No external video from HDV timeline through Sony HDV deck.

Question

No external video from HDV timeline through Sony HDV deck.

Without buying an external video card, is there a way to view an HDV timeline on an external monitor? I can capture HDV footage easily and see it play back fine in the Canvas on my Mac Pro, but I can't see the captured HDV footage on my external monitor that's hooked up via FireWire to my Sony HVR-M25 deck.

Here are the Audio/Video Settings I'm using:
Sequence Preset is HDV - 1080i60
Capture Preset is HDV
Device Control Preset os Sony HDV Firewire

I'm also noticing that the Video Playback HDV options are grayed out, so I'm assuming I would either need an external video card to play back the capture HDV footage the timeline on my external monitor, or use another combination of codecs to (maybe) use my stock Mac Pro setup. Whew.

Thanks in advance.

Mac Pro 2x2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon, Mac OS X (10.6.3), FCP 7.0.2

Posted on Jun 2, 2010 6:47 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jun 2, 2010 6:51 PM in response to Ryan Campuspos

No. Sorry, but the format doesn't allow it. You can send a downconverted SD signal out via firewire in realtime, but it won't be your full HD image. If you want the full HD image, you need an HD capture device. #25 HDV external Monitor Viewing

Shane's Stock Answer #25 - HDV external Monitor Viewing

To view HDV on an external monitor in high definition you are going to need to purchase a capture card, like the ones Decklink (www.decklink.com) or AJA (www.aja.com) offer. They will both play out HDV in real time. The catch is that you cannot view this on a regular TV or NTSC monitor. Since this is HD, an HD monitor will be needed. HOWEVER, both cards are capable of down converting the signal so that it can be displayed on an SD monitor. This won't be color accurate

The real reason why you can't monitor HDV through a Firewire camera is because Firewire HDV cameras don't decode incoming HDV streams and route them to their outputs like DV cameras do.

Good options for you are the Matrox MXO2 mini...$450...coupled with an HDTV. Or a Matrox MXO (DVI connection) coupled with an Apple 23" display gets you good quality.

And there are the Decklink Intensity and Intensity PRO cards as well, and the AJA I/O Express...

You can, however, view HDV out via firewire as DV...lowering the resolution to that of DV, but still viewable. This is not full quality nor should it be used to judge the quality of your footage or used to color correct to. This is just a way to view the footage on a large monitor.

Here are some examples of some of the possibilities:

- DV or HDV sequence output to an SDI signal on a third-party interface
- An uncompressed NTSC or PAL sequence output to a DV FireWire output
- An HDV sequence output to a DV FireWire output

Sequence and output formats must have compatible frame rates. For example,
sequences with a frame rate of 60, 30, or 24 fps can be output to a 30 fps device,
but not to a 25 or 50 fps device.

Shane

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Answer 2

Jun 2, 2010 7:46 PM in response to Shane Ross

Thanks for the quick & helpful response Shane. Will definitely look into your suggestions.

One more thing (sorry, isn't there always?): Is there a capture/sequence setting-combination to edit my HDV footage in an FCP timeline and view it through the external monitor (as one would do with a normal DV workflow)? I thought there was a way through either using the Apple Intermediate Codec or one of the Pro Res codecs.

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Answer 3

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jun 2, 2010 8:22 PM in response to Ryan Campuspos

Is there a capture/sequence setting-combination to edit my HDV footage in an FCP timeline and view it through the external monitor (as one would do with a normal DV workflow)?

Nope...that's just what HDV cannot do. That's why you need the IO box or card.

I thought there was a way through either using the Apple Intermediate Codec or one of the Pro Res codecs.

Nope. The only formats that are viewable via firewire are DV and DVCPRO HD.

Shane

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Answer 4

Jun 2, 2010 8:31 PM in response to Ryan Campuspos

I haven't tried this. However, since you CAN view an HDV sequence in SD output through a DV deck, could you set your HDV deck to DV input instead of HDV and display an SD downconvert on your external monitor?

Obviously not HDV resolution, but for a client monitor it could serve the purpose of getting them to sit farther away, right?

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