mtpictures
New member
There have been a number of posts on this but no one seems to get a definitive answer - at least the answer I'm looking for. Anyone with any knowledge and/or experience on this please help!
I am trying to run a live HD stream from an HVX over FireWire 400 to my MacBookPro running OnLoation (or ScopeBox).
Now at this point most people laugh. Yes, I am aware that FireWire 400 is rated to a maximum of 15ft, ESPECIALLY with HD video.
But I think it is possible with repeaters. I am just now educating myself on this, but FireWire repaters are used to "boost" the signal along a longer cable length. There are 2 types - FireWire repeater boxes where you connect one end to a computer and the other to a FireWire cable (EXAMPLE HERE)- and then there are in-line repeater cables where it looks like a normal FireWire cable with a connector on the end (EXAMPLE HERE).
Now these repeaters usually say they can work reliably between 60-80ft (depending on the manufacturer).
Sooooo......
1) Do they? Will this not work? If I went 50ft with it, would I FOR SURE experience dropped frames / lag /etc., or is it simply a warning?
2) Has anyone tried this? What is the longest you have successfully run HD video over FireWire 400, and did you use repeaters to achieve it?
3) For the inline repeaters , does the cable attached to it have to be another inline repeater or can it simply be a normal FireWire cable? For example, can I take a 15ft inline repeater cable and attach a 50ft normal FireWire cable and having everything work fine?
4) If you think there is no way to possibly carry HD over 50ft of FireWire cable without dropped frames and problems, do you think it would be ok to simply use this method to at least monitor the video on a laptop? No, using a normal video monitor isn't an option for me - I need to use a Macbook Pro for effects work....
Try to be a little positive, this is my only hope! I know the professional studio way would be to convert the FireWire into Cat5, but I can't afford that by any means (upwards of $400 just to convert it!).
If you know anything about this, or have any guesses, please post them. Thank you!!!!!!
I am trying to run a live HD stream from an HVX over FireWire 400 to my MacBookPro running OnLoation (or ScopeBox).
Now at this point most people laugh. Yes, I am aware that FireWire 400 is rated to a maximum of 15ft, ESPECIALLY with HD video.
But I think it is possible with repeaters. I am just now educating myself on this, but FireWire repaters are used to "boost" the signal along a longer cable length. There are 2 types - FireWire repeater boxes where you connect one end to a computer and the other to a FireWire cable (EXAMPLE HERE)- and then there are in-line repeater cables where it looks like a normal FireWire cable with a connector on the end (EXAMPLE HERE).
Now these repeaters usually say they can work reliably between 60-80ft (depending on the manufacturer).
Sooooo......
1) Do they? Will this not work? If I went 50ft with it, would I FOR SURE experience dropped frames / lag /etc., or is it simply a warning?
2) Has anyone tried this? What is the longest you have successfully run HD video over FireWire 400, and did you use repeaters to achieve it?
3) For the inline repeaters , does the cable attached to it have to be another inline repeater or can it simply be a normal FireWire cable? For example, can I take a 15ft inline repeater cable and attach a 50ft normal FireWire cable and having everything work fine?
4) If you think there is no way to possibly carry HD over 50ft of FireWire cable without dropped frames and problems, do you think it would be ok to simply use this method to at least monitor the video on a laptop? No, using a normal video monitor isn't an option for me - I need to use a Macbook Pro for effects work....
Try to be a little positive, this is my only hope! I know the professional studio way would be to convert the FireWire into Cat5, but I can't afford that by any means (upwards of $400 just to convert it!).
If you know anything about this, or have any guesses, please post them. Thank you!!!!!!
