Serious Magic/HVX

1) I got it to connect with the "retail version" of DV Rack... but my issue is with the HD Rack beta.

2) 720 at 24p (not PN).
 
Well, that's just bizarre. I'd recommend sending that in as a bug report then, because as long as you're running WinXP SP2, it should be recognized.
 
Sorry Barry (and thanks for your help)... it appears to be 1394 connection issue. After jiggling the cable in the port of my pc several times, I was able to get the computer to recognize it. After just a couple seconds though, it would pop back out of place. Apparantly it was a fluke when it worked the other night in DV mode. So, I'll go get a 1394-to-1394 cable... right now the end that is going into the pc is a 4-pin to 1394 adaper (which I think is the primary culprit here).
 
Hi Mark.... what about the codec that will let us see DVCRack clips on windows? and... have been released a new beta version? if so, can I try it?

Thanks!
 
I've got a question... I hope someone from Serious Magic could chime in on this (as well as some DVXusers)...

I'm a newbie and probably naive even asking this question... I'm just wondering how possible/likely it would be to effectively program this into something like DV Rack:

A Depth-Of-Field Feature
* Focus on back-ground and select.
* Get focus on fore-ground and select.
* Choose which you'd like to be in-focus for your shot.

Could this be done well? It seems with all the thousands of dollars dvx/hvx users spend on adapters, that if this was feasible (at least for a good number of shots) that it would be a great add-on / money maker for Serious Magic!
 
DV Rack doesn't manipulate video at all, it only records it on your PC. What you are asking it to do is the domain of video editors, and even those don't have filters like that.
 
Me to, when i connect the HVX to my macbook first of dv rack refuses to open in any other mode than 576/25p. And although it recognizes that a camera has bin connected, it does not display an image, just a black screen. Can any one post compleat settings for DV rack + HD and macbook? Do i have to change the settings in the dv rack menu?
 
You have to use DVC Rack, which is in beta release -- you cannot use the current version of DV Rack + HDV Powerpak with the HVX200.

If you are a registered owner of DV Rack + HDV Powerpak, you will quality for a free upgrade that adds DVCPro/DVCPro50/DVCProHD support. This is what's being referred to as DVC Rack.
 
I'm just tossing an idea out there. I think some cameras, like maybe the Sony z1, has a feature which supposedly allows you to select the background, then the foreground, in order to manipulate depth of field. I don't know how well it works... but I thought if the concept is feasible enough for them to include it on their cameras... maybe it would be something that could be improved upon by Serious Magic?

Maybe I'm not sure what you want me to clarify?
 
Jon Oskar said:
but isnt the hvx at least supposed to work in dv mode or something with the retail version?

Yes but you have to set the camera to DV (tape or P2) in order to use DV Rack
 
Hey, telebay I'm wrong if I suppose that what you want is that the software control the camera ???

:huh:
 
Doesn't the Sony feature (which is similar to what I'm talking about) actually just manipulate the image... I mean, the lens itself isn't capable of getting that kind of DOF, is it? Wouldn't it be kind of like doing it in post with software? That's why I was thinking if the Sony does it by manipulating the image, like might be done with software (not the lens itself), then maybe a SM program could do it better.

What I'm imagining could be kinda' like a chroma keyer, in a sense, have the actor (or whatever) in the foreground step away -- program would either capture or remember (like tracking) the background -- then get focused on the foreground, to achieve DOP (albiet, artificial).

I mean, Serious Magic already has great vector keying technology -- and with DV Rack, to me at least, it seems possible to do something like this... again, maybe I'm being too simplistic and don't understand the complexity of what I'm asking.
 
The Sony doesn't do anything like that. What it does is let you establish settings for the start of a shot (focus, zoom, white balance etc) and for the end of a shot, and transition between them. So it automatically does the zoom and focus move for you. But there's nothing "magical" going on that establishes depth of field or anything like that, it's just a way to program in the motorized controls.
 
Barry,

I was going from memory on something I read a long time ago, regarding the Sony HC1... I looked it up and I think this is what I was remembering, the Tele Macro function. Here is some text:

"Tele Macro Function-Images shot in the Tele Macro Mode will have the subject properly focused with the background unfocussed so that the subject stands out."

I don't know how that is achieved... optically, or electronically? It seems like I remember reading way back when that it had something to do with selecting a portion of the background in the viewfinder, maybe, and then getting focused on the foreground object.

Nevertheless, it seems like what I'm suggesting is a possibility from a programming/software stand-point. In your book (Barry's book) you mention one way to get shallow DOF is to use a green screen... why not a hybrid, like I'm suggesting?

Even the upcoming version of iChat (announced this week) will let you (the subject) step out of the way for a second... get a shot of the background... you step back in and the background is removed and inserted with your choice of movie backgrounds. Doesn't seem far fetched to have a program (maybe in DV Rack) that lets you do the same thing, essentially, only take the back-ground out of focus -- leaving the foreground in focus.
 
Back
Top