As reported previously in the Pro Apps Hub, JVC’s ProHD strategy is a marketing catch-all for all their HD offerings based on MPEG-2 transport streams. Included in the stragegy is the HDV KY-HD100U and the HDV+ GY-HD7000U.
Available in “early summer” the KY-HD100 is a professional-level HDV camcorder with solid camera-operator-friendly features that justify the ProHD moniker. Three 1/3″ CCDs sit behind a removable lens, although standard is a Fujinon 16x lens developed with JVC. The GY-HD100 records at 30p and 24P at 1280 x 720 resolution in HD and at 29.97 in DV. 24P is accommodated within the 60i standard framework by repeating a 2:3:3:2 pulldown like the only used by Pansonic in the AG-DVX100using MPEG2 “flags” to flag certain whole frames need to be duplicated, so it does 3 frames and then 2 frames (not fields like the DVX would do) and hence embeds 24p in a 60p video stream, but only records 24p frames of data to tape – quite clever really. This allows JVC to offer 24P even though it was not part of the original HDV specification, without deviating from the specification. [Thanks to Graeme Nattress for the correction.]
See Hub news on March 10 for more details on both cameras. At US$6295 JVC have come in well “under $10,000”.
Comments
6 responses to “JVC confirms ProHD strategy”
The 24p mode on the JVC uses the full data for the 24p and doesn’t record pulldown frames, or use a standard 3:2 like the DVX. What it does is use the MPEG2 “flags” to flag that certain whole frames need to be duplicated, so it does 3 frames and then 2 frames (not fields like the DVX would do) and hence embeds 24p in a 60p video stream, but only records 24p frames of data to tape – quite clever really. The resulting stream when decompressed adds the dupe frames in from the flagged data to create a 60p stream that looks very much in pattern of frames like 24p recorded on a Varicam, although the quality is less that the Varicam.
Graeme
Thanks for the clarification Graeme. I’ve corrected the article.
Philip
Thanks. I see that. Again, it’s quite clever and very sensible what JVC have done, but as far as I know, this means that the MPEG stream is not supported by the new FCP5, hence the LumiereHD support for ProHDV24p.
It’s also very good that JVC have actually listened to their customers and made a camera that someone would actually not just want to use, but be able to use! It’s quite a jump from their first attempt – from completely automatic to fully manual.
Graeme
Is not funny, but at least I found the way of GY-HD100U + FCP5.
Capture the footage with iMovieHD, save the project, open the project (is a pakage, so you have to Open Package), then open the captured clips, send it to Cinema Tools, **The file appears like 60fps, all you have to do is Conform to 24… and thats it.
Lost?…
well, I hope that Apple guys make something about it, because in paper is easy to do. (but, please Apple… do something).
I’m reading what you guys are writing but some of the technical info just isn’t clicking in my brain.
Does this mean in standard definition you can’t shoot in 24p like the DVX100A?
Also, is FCP ready to fully utilize what the GY-HD100 is capable of, or not? I have FCP 4.5, would I need to upgrade to 5?
Hi Matt,
Correct, the GY-HD100U only shoots at 29.97 in DV, but you could shoot in HDV at 24P and downconvert to DV on output or in FCP. Currently FCP does not fully support the HDV2 specification that JVC uses but it is expected to get an update “soon” that will support it. You will need to upgrade to FCP 5 or get HDVxDV to work with it.
Cheers
philip