It has an interesting almost square aesthetic. Cameras of that time were trying to be a bit molded and sculpted looking. I like it a lot
Clean signal output from an old and venerable Canon XL1?
- Thread starter norvan5
- Start date
It has an interesting almost square aesthetic. Cameras of that time were trying to be a bit molded and sculpted looking. I like it a lot
norvan5
Well-known member
Great minds think alike! I actually ordered a BNC to RCA adapter this morning to try it out. Will post here and let you know if it works.
Hope it works!
Analog video is fun. You can split the wires and make black and white video, lol.
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CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
It can certainly be confusing when the presence of a BNC connector is associated with digital, whereas an RCA jack is known to be analog. Definitely the output of that DSR250 would have been analog (composite) and while the Blackmagic recorder can intake a standard-def signal, it has to be digital (SD-SDI). I have no doubt the BNC to RCA adaptor will work with your funky little recorder!
If you do prefer to use your Blackmagic recorder with that camera down the line, I have a stash of barely used Blackmagic analog to SDI converter boxes I'm selling (new price $195, I have them in box with AC power supply for $120, or just the converter itself for $100). They do require 12v power supply and d-tap cables are widely available.
If you do prefer to use your Blackmagic recorder with that camera down the line, I have a stash of barely used Blackmagic analog to SDI converter boxes I'm selling (new price $195, I have them in box with AC power supply for $120, or just the converter itself for $100). They do require 12v power supply and d-tap cables are widely available.
norvan5
Well-known member
Cheers. I’ll have a think on that and see if I can maybe source one locally as custom charges from US to EU (as well technical compatibility issues sometimes) can be a pain.
That makes sense, since the Blackmagic doesn’t work with analog signals.
Try recording via the adapter from the BNC to the Powerplay recorder you use with your XL1
norvan5
Well-known member
Yep, the Powerplay recorder works fine with it. I was just curious to see if the BM would work too but likely not without an analogue to sdi converter
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
That is indeed the case, as mentioned earlier! It is very hard to find a modern recorder that will accept composite SD signals any more. But it would be worth it if you went that route because I imagine your Powerplay recorder is much more compressed, probably records to MP4's? If you really want to capture all the goodness of that analog signal and grade it etc, you'll be much better off with the Blackmagic.
I just looked upnthe Ki Pro mini specs again and not seeing analog video input, so i just wanted to correct myself and say do research on the product if interested.
I’m guess the camera was digital that i used the kipro on then. maybe i just assumed SD was analog at that time. My apologies!
I’m guess the camera was digital that i used the kipro on then. maybe i just assumed SD was analog at that time. My apologies!
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
Good advice. Just another example of posting wrong information. You know, there's no reason you need to post on every thread whether you have anything useful to say or not. Nobody is waiting for your post on every topic. Maybe just consider listening a little more instead of jumping in and muddying the waters of nearly every thread with false, incorrect, incomplete, and dumb stuff that has be corrected.
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
Hmmm, you've got the most recent post in 7 of the 6 last threads . . . and not a worthwhile contribution (in my opinion) among them. Show some discretion and please give it rest. Maybe you could go over to a medical website and tell heart surgeons how to do their jobs. I'm sure your insight will be appreciated.
norvan5
Well-known member
Yes, the Powerplay is a 60fps h. 264 video recorder. The Blackmagic route, I could well imagine, would yield superior results.
What might be interesting is finding a way to upres the analog signal to HD before it becomes digital. One of the aspects of SD footage these days is the blockiness on big LCD screens. takes away from the old analog appeal.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
You can uprez to HD any number of ways: a mini converter at the camera (Decimator, Blackmagic, AJA etc) or a more sophisticated studio device like a Teranex, all of which will do a real-time upconvert with limited results. You can also process through an NLE or delivery software which will deliver a more pronounced uprez. Or use an AI based app like Topaz Video Enhance which will actually fill in the gaps, although the results are not always preferable (faces can take on an uncanny valley type appearance). Video Enhance seems to work best with late-model SD footage so XL1 material would probably work very nicely.
Thanks!
Most upres options are digitizing first, rather than directly trying to resolve 1080p detail of the 480p analog signal. A bit of a low priority i’m sure (also, no pun intended).
AI could be interesting for some things, but i'll have to test it out. most of what i’ve seen is really clean and digital looking.
CharlesPapert
Director of Photography
Since uprezzing is a purely digital process, I don't see a scenario where digitizing wouldn't happen first...?!
One interesting technique i’ve seen is playing the analog to a Standard def CRT and then pointing an HD camera at it and recording that way.
But i guess when i am saying digital, i just mean that it is digitized as 480 first, and then upressing the digital blocks, so it looks digital. As opposed to trying to capture the 480 analog signal with 1080 resolution