Video Quality in Concert setting - Techwatch: Satellite TV forums, FTA, Cable, Hardware, & Tech forums

Yeedog · 04-04-07, 07:45 AM

Hi all. I was wondering if anybody had opinions on how the HV20 would perform in a concert setting where you would have a brightly lit stage but the cameras direct surroundings would be dark. I'm talking strictly video as audio is not important.

I'm considering picking up this camera to tape some bands and I wanted to get the best quality for around $1000. This camera has piqued my interest and maybe some of you more knowledgeable people have some opinions that can help my decision.

Thanks!

lovehateHDV · 05-04-07, 02:36 AM

howdy.

I use HC3. You might have seen the concert clip in HC3 section.

I do think that HV20 is better by quite a large margin. Therefore i do recommend HV20. Actually, have been thinking about that myself.

The only peeves I noticed in concerts is that flashing lights- where the stage goes completely dark- screws up the focus and HDV compression. Focus is instantly lost, and between the flashes the image pixelates bad. The large, cable TV, kind of pixelation.

Otherwise, since the background is not busy HC3's compression is fairly good, meaning less artifacts.

I also use "Color Curves" in Vegas to smooth out the image, darken the darks and bring out the lights parts. This almost completely eliminates gain noise.

Since the image is pretty much noise free (less information to compress due to empty background) I apply quite a bit of sharpening which gives it a more pleasant look. (It's not the same as unsharp- since unsharp only adds to the edges.)

jaewalkwithme · 05-04-07, 05:48 AM

Yeah definately get the HV20

Yeedog · 06-04-07, 07:51 AM

Cool thanks for the replies. I haven't had a chance to see any of the posted videos in the video section yet since it says I need 3 posts. I plan to check them out when I can tho.

Do I need to use special HDV tapes or will any DV tape work in these HDV cams? Would there be any quality lose from not using an HDV tape?

retired26 · 06-04-07, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeedog

Cool thanks for the replies. I haven't had a chance to see any of the posted videos in the video section yet since it says I need 3 posts. I plan to check them out when I can tho.

Do I need to use special HDV tapes or will any DV tape work in these HDV cams? Would there be any quality lose from not using an HDV tape?

I think you should consider using the HDV tapes for better quality.

Yeedog · 07-04-07, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retired26

I think you should consider using the HDV tapes for better quality.

What makes an HDV tape better then a regular DV tape? The video is digital so it's just putting 1's and 0's on the tape. Maybe I just don't understand how it works.

lovehateHDV · 07-04-07, 06:10 PM

The tape itself is covered with a layer of different stuff.

Supposedly to prevent dropouts.

(Which does not seem to prove itself.)

Luke · 07-04-07, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovehateHDV

The tape itself is covered with a layer of different stuff.

Supposedly to prevent dropouts.

(Which does not seem to prove itself.)

HD is more compressed so a small dropout has bigger consequences.

That said I've heard mixed opinions about the need of more expensive HD tapes. So it depends on how important the recording is. Probably in most cases you wouldn't see much difference.

Yeedog · 11-04-07, 01:48 AM

So the tapes are the same for the most part with the only added incentive being it can prevent dropouts if they even happen? Thus if had 0 drop outs on a regular miniDV tape would it be the same quality video that I would get on an HD miniDV tape?

Are dropouts more common on an HDV camera? My old DV cam rarely, if ever, had drop outs.

Thanks!

lovehateHDV · 11-04-07, 02:35 AM

The image would be exactly the same quality and quantity- without half-second drop outs, of course.

Drop outs happen on sections of bad tape, so newer tapes have fewer dropouts.

They are not frequent, but when they do happen they last for a lot longer time than DV.

DV- two or three frame drop
HDV- 15 frame drop

(about right, I think)

04-04-07, 07:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Yeedog Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Manchester, USA Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Video Quality in Concert setting Hi all. I was wondering if anybody had opinions on how the HV20 would perform in a concert setting where you would have a brightly lit stage but the cameras direct surroundings would be dark. I'm talking strictly video as audio is not important. I'm considering picking up this camera to tape some bands and I wanted to get the best quality for around $1000. This camera has piqued my interest and maybe some of you more knowledgeable people have some opinions that can help my decision. Thanks!

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05-04-07, 02:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
lovehateHDV Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Seattle, Earth, Milky Way, the 4D Universe Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	howdy. I use HC3. You might have seen the concert clip in HC3 section. I do think that HV20 is better by quite a large margin. Therefore i do recommend HV20. Actually, have been thinking about that myself. The only peeves I noticed in concerts is that flashing lights- where the stage goes completely dark- screws up the focus and HDV compression. Focus is instantly lost, and between the flashes the image pixelates bad. The large, cable TV, kind of pixelation. Otherwise, since the background is not busy HC3's compression is fairly good, meaning less artifacts. I also use "Color Curves" in Vegas to smooth out the image, darken the darks and bring out the lights parts. This almost completely eliminates gain noise. Since the image is pretty much noise free (less information to compress due to empty background) I apply quite a bit of sharpening which gives it a more pleasant look. (It's not the same as unsharp- since unsharp only adds to the edges.)

05-04-07, 05:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
jaewalkwithme Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hanover, NH Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yeah definately get the HV20

06-04-07, 07:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
Yeedog Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Manchester, USA Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cool thanks for the replies. I haven't had a chance to see any of the posted videos in the video section yet since it says I need 3 posts. I plan to check them out when I can tho. Do I need to use special HDV tapes or will any DV tape work in these HDV cams? Would there be any quality lose from not using an HDV tape?

07-04-07, 06:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
lovehateHDV Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Seattle, Earth, Milky Way, the 4D Universe Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The tape itself is covered with a layer of different stuff. Supposedly to prevent dropouts. (Which does not seem to prove itself.)

11-04-07, 01:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Yeedog Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Manchester, USA Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	So the tapes are the same for the most part with the only added incentive being it can prevent dropouts if they even happen? Thus if had 0 drop outs on a regular miniDV tape would it be the same quality video that I would get on an HD miniDV tape? Are dropouts more common on an HDV camera? My old DV cam rarely, if ever, had drop outs. Thanks!

11-04-07, 02:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
lovehateHDV Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Seattle, Earth, Milky Way, the 4D Universe Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The image would be exactly the same quality and quantity- without half-second drop outs, of course. Drop outs happen on sections of bad tape, so newer tapes have fewer dropouts. They are not frequent, but when they do happen they last for a lot longer time than DV. DV- two or three frame drop HDV- 15 frame drop (about right, I think)