JVC Announces Alliance with Sony to Support XDCAM EX
Professional Video File Format which Records on SxS Memory Cards. JVC SxS MEMORY CARD DOCKING RECORDER KA-MR100G to be the first product; out March 2009.
JVC Professional has announced it will support Sony’s XDCAM EX format that uses MPEG-2 video and SxS flash memory cards for storing high-definition video. JVC’s first XDCAM EX product will be the KA-MR100G docking media recorder, that will attach to current JVC Pro Camcorders. It is not sure exactly what models the KA-MR100G will work with, but it will work with the ProHD GY-HD200/250 series camcorders. This will allow the tape based cameras to record directly to SxS media. 100 series ProHD owners will have to upgrade if they want to take advantage of the KA-MR100G, which would be uneconomical and unrealistic in my opinion.
The KA-MR100G will be available to buy in March 2009, can a native XDCAM EX camcorder made by JVC be far behind?
This is good news for both Sony and JVC. Sony's SxS format will continue to grow and with any luck the very expensive SxS cards should start to come down in price as more camcorders and devices from JVC appear on the market.
While hopefully JVC will bring out more up-to-date ProHD camcorders with full raster 1920x1080 chips, larger ones than the current ProHD series with any luck. Personally I think bolting a KA-MR100G on the back of a current ProHD HDV tape-camcorder is a bit of a cop out and it won't match the image quality of Sony's EX camcorders which have larger and superior quality chips. JVC will have to bring out native SxS only ProHD series camcorders with larger chips to compete with Sony's EX1 and EX3 and give more choice to the buying customer; no tape-drives please.
Another reason that I think it is very important that JVC bring out dedicated SxS only camcorders is because there is already a better option to the KA-MR100G made by another company; though this other option does require your camcorder to have a HD/SDI output. Convergent Design already have the 'nanoFLASH' and the 'Flash XDR'. The nanoFLASH records using the same MPEG Long-GOP structure to Sony's SxS, only at much faster bitrates and a superior colour space. The nanoFLASH records at 50 and 100Mbps in 4:2:2 colour space, as opposed to Sony's SxS EX camcorders, which record at 35Mbps and 4:2:0 colour space in comparison. The flashNANO dosn't use expensive SxS cards either, it records directly to cheap CF cards. nanoFLASH has two CF card slots and cost £2,500. However, these two Convergent Design units don't work via FireWire or USB, they feed from the camcorders HD/SID BNC-type output. So if your camcorder has a HD/SDI output (like Sony's own EX1 and EX3) that outputs 50Mbps and 4:2:2 colour space, you should look very hard at the nanoFLASH and Flash XDR.
Details of flashNANO and Flash XDR at: www.convergent-design.com
I'm sure that JVC will recognize that there are products like the nanoFLASH and even more consumer oriented products like the FireStore already out there, including JVC's own version of the FireStore the DR-HD100E. A simple KA-MR100G will not be enough to kickstart an SxS range or products. If JVC don't launch a native SxS camcorder around the same time (or very soon after) the whole exercise of the KA-MR100G will be somewhat futile.
I'm not being negative here. I'm pleased that Sony have licensed their SxS technology to JVC. It will do great things for both JVC and Sony. Anyone who reads my reviews/articles on DVuser will know that I'm a massive fan of JVC's ProHD range. But, sales of these cameras are thin on the ground these days and JVC desperately need to bring the ProHD right up to date. I see the SxS technology as being the right vehicle for JVC.
Adding SxS technology to JVC's superbly built ProHD series of camcorders would be a serious force to be reckoned with. If JVC do go down this road and it actually happens, I personally would be right there at the front of the queue. JVC have a loyal following with their ProHD series. Current owner/users will be thrilled at the news of better versions of these camcorders coming out in the future, with superior image sensors and faster/higher quality bitrates over the aging HDV format. I am sure it will even hit sales of Sony's current EX range. Canon will almost certainly have to do something about their superb, but aging HDV XL series or they will be out of the market.
The future is now looking very bright and very good for JVC indeed!!
JVC's website is: www.jvcpro.co.uk
©2008 Nigel Cooper
Official JVC Press Release:
JVC Announces Alliance with Sony to Support XDCAM EX Professional Video File Format which Records on SxS Memory Cards.
KA-MR100G Media Recorder to be First JVC Native XDCAM EX File Based Device.
IBC, Amsterdam (September 12, 2008) - Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) announced today its alliance with Sony Corporation to support the XDCAM EX MPEG-2 professional video file format *1 and SxS (S-By-S) solid state flash memory cards *2. JVC is committed to develop products based on the XDCAM EX file format utilizing SxS memory cards to bring this high quality, high bit rate recording option to JVC professional video product customers *3. The compact SxS memory card provides high speed data transfer capability designed especially for professional video camera applications.
“JVC is committed to collaborating with world-class partners to provide the best solutions and the widest range of options for our professional video customers,” stated Hiroyuki Takekura, Managing Director, Professional Systems Business, Victor Company of Japan. “Our goal is to offer a variety of recording options including major video file formats and field-proven media. We are extremely pleased with our alliance with Sony Corporation to support the XDCAM EX file format and the SxS memory card and thereby expand our professional application capabilities.”
“Sony is very pleased to license the XDCAM EX file format to JVC. Sony and JVC are both well-established companies in the professional video market and Sony has enjoyed a strong relationship with JVC over an extended period of time,” said Yoshinori Onoue, Corporate Executive, SVP of Sony Corporation. “We see this announcement as a natural evolution of this relationship, which will help ensure the continued success of XDCAM EX."
JVC will launch the KA-MR100G docking media recorder as its first product featuring native XDCAM EX file recording and an SxS memory card slot. This device will record and playback XDCAM EX files on an SxS memory card. The KAMR100G will also attach to current JVC ProHD GY-HD200/250 series professional high definition camcorders via a specially designed adapter. Future products from JVC will attach directly to the KA-MR100G.
The KA-MR100G will be available in March 2009 with a suggested retail price of approximately £1,995.
*1: XDCAM EX
This is Sony Corporation’s brand name for its professional video camera series incorporating the SxS memory card as a recording medium and features an MPEG-2 Long GOP compression method.
*2: SxS memory card
SxS is a flash memory card designed for professional video cameras with a high-speed PCI Express interface. It conforms to the Express Card standard, and has a maximum recording capacity of approximately 70 minutes of High Definition (HD) video with a 16GB SxS memory card.
*3: Sony License
The development of file format compatible with XDCAM EX series is conducted under license from Sony Corporation.
0 comentários:
Postar um comentário