Sony HVR-1500 User Manual

Digital HD Videocassette Recorder

HVR-1500

The monitor image is simulated.

Bringing a New Level of Functionality and Robustness to HDV Productions

– the HVR-1500 HDV Recorder

The HVR-1500 is an HDVTMsource feeder/ recorder*1positioned at the top of the Sony HDV Series. Inheriting the design concept of the market-acclaimed DSR-1500A, the HVR-1500 offers the same convenient features that professional users demand, such as quick mechanical response, multi-format DV playback, and a rich set of professional video/audio interfaces ranging from analog to digital SDI and AES/EBU. The HVR-1500 also offers HD-SDI output and RS-422A control capabilities, bridging HDV source footage and assets with high-end HD formats and HD editing equipment. In addition, with the optional HVBK-1520 board installed, the HVR-1500 has a range of conversion capabilities that allow DV recordings to be up-converted to 1080i or 720P signals, and 1080i HDV recordings to be cross-converted to 720P signals. This allows operators to integrate DV and HDV source footage and assets into the same HD editing system, and gives them the flexibility to choose between either a 1080i or a 720P system. The HVR-1500 can also be used as a standard definition DVCAM

recorder, in which case the same editing features as the DSR-1500A are offered. The HVR-1500 is certainly the HDV recorder of choice for environments where robustness and functionality are prime concerns.

In HDV mode, editing capabilities are not available.

The monitor image is simulated.

Switchable Recording

-HDV 1080i/DVCAM/DV and 60i/50i

The HVR-1500 can be switched between HDV 1080i*1, DVCAM, and DV (SP) *

recording modes, providing full flexibility to record in either standard definition or high definition depending on your production needs. In addition, it can be switched between 60i and 50i systems, eliminating the need for two separate VTRs, one for each standard.

Playback Compatibility with DV (25 Mb/s) Family Formats

For operational versatility, the HVR-1500 is designed to play back DV (25 Mb/s) family format recorded tapes without a mechanical adaptor and without having to switch playback modes on the menu. DVCPRO

25 recorded tapes (M-size cassettes) can also be played back.

Long Recording Time

The HDV format adopts the same track pitch and tape speed as the DV format, thus offering the same recording time – a maximum of 276 minutes when recording on a PHDV-276DM DigitalMaster standard cassette tape and 63 minutes when recording on a PHDVM-63DM DigitalMaster mini cassette tape. The DVCAM format adopts a wider track pitch than the HDV/DV format (15 µm compared to 10 µm), and offers a maximum recording time of 184 minutes on a PDV-184N standard cassette tape and 40 minutes on a PDVM-40N mini cassette tape.

Up-conversion Capability

With the optional HVBK-1520 Format Converter Board installed, the HVR-1500 has an up-conversion capability that allows DV recordings and SD signals*

fed to the HVR-1500 to be converted

to 1080i or 720P signals and then output*

from the HD-SDI interface. This allows DV recordings to be integrated into existing HD editing systems that support the 1080i or 720P format. When up-converting the DV recording, the aspect ratio displayed can be converted from 4:3 to 16:9. Display modes can be selected from Squeeze, Edge Crop, or Letterbox.

Cross-conversion Capability

With the optional HVBK-1520 Format Converter Board installed, the HVR-1500 has a cross-conversion capability that allows 1080i recordings to be converted to 720P signals, as well as 720/30P (29.97 frames/s) recordings to be converted to 1080/60i (59.94 fields/s) signals. These signals are output*

from the HD-SDI interface. This allows source footage and assets in different HDV formats to be integrated into the same HD editing system.

Down-conversion Capability

The HVR-1500 has a built-in down-conversion capability that allows 1080i recordings to be output as 480i and 576i signals from the i.LINK and SD-SDI interfaces. These signals can also be output from the analog component, composite, or S-Video connectors. This allows 1080i recordings to be edited using nonlinear editing systems running DV editing software or to be viewed on an SD monitor. When down-converting the 1080i recording, the aspect ratio displayed can be converted from 16:9 to 4:3. Display modes can be selected from Squeeze or Edge crop.

HDV 1080i Specification

The HDV 1080i specification*2for the HDV format features 1,080 effective scanning lines (interlace scanning system) and 1,440 horizontal pixels. It adopts the MPEG-2 compression format (MP@ H-14 for video), which uses 8-bit digital component recording with a sampling rate of 4:2:0. MPEG-1 Audio Layer II is used as the audio compression format, allowing for two-channel recording with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz/16-bit. The HDV 1080i specification provides the high picture quality required for HDTV program production.

Track Pattern of the

HDV 1080i

Specification

Compatible with Existing and New DV Videocassette Tapes

As a member of the proven DV family of formats, the HDV format was developed from the outset to be compatible with all grades of DV videocassette tape. This allows operators to use high-grade DV videocassette tapes for applications where high robustness is critical, or consumer-grade videocassette tapes for more economical operations. For heavy-duty applications, the DigitalMaster

high-grade cassette tape has been developed. This tape is compatible with the HDV, DVCAM, and DV formats.

The HDV format also defines the HDV 720p specification, which features 720 effective

scanning lines (progressive scanning system) and 1,280 horizontal pixels.

The HVR-1500 supports DV (SP) mode only; DV (LP) mode is not available. Assemble or

insert editing is not supported in DV (SP) mode.

In HDV mode, editing capabilities are not available.

There may be a delay of one frame in outputting up-converted signals from the HD-SDI interface.

DV signals fed to the HVR-1500’s i.LINK interface cannot be up-converted and output

from the HD-SDI interface.

There may be a delay of one frame in outputting cross-converted signals from the HD-SDI interface.

HDV FORMAT

VERSATILE RECORDING & PLAYBACK

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