HD-SDI out of HVX

[Alan Dague-Greene]

If I wanted to hook up an external monitor that takes HD-SDI, what do I need to pass the signal through? I found this AJA converter (http://www.aja.com/html/products_converters_HD10AVA.html), I'm not sure if that would do the trick, or if there are other options. I honestly don't know anything about component, HDMI, HD-SDI, HD-SMTPE, HD-ASAP, HD-SOL, or any of the others.

I would appreciate a little insight, thanks!

[mikkowilson]

Alan,
You will need a Component to HD-SDI converter. Yes that AJA you linked to would do the job.

...That must be a fairly new model, I haven't seen that one before, VERY nice one. Does anything Analog to Anything Digital, with embeded audio. Nice find! :thumbsup:

- Mikko

[khmuse]

The journey from digital to analog and back to digital is not one that can be made without a price. While this would "work" its not ideal in terms of quality, mode conversion twice is going to add quantizing noise and decrease bandwidth. I would think that you would get better results by locating a monitor with a set of analog component inputs.

What does this converter cost in relationship to a monitor with analog component inputs?

[Alan Dague-Greene]

The monitor is for a home-built stabilizer, and my current monitor is just too dark to be useful in sunlight. I have a 250- or 300-nit monitor, which I have to barricade with cardboard to make it visible in the sun. This turns the sled into a sail, and I'm constantly fighting it (not to mention it looks retarculous).

The monitor I would need to get has HD-SDI only, so while the resolution or image quality might be a compromise, that is not my main concern.

That said, I really don't need a plethora of options. I would hope to find something a little cheaper, as the monitor itself will be over $1000. Doubling that just to give it a usable signal is a hard pill to swallow, and might be a deal-breaker. (And a purchase like this would officially put me well over the line of having spent more money on my home-built than I would have spent on a Flyer with a few good batteries.)

I understand these things come at a price, but would anyone have recommendations for something that's not as full-featured?

Thanks for your input!

[khmuse]

OK for use on a stabilizer you have a very different situation than a traditional production monitor. You are going to have a difficult time as there are just not many choices of small, DC powered monitors that offer component input.

Do you really need to use the component signal path? Could you use the Y-C or composite output for this application (assumed to just be framing)? A high output monochrome monitor might be the best choice for your use. Most steadicam rigs have small monochrome (usually green) CRT monitors.

I would think that this would be a much lower cost solution than a component to SDI adapter and a SDI equipped monitor.

[mikkowilson]

Yeah, that converter is probabaly around 3 grand. :(

Do you need a HD monitor on your rig? - Can't you use a birght SD monitor? ... heck, like the Flyer monitor!

They also make Steadicam friendly monitors with HD-Component, your birghtness may vary.

EDIT: khmuse; sorry to say, but those greenscreen CRTs used on Steadicam as EXPENSIVE - They cost from around $5k (!) to about $16k (!!!). They are beeing very rapidly replaced with some kicking LCD monitors available now too with very few new CRTs beeing made.

- Mikko ... night of the green screen.

[AbstracTheory]

Check out www.gefen.com They just sent me an e-mail (which I just deleted 2 min ago) that they just came out with a DVI to HDSDI converter... their products are fairly priced... You could always convert component to DVI and then use this adapter.. give them a try..

[Jim Carswell]

I just checked B&H. That AJA converter is less than one thousand dollars.
Jim

[mikkowilson]

No poo poo?

- Mikko ... opdates wishlist.

[khmuse]

EDIT: khmuse; sorry to say, but those greenscreen CRTs used on Steadicam as EXPENSIVE - They cost from around $5k (!) to about $16k (!!!). They are beeing very rapidly replaced with some kicking LCD monitors available now too with very few new CRTs beeing made.

Thats absurd, I know what they cost to build and there isn't any reason for them to exceed $1500 tops.

It does explain a bit why I usually pay $750 - $1000 per day for a steadicam owner / op. They are just trying to recover from getting burned buying their rig's monitor!

[mikkowilson]

I agree they are steep prices.
But unfotunatly the high specks (those suckers are bright!), the faetures (image flipping, frameline generators, etc..) are bed enouhg. But then when you ad that they are a prety small market item - I think one company even uses tubes made individually to oder. It's nto supprizing the the prices soar.

Suddenly a $8k full color LCD (Tiffen's Ultra-Bright) that weighs half as much, takes half the power, and can accept any signal you throw at it doesn't look so bad.

..and of course well prepared operators also have a 2nd (backup) monitor.

- Mikko

[Alan Dague-Greene]

I will explain further (and I apologize for this being in "Technical", I was aiming for "Hardware" but missed).

An acquaintance of mine is working on a monitor that is for Steadicam use. I can power it off of my rig's batteries, no problem. If the converter also needed power, I could figure that out when I come to that point. This monitor he's working on is HD-SDI.

Mikko, you raise a good point. Why HD if it's just for framing? I was considering this monitor merely on a whim (I haven't shopped around), and because it is supposed to be 1400 nits. I could definitely see what else is out there that takes a signal right out of the HVX without having to be converted, SD monitors included.

[soren k jensen]

Sorry to maybe hijack, but I have the Flyer normal lcd, which is nice for SD and flying. Is the Marshall so much better for HD that I need to get it?

best, soren

[Paul Nordin]

Is the Marshall so much better for HD that I need to get it?

I have the Flyer (SD Monitor) and also the Marshall. The advantage of the flyer's is it is about 1/3 the weight of the Marshall HD monitor. The Marshall's display is significantly better than the Flyer's stock SD lcd. But in my case, I only use the Flyer's monitor for steadicam framing/focusing while flying a camera. For that purpose, I think the Flyer's monitor is just fine, and it's integration with the Steadicam rig (S-Video input w/power feed) is a lot simpler than all the cables and batteries that would have to be rigged to mount the Marshall on a stock Flyer.

If you are using the Flyer's monitor for non-Steadicam tasks (framing, critical focus, composition), then you will definatly get a better view of what you are actually going to record on the Marshall.