To SDI or not to SDI

Chris Santucci

Chris Santucci

Veteran
I'm currently on the fence about implementing an HDMI-HDSDI converter and using SDI monitors. Any thoughts on pros and cons?

If I wanted to rent my camera package out, I expect most would expect SDI and more "pro" monitoring capability (for the *industry standard* types), even though the HDMI stuff has been fine for me.

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Yeah, its a little bit of a quandry. But the kicker for me is the stability, durability, and cable-run-length that HDSDI gives over HDMI. I do a lot of freelance shooting of both narative and commercials. So my kit drops into the middle of any number of unknown configurations. If I can send an HDSDI signal to client monitors/video village on commercial shoots, I am always, 100% of the time, able to get a picture up quickly and with stability. Not so with an HDMI.

So I split the signal at camera and feed an HDMI cam monitor, and then convert with Blackmagic to HDSDI for video village. I've heard too many stories of glitches with HDMI runs that exceed 20-30'. Anyway, this seems to work reliably for me. Plus I can use my 17" Panny monitor. And I really don't like the ease with which HDMI can kickout over longer untended distances.

All that said, Shane Hurlburt recently wrote up his monitoring strategies. And he seems to prefer using a splitter which sends HDMI for onboard, and HDMI to an HP Dreamcolor for video village. He uses HDMI signal boosters for longer runs to video village.

So, no simple yes/no I guess. I already have a 17" Panny HDSDI monitor, so feeding that is a lot cheaper than buying a new Dreamcolor to keep the signal HDMI.
 
I really like my Panasonic 17 inch SDI monitor so I do use the AJA convertor but it is a pain and just one more box to make a DSLR suitable as a "Pro" camcorder.
 
Paul Nordin said:
So I split the signal at camera and feed an HDMI cam monitor, and then convert with Blackmagic to HDSDI for video village. I've heard too many stories of glitches with HDMI runs that exceed 20-30'.
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I like the sound of that and actually considered such a configuration. Hmmmm... I routinely do 25' runs of HDMI with no issues and pushed it to 75' once with a usable (not perfect) image for clients.
Paul Nordin said:
All that said, Shane Hurlburt recently wrote up his monitoring strategies. And he seems to prefer using a splitter which sends HDMI for onboard, and HDMI to an HP Dreamcolor for video village. He uses HDMI signal boosters for longer runs to video village.
Click to expand...

That sounds pretty good.

I've always used a splitter/amp onboard and manage to maintain no loss of any kind as far as I can tell.

When you mention Dreamcolor, do you mean this?:

http://www.buy.com/prod/hp-lp2480zx...200-60hz-12ms-0-27mm/q/loc/101/208189948.html

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phudsontx said:
I really like my Panasonic 17 inch SDI monitor so I do use the AJA convertor but it is a pain and just one more box to make a DSLR suitable as a "Pro" camcorder.
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Yeah, my rig weighs 18 lbs. already, so I'm a little reluctant to ad more hardware to it. I assume you are using the 7D since the AJA box doesn't work with the 5D?

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Chris Santucci said:
Yeah, my rig weighs 18 lbs. already, so I'm a little reluctant to ad more hardware to it. I assume you are using the 7D since the AJA box doesn't work with the 5D?

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Click to expand...

The Aja does work work with the 5d, the 5d just reverts to 480p rather than 1080 when you hit record.
 
But I thought the AJA HA5 did not auto-sense and lost lock when the signal changed on record? At least that's what I've seen and heard it does...

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Chris Santucci said:
When you mention Dreamcolor, do you mean this?:

http://www.buy.com/prod/hp-lp2480zx...200-60hz-12ms-0-27mm/q/loc/101/208189948.html

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Click to expand...

Chris, yes that's the HP Dreamcolor monitor. It's got a color processing engine which supports 10 color when fed the proper signal. Great monitor. I don't have one. For me, schleping around a 17" production monitor is just the right size.

As far as the HDMI runs, its good to hear you've pulled off 75'. Thats a lot of HDMI cable. The main reasons that I prefer HDSDI for video village is compatibility with production monitors, ruggedness of the cable, and security of the connector. I absoluetly know that for some of my twitchier commercial clients, if the signal is lost more than once a day for more than a couple of seconds while my assistant finds the kicked out cable, they will start to question the integrity of my system, skill, experience, etc. Even though they specifically requested the 5D for the "cool" look. So I err on the side of caution.

Almost every take and definately each new angle take1 is played back from the camera so the agency guys can watch the non-downrezzed take.

For smaller narative shooting with the 5D, I don't rely on playback so much (depending on how behind I feel we are that day)...more my and my 1AC's confidence in the focus and camera move. So for that work, I sometimes will foregoe the 17" monitor and just use the on-board 7" HDMI monitor, and the director looks over my shoulder. On larger narative shoots - definately I put up the 17" client monitor so makeup, scripty, etc can watch.
 
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Paul Nordin said:
The main reasons that I prefer HDSDI for video village is compatibility with production monitors, ruggedness of the cable, and security of the connector. I absoluetly know that for some of my twitchier commercial clients, if the signal is lost more than once a day for more than a couple of seconds while my assistant finds the kicked out cable, they will start to question the integrity of my system, skill, experience, etc. Even though they specifically requested the 5D for the "cool" look. So I err on the side of caution.
Click to expand...


Oh yeah, I'm with ya on all that, for sure, and that's also something I consider while weighing the investment in converter and monitors.

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