Breakout box

Question

Bonna Author

Level 1

0 points

Breakout box

Does anyone know of a inexpensive HDV/SD capture/output external breakout box to be used with a Mac Book Pro?

Thanks.

MBP, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Oct 2, 2006 5:32 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 2, 2006 7:16 AM in response to Bonna

Matrox's MXO will output HD, and SD, and the rest of HDV comes in via Firewire and goes out that way too.

There are no other solutions for a laptop.

Jerry

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Answer 2

Bonna Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2006 8:08 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Thanks Jerry,

I was under the impression that there was a way to capture video through the component via a breakout box as to have uncompressed video. Was I misinformed?

Thanks,

Carl

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Answer 3

Oct 2, 2006 9:03 AM in response to Bonna

There is... just not with a powerbook. They're all PCI cards...

The only box that might be able to come into play is AJA's IO. But you'd need a way to take the component HD from the camera/deck to a box that downconverts it to SD first I believe. AJA makes such boxes I think. Call them and ask if it's possible? They're pretty responsive.

You've got to get the HDV analog to FireWire Std def... Then you'd need some pretty fast drives connected as well.

Jerry

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Answer 4

Bonna Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2006 9:41 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Thanks Jerry, I will give them a call.

I believe this is what I'm looking for. What do you think?

Thanks.

Io LA
Also part of the award-winning Io family, Io LA is designed for analog component, composite and S-video systems. Io LA gives you the highest-quality 10-bit video available on all analog inputs and outputs and 4 channel balanced audio I/O. Like Io LD, Io LA can be used in a desktop configuration, or mounted in an optional 1-RU mounting bracket. Io LA fully supports Apple Final Cut Pro on Mac OS X.

Io LA Rear Panel Connectors

click to view larger
Io LD
A smaller and lower-cost version of AJA's award-winning Io, Io LD is designed to work with SDI digital systems, providing the highest-quality video/audio interface to Mac OS X desktop systems running Final Cut Pro.

Io LD supports full 10-bit uncompressed SDI video and embedded audio I/O, and offers 10-bit analog video, with 2 channel balanced monitoring outputs. Io LD can be used in a desktop configuration or mounted in an optional 1-RU mounting bracket. Io LD and LA systems can grow along with you; start with either and then add the other in the future if you need a greater variety of inputs/outputs. Using the optional rackmounting kit, you can even mount the two together in an attractive rack chassis configuration.

IoLD Rear Panel Connectors

click to view larger
Optional Rack Mounting
With a stylish appearance and protective rubber feet underneath, the Io LD and Io LA panels work great placed directly on a desktop; however, you can also rackmount them if you wish. To professionally mount Io LD and Io LA panels in a standard 19" industrial equipment rack, you'll want the optional AJA rackmounting kit. The kit consists of a 1-RU rack chassis, mounting screws, and a blank cover plate. You can mount either one or two Io LD and Io LA panels using this kit. Whether mounting one or two panels, the result is an attractive rack chassis matching the look of AJA's full-size Io and Apple's Xserve RAID products.

Io LA Features

RS-422 Control Port (Sony), 9-pin D, for machine control

Analog (10-bit A/D and D/A) video inputs/outputs:
S-video I/O
Composite NTSC/PAL video I/O
Component YPbPr/RGB video I/O
Genlock/Reference video (looping)
Four channels analog balanced audio I/O available using a supplied XLR breakout cable

Front panel status indicators: Power On/Off, FireWire (active/inactive), Ref (Genlock), NTSC or PAL

Front panel mode indicators: Input/Output

Front panel video input source indicators: Present, Component, S-video and Composite

Io LD Features

RS-422 Control Port (Sony), 9-pin D, for machine control

10-bit uncompressed SDI I/O with embedded audio (2 SDI outputs provide flexibility)

SDI loop-through output

2 channels of 24-bit digital audio out, via S/PDIF connector

Analog outputs:
Stereo balanced analog audio Out connectors on a supplied XLR cable (24-bit D/A conversion)
Analog component (RGB/YPbPr) or composite/S-video outputs, via 3 BNCs on supplied breakout cable (10-bit D/A conversion)
Front panel status indicators: Power On/Off, FireWire (active/inactive), Ref (Genlock), NTSC or PAL

Front panel mode indicators: Input/Output

Front panel SDI video/audio source indicators signal presence of video and audio at inputs

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Answer 5

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Oct 2, 2006 9:58 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

pci and pci-express expansion for laptops.

http://www.mobl.com/expansion/

bullet-proof products and i can't recommend magma boxes enuff!

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Answer 6

Oct 2, 2006 12:04 PM in response to Bonna

That's part of it, but I'm thinkin' that you also need to down convert the analog out from an HDV camera or deck before it hits the IO.

Jerry

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Answer 7

Oct 2, 2006 9:02 PM in response to Bonna

For editing standard def on a 17" macbook pro,does anyone have a preference ?
a) express card to pci adapter,running a video i/o plus fw800 graid storage
or
b) express card to sata adapter,running gsata storage,with AJA io ld for video io on fw400
Just wondering...

