Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

playback system

skipdivils said:
HD Video Assist is needed, and wanted. Your thinking is a little behind the times. Just like the old days when DIGITAL video assist that had vari-speed playback came out, there were the producers/PMs who said, "You don't need to waste money on that, that will never last, all you need is a 3/4" deck 'coffin'".

Anyways, we have done HD Video Assist playback for many shoots, and once they use it once, they don't want to shoot HD again without the HD Video Assist. And it is only going to get more like that. Guaranteed.
Click to expand...

I agree completely.

When you shoot RED or any HD camera, you want to see if the focus is perfect, if the set is ok,...No suprises after you see the 2k scans.

40k is way too much if you just need simple record/playback solution, but for the complex and sophisticated system, that can store 2 full hd streams, playback at various speeds, masking, dve, color correction, overlay, colorkey, database with comments, shot notes, editor with trimming, export of selected takes,...I think for any pro or rental company 40k is adequate.

Anyway, last time I've checked, PSU was $80k :)
 
40K is too much. i would not pay that much. for the recorder. for a full HD video assist system, 40 grand would be a bargain. you'd be spending more like 70K to put together a full system.

just for the recorder, i would spend about 20 grand if it were rock solid and could record 2-cameras.

by next year though, i would only spend 15 grand for that.
 
Film equipment IS expensive. You pay $20k for one lens, follow focus or matte box. But consider everything is special purpose, built in small editions. You pay design and development, not actual cost of manufacture.

I'm a director, so I built videoassist to fit my needs.
 
skipdivils said:
HD Video Assist is needed, and wanted. Your thinking is a little behind the times. ..
Click to expand...

Nope, not exactly my thinking. Clients wish.
But indeed I have to remediate my words on that: It was what I was told, but re the discussions problem on set more than understandable. The producer might want to see it, maybe not (at least not the ones I worked wth recently when I was offering the HD review, they answered exactly like I quoted ['I want drama, not resolution']). But what I really meant was needed. And I repeat that. It is not needed for client review (not talking of VHS review, thats crap, ok), but a decent SD signal usually is absolutely ok. I wouldn't say everybody and everytime. But most of the cases.
Camera department, costume and makeup is a different story. In my eyes it makes more than sense, no question. But they are not used to it and the people I asked for it wanted to use what they were used to.

skipdivils said:
.. Anyways, we have done HD Video Assist playback for many shoots, and once they use it once, they don't want to shoot HD again without the HD Video Assist. And it is only going to get more like that. Guaranteed.
Click to expand...

Absolutely understandable, represents my thinking and Yes, no doubt.

P.S. Why not make a product out of it ? I might one of those who buy it. I am tired of building the stuff myself but willing to invest in a proper solution. Thats not meant to be ironic.
 
Vladus said:
Film equipment IS expensive. You pay $20k for one lens, follow focus or matte box. But consider everything is special purpose, built in small editions. You pay design and development, not actual cost of manufacture.

I'm a director, so I built videoassist to fit my needs.
Click to expand...

Fair enough Vladus, that was no criticism. But if you were to sell it, it has to stand the test of comparison.
And I did systems integration for 10 years and I -for myself- consider 40k too expensive for a sold box. I have no doubt that it did cost that much or more to develop it though.
 
Actually I work with a Macook pro and AJA IO HD.

I capture to a Raid and playback at any moment to a DVI monitor, SDI monitor or SD monitor and work fine.

And I can show the Redcine screen to the DOP of the CF-Drives, minutes after a take, and in the same mac.

AJA rules! and 3k less.
 
All of these solutions sound rather expensive and complicated :bleh:

I was reading through like every single page in the Blackmagic design website and noticed that not only was it the least expensive SDI capture card in it's class (compared with Aja and bluefish anyway) but it seems a lot of industry people are using it for their onset work.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/hd/

As for case studies, well pick one:
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/casestudies/chrysalis/

The only issue I see has to do with the incoming signal from the Red One at 1080P (true progressive) whereas this card only captures at 1080psf AFAIK, but Aja managed to correct this so I don't see why Blackmagic wouldn't either.

For a <$1K solution coupled with any of your existing editing software could easily become your playback system without the learning curve. Capture clips straight into adobe premiere's bin folder with automatic naming and play them back instantly. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but it should work...and at HD resolution.
 
You're right. Anyone looking for a simple/cheap solution can improvise and use tons of existing editing software to record clips and playback them instantly.

However, I was designing DIVA HDx2 with my own requirements as a commercials director:

1. I want to be able to see fullscreen incoming video with adjustments. I want to be able to view simple CC, DVE, MASK on live preview.

2. If I shoot vfx shot, I want to be able to do live overlay over recorded plate (blend, key or wipe)

3. I want to be able to do simple continuity cut of few shots.

4. I want to rate best takes, hide bad ones, quickly find and compare shots.

5. I want to playback at any speed, loop it, scrub it, reverse it.

6. I want to use two synced cams.

7. I want to be able to push live video to client, while reviewing my takes.
 
sounds like it can do what everybody wants - one fits all.
I see there might be nothing out there which can do what your system does.
 
DiVA Web

DiVA Web

Our simple web is finally up and running. If there's anyone interested in advanced hd digital video assist, check www.in2core.com to see DiVA HDx2 details & screenshots.
I will post some production photos and videos as soon as we finish casing.
DiVA prototype is being successfully used with RED ONE camera on our commercial shootings in Bratislava, Slovakia.
 
ok so here is my final opinion. DiVA seems nice, but I more details would be great including price. Other than that I chose by now to go with:

www.videoassist.com

it seems it does everything you would need from a video-assistant system. I already purchase canopus ADVC110 and have a 45 trial version of the system, I will test it all next week and tell you my opinion, but for the price point it seems quite interesting solution, even thou it is only SD.
 
DiVA HDx2 Price

DiVA HDx2 Price

skipdivils said:
that looks VERY interesting. what is the cost for the fully loaded mac pro with the video assist software?
Click to expand...

Full system sw+hw price is around $40k (in our country we rent it for $400 per day, so you earn it back in 100days :)). Price includes 1 year of free updates
I will think about releasing Lite version of DiVA for lower price, by turning off some advanced modules.
 
skipdivils said:
that looks VERY interesting. what is the cost for the fully loaded mac pro with the video assist software?
Click to expand...

if your question was regarding my post, then it is 2000 for mackbook pro, plus 250 for the canopus, and 1500 for the software.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top