Sony HVR-1500A User Manual

HVR-1500A

Digital HD Videocassette Recorder

www.sonybiz.net/hdv

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Bringing a New Level of Functionality and
Robustness to HDV Productions

- the HVR-1500A HDV Recorder

The HVR-1500A is an HDV™ source feeder/ recorder*1positioned at the top of Sony’s

HDV Series.

Inheriting the design concept of the market-acclaimed DSR-1500AP, the HVR-1500A

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 analogue to digital SDI and AES/EBU.

The HVR-1500A also offers HD-SDI input/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-1500A

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, giving them the flexibility to choose between either

a 1080i or a 720P system.

The HVR-1500A can also be used as a standard definition DVCAM™ recorder,

in which case the same editing features as the DSR-1500AP are offered.

The HVR-1500A is certainly the HDV recorder of choice for environments where

robustness and functionality are prime concerns.

*1 In HDV mode, editing capabilities are not available.

The monitor image is simulated.

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HDV FORMAT

VERSATILE RECORDING & PLAYBACK

HDV 1080i Specification

The HDV 1080i specification*1for 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
programme production.

*1 The HDV format also defines the HDV

720p specification, which features 720 effective scanning lines (progressive scanning system)
and 1,280 horizontal pixels.

The Right Media for Optimum HDV Content

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.The Digital Master™
Tape has been designed and tested with HDV VTRs for
outstanding performance. It is an ideal and reliable choice
for affordable HD productions across a wide variety of
environments.

Switchable Recording
HDV 1080i/DVCAM/DV and 60i/50i

The HVR-1500A can be switched between HDV 1080i*2,
DVCAM and DV (SP)*3recording 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 50i and 60i systems, eliminating
the need for two separate VTRs, one for each standard.

*2 In HDV mode, editing capabilities are not available.

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

editing is not supported in DV (SP) mode.

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

For operational versatility, the HVR-1500A 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-1500A has an up-conversion capability that
allows DV recordings and SD signals*

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fed to the HVR-1500A to
be converted to 1080i or 720P signals and then output*5from
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.

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

the HD-SDI interface.

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

interface.

Cross-conversion Capability

With the optional HVBK-1520 Format Converter Board
installed, the HVR-1500A 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*6from the HD-SDI interface.This allows source footage
and assets in different HDV formats to be integrated into the
same HD editing system.

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

interface.

Down-conversion Capability

The HVR-1500A 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 analogue component, composite, or
S-Video connectors. This allows 1080i recordings to be edited
using non-linear 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, Letterbox, or Edge crop.

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■ Track Pattern of the HDV 1080i Specification

Direction of tape trave

HDV 1080i (16:9)

DVCAM/DV (4:3)

Squeeze Edge cropLetterbox