Monitor mini to hdmi after hack? Or blu-ray player

Blackout

Blackout

Veteran
Hi guys,

I am doing a higher end shoot with multiple cameras where I will at least need
to be checking for critical focus after takes. I have some LG 24inch 1080p lcd screens that have HDMI in.This is for a music video.

My question is, after the hack, with 24pn checked, does the GH1.3 play out correctly to a HDMI input on a monitor?

So would this cable suffice?:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/481677-REG/Sony_VMC_15MHD_HDMI_Male_to_Mini.html

That's 5 feet.. made by sony... there are some cheapo 3 feet ones but I think the extra length is good..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589406-REG/Xtreme_Cables_73003_Mini_HDMI_Type_C.html

Same company... 12 feet! $25 bucks..
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/602996-REG/Xtreme_Cables_73012_Mini_HDMI_Type_C.html

Or does the 24pn thing screw up the HDMI output? I have never yet used it. Does length or brand name of cable matter or
digital is digital?

The other option I heard was buy a panasonic blu-ray player that takes the cards
and connect to a monitor. Will this work post hack?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/676073-REG/Panasonic_DMP_BD45.html


Thanks, need to get one of these items today or tomorrow. Also, looking for recommendation for
the best battery non panasonic...

- Blackout -
 
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I have the Panasonic DMP BD60 Blue-ray player and it plays back my hacked max 56Mbps AVCHD files both audio and video perfect. Works with 24fps 1080p or 59.94i. Just run HDMI out to your LG and you will have a great signal. It doesn't take much time to pop the card out and load it into the BD60 then back into the GH1.
 
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Not all high bitrate settings will be able to be played back inside the camera. So you might want to avoid the first option.
The second option should work just fine, I use my ps3 sometimes to quickly view mts files. I also like its constant bitrate display.

--Edit: The high bitrate playback difficulties in camera are when using motion jpeg mode, and the higher audio encoding rate.
 
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Interesting. I was hoping to go the $25 cable route as oppossed to buying a $125 blu-ray player cause I dont really need another blu-ray player... But if thats the best route. I dont suppose the player comes with the cable either.... Or does it... So if using the blu ray I would just need standard hdmi cable not mini
 
Aresens, the high-bitrate problem is only in MPEG mode. There are no high-bitrate playback problems with AVCHD mode. Also, audio bitrate should be left alone (another source of playback problems).

Blackout, I use a similar cable (by Rosewill, bought from newegg.com for $12) without an issue. HDMI cables at B&H are a little overpriced, but if you need one quick it's better to get it there than BestBuy ($80).

The bigger issue is recording native AVCHD footage. With fairly high bitrate settings and shooting very static detailed scene, even if only for a couple of seconds, you may get a card write error and loose footage. If there is enough motion in scenes (as it should in music videos ;) and you use manual focus you will very likely not get the dreaded error. Definitely vet the settings ahead of the shoot by testing in emulated conditions. Also, make a second "emergency" card with stable settings (typically equivalent bitrate settings, but with Native 24/25p checked off).

Good luck and post some results when you are done :)
 
This is something that has been on my mind lately. I'd like to use a monitor to set up shots and focus and also playback for insurance while shooting. Good to hear that the hacked AVCHD plays back OK (pretty much assumed that was the case). What about playing back hacked MJPEG files (say using LPowells realiabe settings)?

Also, it would be nice to hear about any developments on the monitoring while recording front.
Thanks!
 
I use both direct HDMI cable from the camera and a streamer loaded with the original files.
I think there is a difference between the two outputs.
When you play the files through the mini HDMI the footage looks more sharpened...
 
Thanks for all the responses. I am still on whatever hack I originally did with ptools 3.36.
at the time I thought it was C settings but now, checking it, it was jobless D settings, and I was so blown away by the upgrade in quality I have not even dared futz with it anymore. I saved my 1.32 hack file and have been happily doing the hack for non techy types all over New York spreading the virus of higher quality.

I have had 0 issues with the dreaded crash on a transcend class 10 card. It has happened to me all of three times out of 100 to 200 shots on a class 6 card. Again this wouldn't be a deal killer or too high stress on this shoot, as I basically have free reign with about 50 strippers in a hip hop song on a very nice apartment rooftop in brooklyn, and we're going to do the whole thing black and white and I have a good gaffer and 3 hacked GH1s. The only issue I had was getting a super wide mega detailed shot of the whole city from the roof..... when I would do a slow tilt from the horizon down, it would crash on the class 6 card. Popped in the class 10 and have had 0 issues. My mind is fully blown away by what can be done with simply the stock and pancake lens alone. The focus controls are a bit kooky... but I have a full day to shoot a 5 min video I'm sure I'll be fine. I already got the opening shot of the city and the client pooped their pants watching it on their mega samsung led lcd screen. I was fairly astounded as well.

I ended up getting the $25 cable and it looks fantastic and plays back great from the camera to the LG monitoror the clients big screen, BUT, with alot of people I do worry about someone tripping or hitting that cable and knocking the camera over.. as well as the wear and tear of constant plugging in and out... so I might consider the blu ray option for slightly more safety.
I also picked up two pearstone batteries for $20 each, so I'll now have batteries always charging while shooting.

My solution to the occasional freeze.. use the class 10 card always.. I could go in and lower some stuff to 'reliable settings' but I just don't want to mess at all with what I see, I am overjoyed at the results. The class 6 card is now just B roll or shallow depth of field close ups. Also have had 0 issues with my settings on Panasonic class 10 16 gig.

- Blackout
 
Well... it really varies... because just because you set the bitrates up that high doesn't mean it uses it - it means it CAN use it if it needs it.. AVCHD is pretty smart and on shallow depth of field locked down closeups the bitrate stays low, albeit a lot higher than it was going stock...

So for instance, I just shot a 30 min play tonight on two hacked gh1s, one was a locked down wide of the theater using the pancake lens... then I sort of roamed around with the kit lens and a bag of rice getting various close ups, mids, and other angles. Still had plenty of room on the cards..I think.... is the remaining time even accurate anymore? Or does that go out the window with the hack?
 
One thing I am noticing... the saturation and contrast seem duller out of the hdmi cable right out of the GH1 than from dragging the files into windows 7 and playing them to the same monitor or putting the card in a blu-ray and playing them.

It's not a huge thing, but it's noticeable.

Anyone else have this experience?

Could this be that when played out of my computer, the decoding is being done by my ati hd 4870 x2

where as out of the camera.... you may not actually be seeing the quality of the files because the decoder may not be as good as the encoder?
 
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