DVCPRO50 formats, plus DV and DVCAM, as well as DVCPRO HD and HD-LP formats. Standard definition video can be output (and input) via composite video, component, and SDI (with an optional $6,000 AJ-YA120AG card).

When HD material is played, it is output via HD SDI from the optional AJ-YA120AG and simultaneously downconverted to SD. The unit also incorporates an HD format converter that enables playback conversion from 1080i to 720p or 720p to 1080i. The HD SDI card enables 1080i60 and 720p60 recording.

Using the optional $4,000 1394 port, DVCPRO HD can be transferred to an Apple Power Mac G4/G5 or to a G4 PowerBook without generation loss. The VTR supports standards like 1080i and 720p60, as well as variable frame rate 720p60 video shot with Panasonic's AJHDC27 Varicam. Once transferred, material is available for realtime editing operations using Final Cut Pro HD. During capture, 3:2 pulldown from 24fps video is automatically extracted, saving an additional 60 percent of disk space.

When playing video shot at 24fps, the VTR can convert the output to 1080p24 in realtime with a simultaneous downconvert to NTSC. The HD1200A can change an image's aspect ratio (widescreen, squeeze or side-cut) and supports eight channels of 16-bit/48kHz digital audio.

The AJ-HD1200A operates from either AC or 12V DC and will be available this summer with an MSRP of $21,000.

As many have taken note, Panasonic has not expressed support for the HDV. Since HDV can be licensed only to tape-based products, and Panasonic is committed to using SD card-based media, that makes perfect sense. But, could Panasonic use HDV data with SD media? I was slightly skeptical for two reasons. When introducing P2, one of its features was the ability to transfer data at up to 20MBps — more than adequate for Panasonic's own DVCPRO HD. Moreover, Panasonic has long promoted the virtues of intra-frame compression over inter-frame (MPEG-2) compression for acquisition.

Nevertheless, Panasonic's third message was that it would indeed supply P2-based camcorders that record HD using “MPEG-2 encoding.” However, it's unlikely Panasonic will restrict itself to MP@HL1440 MPEG-2 that is used with HDV. Instead, the P2 transfer rate makes it possible for Panasonic to support 422P@HL1440 MPEG-2 at up to 160Mbps.

The extension of MPEG-2 to P2 is only one of many possible future enhancements. Because camera data no longer needs to be recorded to an industry-standard video format, many types of motion images can be captured. For example, the DVCPRO HD frame rate could be increased to almost 100fps. Moreover, with future very high-resolution CCDs, truly wide-aspect (e.g., 2.35:1) motion-image data could be transferred to P2.

At NAB 2004, Sony made four HD announcements. First, the HDCAM HDW-730S three-CCD camcorder with 1,000 lines of resolution, a signal-to-noise ratio of 54dB, and a smear level of -125dB. The switchable 60i/50i camcorder's minimum illumination is 0.31lux. An optional picture-cache feature reduces the risk of missed scenes and enables time-lapse recording. The HDW-730S has an MSRP of only $48,000.

Second, Sony announced the HDC-X300, a 1080i POV camera. The HDC-X300 employs three 1/2in. 1.5 Megapixel CCDs that provide a smear level of -120dB and a signal-to-noise ratio of 54dB. The camera offers a minimum illumination sensitivity of 0.003lux and can output progressive video (23.97fps or 29.97fps) in addition to 59.94i. The X300 is important for several reasons. Many remote situations now require HD rather than SD video, and the camera provides an economical way of capturing HD. The HDC-X300, with its built-in HD SDI output, could be used as the heart of a build-it-yourself HD capture system. And clearly, these new CCDs could serve as the basis for a future HD camcorder.

Third, Sony announced support for the HDV format and showed a mockup of a PD170-like, three-CCD HDV camcorder that will shoot 1080i (MP@HL1440) at 25Mbps. A small HDV deck mockup was also displayed. No concrete information was provided, nor did Sony comment upon price or a potential delivery date for either product.

Fourth, Sony displayed an XDCAM camcorder that was labeled as supporting HD. The XDCAM blue-laser system can record a data rate of up to 80Mbps — which would easily support 422P@HL1440 MPEG-2. This higher data rate (greater than IMX at 50Mbps) need not decrease maximum record time because Sony can easily double XDCAM storage capacity. Sony may create a new name for high-definition XDCAM, or simply label it IMX HD. Again, Sony did not provide a price or potential delivery date.

