Edit Review — Panasonic AJ-SD930 DVCPRO50 VTR

This article contains tables only available in PDF format.To view it, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded forfree.

Teamed with Final Cut Pro 4, the SD930 covers all capture optionsfor the SDX900 camcorder.

Panasonic's highly versatile AJ-SDX900 has generated even strongerinterest in DVCPRO50. The SDX900 can shoot in a variety of modes. Youcan choose between 4:3 and 16:9 — both captured with three 2/3in.native 16:9 CCDs. Recording can be made to either DVCPRO or DVCPRO50.The former offers the usual DV 4:1:1 sampling video with 5:1compression. The latter offers a much higher quality 4:2:2 samplingvideo with 3.3:1 compression. To these four options, Panasonic addedthree frame rates: 24p, 30p, and 60i.

Panasonic's AJ-SD930 can play and record DVCPRO and DVCPRO50, aswell as play DV and DVCAM tapes.

The $14,995 (MSRP) AJ-SD930 can play and record DVCPRO and DVCPRO50,as well as play DV and DVCAM tapes. In DVCPRO50 mode, the SD930 canrecord up to 92 minutes on an AJ-5P92LP compact 1/4in. cassette tape.In DVCPRO mode, recording time is doubled to 184 minutes. Whenrecording 50Mbps, the data stream passes through a pair of heads thatsimultaneously read/write two tracks. Because two tracks are used foreach pass across the tape, the tape must be moved through the transporttwice as fast.

Standard DV and DVCAM tapes can be played without an adaptor,whereas MiniDV tapes that are not recorded in LP mode or on 80- or120-minute cassettes can be played using an AJ-CS455P adaptor. (For areason I've never learned, recording on a MiniDV cassette with theadapter is not possible.)

When working with DVCPRO50, the AJ-SD930 features 4-channel,48kHz/16-bit digital audio. A level meter for each channel provides acontinuous display of the recording or playback level. A linear cueaudio track adds convenience when searching for edit points. Of course,only two 48kHz/16-bit audio channels are available when working withDVCPRO.

The VTR offers variable slow motion (-0.43X to +0.43X in reverse andforward speed) playback. It has an illuminated jog & shuttle dial(Everyone who saw the deck in action was wowed by the gorgeous bluering around the dial). Looking at it in the dark took me back to myMarantz stereo receivers in the '70s.

The AJ-SD930 is equipped with an SDI (SMPTE 259M-C) and AES/EBUdigital audio input/output. These connections enable the AJ-SD930 towork with Digital Betacam or in a D1 environment. Analog output(composite and component) is also standard, as is analog referenceinput. The deck has one XLR connector for analog timecode input and oneXLR connector for analog timecode output. Analog video input (compositeand component) is available by adding the optional AJ-YA931G board.Adding an optional AJ-YAC930G SDTI (Serial Data Transport Interface)board lets you transfer compressed audio and video data.

The AJ-SD930's rear panel has multiple control connectors: twoRS-422A (9-pin) jacks, one RS-232C (25-pin) jack, one parallel(25-pin), plus one 15-pin encoder (remote adjustment of video output)jack.

Although the AJ-SD930 comes standard with an SDI and AES/EBU digitalaudio in/out, it does not come with an internal IEEE 1394 port. Thatmeans you'll have to spring for the $1195 (MSRP) for an AJ-YAD955Gboard that sports a 1394 port. This option seems a bit too expensive.Hopefully, the next generation of Panasonic DVCPRO50 decks will simplyhave a standard 1394 port. You must select either the YAC930G SDTI orthe YAD955G IEEE 1394 board; the two boards cannot be mounted at thesame time.

The AJ-YAD955G board has a 6-pin 1394 port so you'll need a6-pin-to-6-pin 1394 cable to connect the SD930 to a Mac. I tested theAJ-SD930 with both a 1GHz iMac and a Dual Processor 1.42GHz PowerMac. Ididn't notice any difference between the two Macs.

I remember being a lurker on an NLE site where members were bashingAvid's XDV solution because their work required 4:2:2 video that wasbest transferred by SDI — hence FireWire solutions had no role intheir high-end world. Needless to say I got “beat about theears” when I posted that within a year FireWire would transfer4:2:2 to Final Cut Pro. Well, that was then, and this is now. Apple andPanasonic worked together to support DVCPRO50 in FCP version 4.

After connecting an AJ-SD930 to a Mac and opening Final Cut Pro, youmust choose the correct capture setting. You have two possible captureoptions: 4:3 at 30p and 60i or 16:9 at 30p and 60i. (Note that 30pvideo is simply 60i video without interlace artifacts.) Select File> Log and Capture. Now choose the Capture Settings tab. First, setDevice Control to FireWire NTSC. Then select the DV50 NTSC 48kHzsetting for 4:3 video or the DV50 NTSC 48kHz Anamorphic setting for16:9 video.

