Color Splitter
21 messages in this thread
Joe,
Can you expand on whatever experiments you did to determine that the
splitter was not at fault in the resolution-loss? Did you pass color video
to Digiview directly somehow? The limitation could certainly be in
DigiView; I just don't have a monochrome camera to test it out separately.
Karl
Karl,
I passed the color video directly to the Digi-View box and digitized in
B&W. Then I passed the video directly through the Color Splitter &
Digi-View and digitized the same picture in B&W. (bypassing the color
splitters purpose of doing color). Then I compared both pictures, though
there was difference – the loss of resolution was not apparent.
Joe
Joe,
Ahh, makes sense. Thank you for the report. Too bad the DigiView is
losing so much. Pity.
Must try something of the sort on my setup once I get a camera.
Karl
I own and Use DCTV, it's a small box that plugs into your RGB Port. The
Output is Quite nice considering it's price and I use it to output my
736*482 rez DCTV animations in realtime to SVHS. I record using a JVC
HR4700U which is their least expensive SVHS machine as far as I know. The
results I get are quite nice and have been broadcast on Cable TV(Manhatten
Cable's "The Chronic Rift" has a 55 second anim I did as it's opening)
I use Black Belt Systems Imagemaster R/T to compile my DCTV anims and do
Morphing and other FX. The Limitations are you won't get a Rock Steady
Frame Rate so you'll actually have to Gueestimate running times of your
animation and salso it's output is a bit SOFT. It is an NTSC device and is
quite nice. It's an Excellent unit and comes with a very good paint prg.
I suggest you get a demo at your local Dealer or try to find a User Group
or other peron to demo it for you.
Good Luck.
Peter,
Thanks for the synopsis of your use of DCTV and the video
equipment/software you use. Sounds like your doing what I'm just dreaming
about. Wish I received Manhatten Cable to view your anim.
Concerning your JVC HR4700U, was price your only reason for choosing it
or does it have features (inputs and outputs, erase heads, etc.) that make
it a good buy for desk top video purposes? I've been looking into Hi8
camcorders myself becuase the format seems to be stronger for primary
recording or am I going astray here?
Concernig the use of the A520, genlocks, and DCTV, once they are
connected to the RGB port will I be limited to the use of a composite
monitor only or is there a pass thru on any of these devices, or is there
a device to allow the use of an RGB monitor symultaniously. Please excuse
my ignorance.
Kapryan Kennedy
The DCTV Unit and the A520 both have Pass thru's so you can continue to
use your monitor. The Price of the 4700 was the determining factor for my
minimal budget. it does have Flying Erase heads for Glitchless editing
which is good. The only feature I wish it had is Audio Dub.
BTW Beware of Hi08 as it's SUPPOSED to be very prone to dropouts.
Peter,
I'm curious about the problem Hi8 video formats have with "dropouts".
I'm afraid I'm just a babe in the woods concerning all these things, what
is a "dropout" anyway? I've been trying to educate myself on video issues
but this is one that I've never encountered before. Thanks for
explaining the issue of pass-thrus on the A520 and DCTV. Finally decided
to order the A2300 genlock to get started. It was twice the cost of the
A520 but at $60 not a bad price at all. Do you have any suggestions
concerning make and model of a good composit monitor?
Kapryan Kennedy
I use the plain ordinary CBM 1084S monitor but you may not want to use it
if you want to work in High resolution modes due to the Flicker.
As to dropouts they are similar to what you see when watching a Film and a
spec of dust is on the film you see a "DOT" that doesn't belong there.
They can be small or they can be fairly large. I hope this explanation is
coherent. A Genlock will allow you to do more things than a plain encoder.
Have fun.
Peter,
Thanks for the explaination of dropouts. I'll keep that in mind while
shopping for a camcorder. Do the regular 8mm format camcorders have
similar problems?
Since I'm on the subject of educating myself on video, can you
recommend a couple of How To books on the subject? I see a lot of titles
for sale on Home Video which makes me some what indecisive especially when
the go for $20 – $30.
Kapryan Kennedy
Kapryan, …. PMJI
Forget the books……they are already outdated. Spend the $20 – $30
here. If I may suggest, the Consumer Electronics Forum just added
a Desktop Video section. There are a lot of non-Amigans over there,
and I can use all the help I can get <g>.