Sony, of course, had public demonstrations of its line of SD XDCAM products. These include the PDW-510 and PDW-530 camcorders. The PDW-510 (MSRP of $19,900) features three 16:9/4:3 switchable, 2/3in., Power HAD EX CCDs and records DVCAM at 25Mbps. The PDW-510 has the ability to record proxy video and audio — as well as metadata. The PDW-510 supports network interfaces, IEEE 1394, and an optional CBK-NC01 Ethernet card. With the optional CBK-FC01 installed, the PDW-510 provides a 24p capability.

PDW-530 (MSRP of $34,000) has the same camera-block specification as PDW-510. It features switchable MPEG IMX/DVCAM recording. When using DVCAM compression, recording up to 85 minutes is possible. When using MPEG IMX compression, 30Mbps allows for up to 68 minutes; 40Mbps, up to 55 minutes; and 50Mbps, up to 45 minutes. The PDW-530 supports conversion from MPEG IMX to DVCAM during output over IEEE 1394, which allows you to offline-edit with DVCAM and then return to MPEG for the online.

The PDW-3000 studio deck (MSRP of $26,000) offers both DVCAM and MPEG IMX recording and playback. Its dual optical head design supports up to 5X realtime transfer of DVCAM audio and video plus up to 50X realtime transfer of low-resolution proxy audio and video. Transfer speeds for MPEG 4:2:2 video range from 2.5X realtime for MPEG at 50Mbps to 4X realtime for 30Mbps MPEG.

Sony's PDW-1500 (MSRP of $15,000) is a half-rack VTR that supports nonlinear editing. It offers the same performance as the PDW-3000.

The Sony PDW-D1 external drive is a battery/AC-powered drive that can be connected to a laptop via an IEEE 1394 interface. PDZ-1 software is provided at no additional charge with XDCAM decks and enables “cuts-only” laptop-based browsing and editing of MPEG-4 proxy data captured by XDCAM camcorders. The PDW-D1 will be available in December at $7,000.

Those looking for the next-generation HDV camcorder would have most expected to find one at JVC's booth. After all, a year seems enough time to release a “JY-HD20” that both offered 24fps and had the firmware improvements to the camera's control system many of us have been suggesting. Instead, JVC revealed a prototype of a three-chip, SD/HD switchable ENG/EFP camcorder.

The JVC camcorder, which looks like the GY-DV5000U, will use three 2/3in., CMOS imagers — each with a resolution of 1920×1080 elements. These chips can scan both 720p and 1080i. The question, of course, is what frame rates can be recorded by the camcorder. Will it capture 720p at 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 50, and 59.94fps? Will it record 1080i at 23.98, 24, 50, and 59.94fps — or not at all? (For broadcast applications, 1080i seems necessary.) Unfortunately, JVC provided no details on these critical issues, other than that 24fps would be available.

JVC's camcorder will utilize the HDV format and will be capable of recording HD for up to 276 minutes on full-size DV media. In addition, JVC's HD camcorder will support hard-drive and solid-state recording options.

JVC also displayed a BR-DV6000-like HDV deck that supports IEEE 1394 I/O. The floor model also had analog component I/O — although it is unlikely HD analog component video can be encoded. (An HD SDI option would be extremely valuable — especially for 1080i editing.)

Hopefully, more TV stations will decide to use the new JVC camcorders for HD newsgathering. Of course, it will be important to have the ability to cover breaking news in HD — and that means there must be a way to microwave HD video back to the studio. For this purpose, JVC announced the DM-JV600 HD MPEG-2 encoder. The DM-JV600 (MSRP of $29,995) is a multi-format HDTV encoder that offers compatibility with microwave systems — both analog and digital. The encoder takes SMPTE-292M HD-SDI signals and encodes them, with less than a 3/4-second delay, into a compressed 12Mbps HD MPEG-2 format.

JVC also displayed the CU-VH1US-P micro-VTR that supports 720p30 and 480p60 recording and playback via i.LINK. The VH1US-P, which has a built-in 3.5-inch LCD display, can also double as Pro DV recorder/spooler. It is currently shipping, with an MSRP of $1,995.

So why, many of us have been asking, were our low-cost HD expectations not met at NAB 2004? I believe it has to do with chips. Achieving high-resolution video with the same quality as today's SD video requires CCD chips with at least triple the resolution — without a decrease in sensitivity and latitude. All without an increase in cost. Not an easy engineering task.

Equally difficult is the development of an MPEG-2 encoder that can handle a 1440×1080 spatial resolution and/or a 720p frame rate of 60fps. The NTT/NEL SuperENC-III encoder used in JVC's JY-HD10 can do neither — nor does it currently support 24fps.

These challenges, along with the cost HD-capable lenses, pushes the price of “affordable HD” much higher than many had expected. These factors also push the delivery date for truly low-cost HD farther into the future than we had hoped.

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