On-Board HDMI-in recorder

[Nashrambler]

Wondering who uses this option to get the full res out of the HV. What's available, How it has worked and if you recommend it.

And how much improved the picture is for TV and web display.

Thanks,
Nash

[cgbier]

You can get decklink cards fro AJA, Blackmagic or Matrox.
For web display they are overkill.
TV? Are you talking a "real" broadcast production or DVD? For the latter, see web display.
I'd only use that card if I needed uncompressed footage, and if I had the infrastructure to work with it (a fast RAID setup with motherloads of space).

[drapeama]

And how much improved the picture is for TV and web display.

Not enough to justify buying one imo.
The footage that the HV produce, when captured via FireWire and well mastered to DVD/AVCHD/BluRay dics can be more than decent for TV viewing.
In fact, if you know how to get the maximum quality from the HV to the disc, it can look better than some HDTV programs due to the video compression.
For web, the HV is more than enough/what you need in terms of A/V quality.
As far as i know, the major pro when buying one of these cards is if you do a lot of green screen work, it helps a lot with the 4:2:2 color sampling as well as the 1920*1080 fullHD pixels.

[Erik Bien]

What's available

This is the only part of your question I can answer. The capture cards cgbier is talking about also require a host computer with some speedy hard drives, but if you're looking for a self-contained solution, so far as I'm aware there are only a few current options:

AJA's KiPro (http://www.aja.com/products/ki-pro/)

The Cinedeck (http://www.cinedeck.com/)

Convergent Design's nanoFlash (http://www.convergent-design.com/Products/nanoFlash/tabid/1666/Default.aspx)

[SenorKaffee]

If you don't do greenscreen work, don't bother. HDV is more than enough for SDTV and the web. Even a 720p broadcast produced with the HV20 would look great.

For the extra resolution you could go for a second camera which records AVCHD or one of those fancy new HDSLR cameras.

[Nashrambler]

Thanks. the Nano Flash or Focus Enhancement recorder is what I was thinking of. How is it possible that those recorders would not improve the camera's image by bypassing the HDV DVtape compression? And the nano says it canr ecord at up to 280Mbps. Doesnt that make a huge difference in the picture?

Confused...

[cgbier]

They improve the picture somehow, but if the cam gives you only a specific bandwidth, the rest of the Mbps have to be "invented". It gives you some extra headroom though and prevents hicups while shooting.

Before you cough out the money: What is the outlet of your final product?

[Nashrambler]

it's my understanding that these -- NanoFlash and Focus Enhancement CF recordeers -- get the signal before it is compressed for DV tape, so they are pulling a lot more info. This would be to use the camera for a HD TVseries -- travel, where a small equipment pkge is desired.

[cgbier]

HDTV... Then I'd go for it.

[SenorKaffee]

Pro:
A little more quality

Contra:
Costs a lot of money
Extra device that needs to be handled (power?)
No more realtime preview on average PC

You decide. ;)

[askclifford]

I know someone who has a similar HDV Camcorder to the HV20 and they attached a base to the tripod arm and attached a netbook. They then proceeded to get a blackmagic and that is their HD Capture system. I should take a pic of it and post it.