I captured DVCPRO50 with no problems. After capture, you'll need tocreate a new sequence and then alter its settings. Click the LoadSequence Preset button. Again, select either DV50 NTSC 48kHz or DV50NTSC 48kHz Anamorphic depending on the video's aspect ratio.

When shooting with an AJ-SDX900 in 480p24 mode, as sequentialprogressive frames are read out from the CCDs, pulldown is added. In24p mode, every four progressive video frames are converted to fiveinterlaced video frames. Using the industry standard 2:3:2:3 pulldown,two judder frames are generated. Judder frames contain one field fromone frame and one field from an adjacent frame. (See red text in Table1.)

Over the period of one second, six sets of four progressive framesare converted to six sets of five interlaced frames. Thus, 24 framesare converted to 30 frames — with 60 fields.

The SDX900's 24p Advanced mode is intended for use when you plan totransfer to film or HD. In most all cases, this is the mode you willuse when shooting with an AJ-SDX900. And you will be shooting 16:9anamorphic, widescreen video.

The 24p Advanced mode uses a 2:3:3:2 pulldown and is a designed forNLEs, such as Final Cut Pro 4 that can i.LINK capture 2:3:3:2 video andthen edit at 23.98fps. (See Table 2.)

Before you can edit 24p footage, you must apply reverse 2:3:3:2pulldown to eliminate the judder frame, as shown in Table 2. Afterconnecting an SD930 to the Mac, the first step to capture video with2:3:3:2 pulldown is to create the correct capture setting. Afteropening FCP, select Final Cut Pro > Audio/Video Settings, and thenclick the Capture Presets tab. Next, duplicate the DV NTSC 48kHzAdvanced (2:3:3:2) Pulldown Removal setting. Rename it to DV50 NTSC48kHz Anamorphic Advanced (2:3:3:2) Pulldown Removal and check theAnamorphic 16:9 box. Set the FPS to 23.98 because that will be theimage rate of the video after removing the judder frame. Click OK, andthen click the Sequence Presets tab. Duplicate the DV50 NTSC 48kHz— 23.98 setting. Now rename it to DV50 NTSC 48kHz Anamorphic— 23.98 and check the Anamorphic 16:9 box. Click OK.

Now it's time to capture using the SD930. Select File > Log andCapture. Now choose the Capture Settings tab. First, set Device Controlto FireWire NTSC. Then select the DV50 NTSC 48kHz Anamorphic Advanced(2:3:3:2) Pulldown Removal setting. I captured 480p24 DVCPRO50 with noproblems.

After capture, you'll need to create a new Sequence and then alterits Settings. Click the Load Sequence Preset button and then select theDV50 NTSC 48kHz Anamorphic — 23.98 setting. Now you are ready toedit.

You edit 24fps video just like 60i video. Final Cut Pro has theability to add 2:2:2:4 (a cadence that uses less processing power, thusmaximizing realtime effects potential) or 2:3:2:3 (for a smoother look)pulldown to video when you play from the Viewer and Composer to theMac's FireWire port.

To enable FireWire playback, choose Final Cut Pro > SystemsSettings, then select the Playback Control tab. Choose the 2:2:2:4pulldown as the Pulldown Pattern and click OK. You'll also need to maketwo more settings. First, Final Cut Pro > Audio/Video Settings, andset Video Playback to Apple FireWire DVCPRO50 NTSC (720×480). Inaddition, set Audio Playback to FireWire DV (DV50) and click OK.

Connect the FireWire port to the AJ-SD930 to decompress the digitalvideo to NTSC video. Now you can view video playback on your RGBmonitor(s) and an NTSC monitor. I used the deck's YPbPr connection tofeed an NTSC projector for this review.

To record a 24p production to videotape you must add 2:3:2:3pulldown to convert 24p to 60i. After connecting an AJ-SD930 to yourMac via FireWire, Final Cut Pro > Systems Settings then select thePlayback Control tab. Choose the 2:3:2:3 pulldown as the PulldownPattern and click OK. Then use the File > Edit to tape command toexecute the recording.

Unless you have a budget that supports working in HD, an AJ-SDX900camcorder and an AJ-SD930 VTR make a great team. When used with FinalCut Pro you have a solution that supports all the capture optionsprovided by the AJ-SDX900.

Company: Panasonic Los Angeles; (323) 436-3500 www.panasonic.com

Product: AJ-SD930 DVCPRO50 VTR

Assets:When used with Final Cut Pro, supports all captureoptions provided by the AJ-SDX900.

Caveats: Only two 48kHz/16-bit audio channels are availablewhen working with DVCPRO. Does not come with an internal 1394 port.

Demographic: Those who want a flexible DVCPRO50 option butdon't have a budget that supports working in HD.

Price : $14,995

To comment on this article, email the Video Systems editorialstaff at vsfeedback@primediabusness.com.