Camcorders are a subject of much discussion. IMHO, the Canon L-3
would be my preference. A Hi-8, 3 chip, 15x interchangeable lens, RC
time code, Control L, TBC and DVE for $ 2500.00. The only problem is,
has not been made, yet!
Seriously, I would stay with Hi-8 or S-VHS if you are selling copies of
your production. I like this configuration: Sony Hi-8 801 RC Timecode
or Canon L-2 RC Timecode with Video Director and Scala on the Amiga to
the Sony CVD-1000 (V-Deck). The Hi-8 V-Deck reads/writes timecode and
can double as a multimedia RS-232 deck.
Regards,
–Craig Zwiener
8mm also suffers from more dropouts. I believe it's due to the narrower
tape size that it is more aparent than with VHS/SVHS etc.
Sorry I don't really know any good books on the subject that I'd
recommend.
Check into a subscription to VideoMaker Magazine. You can usually find it
in bookstores, even in the neighborhood grocery. Very informative reading
for consumer and pro-sumer level videography.
They also have many articles on formats, camera buyers guides, editing,
system set-up, etc. Better info than in any book, for about the same price
(i.e. 1 subscription = 1 book).
Hope this helps.
Steve
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451
Steve,
Thanks for the recomendation for VideoMaker Magazine, I'll pick one up
as soon as I see one. Sorry for the delay in responding, still trying to
catch up with Christmas cards.
Kapryan Kennedy
Kapryan,
as you may know, magnetic recording tape, like videotape for example, has a
thin coating of a ferrous oxide substance laid upon a mylar base (the tape
itself). <Video professionals: I may not have the exact names right — no
flames please!> If a flake of ferrous oxide "drops off" the tape, there can be
no signal recorded on that tiny spot anymore. When playback reaches that blind
spot, it shows up onscreen as a glitch. This is a dropout.
Blaq!
Blaq!,
Thanks for the explaination of "dropout". I assume then that the real
problem with 8mm dropouts is an issue of tape quality and not a defect of
the hardware and circuitry of Hi8 camcorders. My next question is: Who
makes the best quality tape and what tape should be avoided?
Kapryan Kennedy
Kapryan,
I've had the best luck by far with the Sony HMEX series of Hi8 tape; vast
difference in picture quality between it and others I've tried. I'm afraid
they all suffer from dropout, however…
Jerry
Jerry, any comments on which decks (Hi-8) in the pro/semi-pro market are best
at dealing with drop out compensation (DOC)? One of the things I like about
the U-Matic SP format and BVU-950 machines <grin>. I am impressed with the
EVW-3000 Hi-8 camcorder though. Almost as good as a BetaCam <g>.
Vince
Vince,
This is the Hi8 equipment I've owned, or currently (own):
2 Canon L1 camcorders (1)
2 Sony EV-S3000 Hi8 decks (1)
1 Sony EVO-9650 deck (0)
The 9650 was used for single framing until I changed all my editing gear to 3/4
SP. I must say that the 3/4 SP takes a licking and keeps on putting out
dropout-free video. Anyway, the 9650 did a great job at recording animations,
but you needed to immediately bump the original to something more durable,
because it sure wouldn't stand many passes. You'll probably be surprised to
hear that the Canon L1 camcorders have the best playback BY FAR, compared to
the Sony EV-S3000 deck; with that in mind, if Canon makes a prosumer Hi8 deck,
I'd seriously look into it.
Jerry
Jerry, thanks for the info on that. I wasn't aware that the L1 was that good,
but will try to find out some more about it. Oh yes, just so I don't forget,
best of the holiday season to you and yours. Y'all have a safe one.
Vince
Kapryan,
Look at the amount of info being put on that tiny tape, compared to other
formats. The info is densly packed, so a smaller defect has essentially
bigger results. So, yes, tape quality is more critical on Hi8 than
elsewhere.
… Nate,
Emerald Video
Kapryan,
on an 8mm-wide tape, the information is recorded in a smaller area than on
1/4-inch tape (VHS?), 1/2-inch, 1-inch or 2-inch tape. That little flake that
falls off will therefore cause a much bigger glitch on 8mm tape than on 2-inch
tape, which explains why TV stations tend to use larger formats than semi-pro
or home users.
Blaq!