MacBook Pro 17" Mac OS X (10.4.7) FCP 5.1.2

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Answer 8

Bonna Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 3, 2006 5:20 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Why would I have to down convert? All I want is uncompressed video. What did you think of the specs of the Breakout box? Do you think that would work with my MBP?

Thanks.

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Answer 9

Oct 3, 2006 6:09 AM in response to Bonna

Why would I have to down convert? All I want is
uncompressed video. What did you think of the specs
of the Breakout box? Do you think that would work
with my MBP?

Thanks.

Bonna,
You would have to downconvert because this box does not support HD. I have the Io LA and it works very well. However, It does not like to share the firewire bus with anything else so this may prove to be a problem on the MBP. I have not tried it with mine. The solution would be to get an ExpressCard/34 Firewire card to give yourself another bus.

There is also an LD version which you also listed in your post but it is SDI only and also does not support HD. Unless you have SDI on your camera or deck, this is not the one you want.

It would help to know, are you trying to get uncompressed video from an HDV source and keep it HD? If so, why? Why not transfer your HDV footage via firewire? Or are you looking to get uncompressed video from another source, say VHS, DVD, Beta, etc.?

The reason I ask is this. What happens when you use a product like the IoLA is that your digital signal on the tape is converted to analog to go out of the component ports on the deck or cam and then converted back to digital by the LA. The reason for using a box like this is to take an analog signal, say VHS or old 3/4" UMatic and get those into FCP. I am not sure if you would gain anything by converting HDV to component then to uncompressed because the signal is already highly compressed and would not be anymore compressed by bringing it in over firewire or any less compressed by bringing it in through the LA as uncompressed.

Hope this helps and I hope that I am not totally misunderstanding your question.

K

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Answer 10

Oct 3, 2006 6:10 AM in response to William Watts

For editing standard def on a 17" macbook pro,does
anyone have a preference ?
a) express card to pci adapter,running a video i/o
plus fw800 graid storage
or
b) express card to sata adapter,running gsata
storage,with AJA io ld for video io on fw400
Just wondering...

MacBook Pro 17" Mac OS X
(10.4.7) FCP 5.1.2

William, please repost in a new thread so that you can get the help that you need.

K

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Answer 11

Bonna Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 3, 2006 7:08 AM in response to Ken-Summerall-Jr

Ken,

Thank you for your help. What I would like to do is capture HDV footage from an HDV deck. Firewire capture from what I understand is compressed data 0&1's. I would like to use the 3 component outputs to capture uncompressed true HDV video. I have a 34 express firwire card with 2 firewire 400.

Is this at all possible with the MBP or am I only to use firewire to capture from my deck? I understand you when you say the box is used to convert analog to digital for use in FCP, I don't want this, but it is a nice feature of the box. This box also seems to allow for a monitor so to watch you edits from the timeline.

If this box does not support HD, do you know of one that does for capture and viewing?

Thanks,

Carl

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Answer 12

Studio X

Level 7

27,229 points

Oct 3, 2006 7:27 AM in response to Bonna

The material is compressed at the time the camera records it. The only way to avoid the compression is to shoot with a true HD camera. There is no such thing as uncompressed HDV. HDV at it's core is a hugely compressed format.

Still, while exporting through Component out and bringing in as DVCPRO HD will not magically remove the effect of compression, it does allow you to avoid the dread GOP structure of HDV.

For that process to work you need either a Kona or Decklink card and one of the external PCI card expansion boxes that Zeb pointed you toward.

x

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Answer 13

Oct 3, 2006 7:45 AM in response to Studio X

Carl,

Now you see why X is a level 4, he says what I try to say in a way that makes sense! Thanks X for clearing up my muddy water.

Now Carl, do you have a HDV camera or just the footage? If you are looking for an HD camera I would suggest that you look at something that is true HD such as the HVX200, everything else is compressed.

K

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Answer 14

Oct 3, 2006 9:02 AM in response to Bonna

I think the question is answered... it's HD, and the IO only supports SD...

You'll want an eSata array to go along with this... and a PC card adapter for it. Then the FW bus is only using the IO.

CALL AJA... If you're serious about this, they should be consulted about the transfer of the HD to SD so the IO can send it on to the PB as uncompressed std def video...

Jerry

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Answer 15

Danny_boy

Level 4

1,125 points

Oct 3, 2006 9:18 AM in response to Ken-Summerall-Jr

Actually all HD tape/recording formats are compressed, some more than others. The only way to get true uncompressed HD is to send a signal directly from a camera to a capture device.

When you edit DVCPro HD you are using the format's native compression. When you edit a format like HDCAM you capture it as uncompressed because Sony has chosen not to license the codec to NLE manufacturers. They did the same thing with Digital Betacam. You can edit native HDCAM on an Sony XPRI, but not on any other NLE that I know of. Currently, HDCAM SR is the closest to uncompressed of any acquisition format, but even that uses some compression.

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