StarTech.com HVR-1500 manual HDV Format, Versatile Recording & Playback

HDV FORMAT

HDV 1080i Specification

The HDV 1080i specification*2 for 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.

Direction of tape travel	10 μm
	Sub Code sector
	MPEG-2 PES sector
	(Video + Audio + Search + AUX)
Direction	6.35 mm
Track Pattern of of head motion	(1/4 inch)
the HDV 1080i	ITI sector
Specification
	ITI: Insert and Track Information
	PES: Packetized Elementary Stream

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.

*2 Although it is not used in Sony HDV products, the HDV format also defines the HDV 720p specification, which features 720 effective scanning lines (progressive scanning system) and 1,280 horizontal pixels.

VERSATILE RECORDING & PLAYBACK

Switchable Recording

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

The HVR-1500 can be switched between HDV 1080i*1, DVCAM, and DV (SP) *3 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 modes, eliminating the need for two separate VTRs, one for each standard.

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

*3 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.

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. DVCPROTM 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.

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.

DVCAM/DV (4:3)

HDV 1080i (16:9)

SqueezeEdge crop

Down-conversion Formats and Interfaces

60i System

Recording Format		Playback/				Output
		Down-conversion	HD-SDI	SD-SDI	i.LINK	Analog	Analog	S-Video
		Format				Component	Composite
HDV	1080/60i*	1080i/60i	●	–	●	●	–	–
		480/60i*	–	●	●	●	●	●
DVCAM	480/60i*	480/60i*	–	●	●	●	●	●
DV(SP)			–	●	●	●	●	●
DVCPRO 25**			–	●	–	●	●	●
50i System
Recording Format		Playback/				Output
		Down-conver-	HD-SDI	SD-SDI	i.LINK	Analog	Analog	S-Video
		sion Format				Component	Composite
HDV	1080/50i	1080/50i	●	–	●	●	–	–
		576/50i	–	●	●	●	●	●
DVCAM	576/50i	576/50i	–	●	●	●	●	●
DV(SP)			–	●	●	●	●	●
DVCPRO 25**			–	●	–	●	●	●

*"60i" indicates a field rate of 59.94 Hz.

**The HVR-1500 can play back but cannot record DVCPRO 25 signals.

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