ADVC-HDM1 Remote

[mboufleur]

Hi, I recently bought the ADVC-HDM1 converter and two things have puzzled me. I'm using a Sony HVR-M15U HDV VTR, and a Matrox Axio running Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 for these tests.

The first regards the remote control for this unit. I'm playing some content recorded in [email protected] HDV format, which passes through the ADVC-HDM1 converter and outputs HD-SDI.
I connected the HD-SDI to my NLE station, and tried to remote control the unit, using an Addenda RS-2/3. The Addenda has been used without any troubles to remote control Sony VTRs. Now, I connect the Addenda RS-422 connector to the ADVC-HDM1 converter and try to remote the Sony HDV VTR without success. The Remote Control software used inside Adobe Premiere is Pipeline Digital ProVTR, but as I said, it worked with Sony VTR's without any problems.

Why can't I control my Sony VTR through the ADVC-HDM1, using Adobe Premiere? I tried both device and controller connectors for RS-422 in ADVC-HDM1.

My NLE doesn't have TC in connector, but Timecode always comes with the RS-422 remote connection, so I can still do frame accurate editing. With ADVC-HDM1, I don't get remote control, neither TC information.

How can I solve this?

[GrassValley_BH]

In the second scenario, when you have the ADVC-HDM1 connected to an HDV deck, and connected to your NLE via HD-SDI and RS-422, the ADVC-HDM1 is in Encode mode, yes?

Also check DIP switch 3. It should be OFF to use the RS-422 ports instead of the RS-232 port.

[mboufleur]

All my tests were done using the "decode" mode for the ADVC-HDM1.

I also used it in "encode" mode, after reading your post, but I still get no remote control (nor TC information).

It's not really clear as to which of the ADVC-HDM1 RS-422 ports I should use when performing these operations (not really clear in the manual). I tried with both without success.

All switches were off during the tests. I only set DIP Switch 3 to "ON" when I tried to check if the RS-232 was functional using hyperterminal (and it is functional).

[GrassValley_BH]

I checked the manual again and it seems the Timecode from HDV devices is output as both DVITC on the HD-SDI stream, and LTC on the BNC terminal. However, there is no mention of output over RS-422, so I'm not sure on that part.

Just to verify, when switching between Controller and Device ports on the RS-422 connection, you did tell the ADVC-HDM1 to switch ports by "Press and hold the [Encode/Decode Switch] and [Time Code Input Switch] at the same time
for more than 1 second to change the RS-422A port on the ADVC-HDM1 rear panel to CONTROLLER port or DEVICE port."

I'm not sure which one is the default port, so best to try all four scenarios:

1. Connect to RS-422 Controller port.
   Try it.
2. Hold Encode/Decode and Time Code Input down together for more than one second to have the HDM1 switch ports.
   Try it.
3. Connect to RS-422 Device port.
   Try it.
4. Hold Encode/Decode and Time Code Input down together for more than one second to have the HDM1 switch ports.
   Try it.

[mboufleur]

Unfortunately, the ADVC-HDM1 I had with me until this morning was borrowed by another company and it'll take perhaps two weeks until I lay my hands on it again...

Anyway, I cannot reproduce the tests you are asking me to, but I have a couple of questions:

- The Timecode Input Switch is only meaningfull when we desire to choose from LTC or VITC input, right?
I mean, when you use the converter in "Encode" mode, and it converts from HD-SDI to HDV, and your source tape (HDCAM) might have different TCs, deppending on the track you choose (I once got my hands on a tape which had DF TC in it's VITC, and NDF in it's LTC track).

When I capture from an HDV source, both Leds are active (VITC and LTC), meaning that HDV timecode will be present in both formats as output (VITC in Video Stream, and LTC in TC OUT connector). I guess it makes sense, because I think HDV format only stores TC in one track/way.

So I guess the Timecode Input Switch is only used in HD-SDI to HDV "Encoder" conversions.
When I use it as "decoder" HDV to HD-SDI, I don't get TC nor control through RS-422 when using the ADVC-HDM1.

- In the manual, it states that the ADVC-HDM1 is equiped with "AV/C to RS-422 conversion". It's not clearly explained in the manual, but I searched about it and in ADVC-1000 web page, there is a better explanation:

VTR Control by AV/C-RS422 Conversion

ADVC1000 converts DV device control signals to RS422, to control an external VTR. Such control makes it possible to take in data from professional VTRs such as Digital Betacam from any standard DV editing software that features DV device control.

So if I'm not mistaken, the RS-422 Ports would not be used for my purpose which is to control an HDV VTR from my NLE using the ADVC-HDM1 to convert from my RS-422 Port to the VTR's Firewire.

If I understand this correctly, it's better suited for cases when my NLE is working in HDV format, using the Firewire output for video and control.
This way, professional HD VTR's which use HD-SDI connectors can by controlled by my NLE using my Firewire output in cases whem my NLE doesn't have HD-SDI output, nor RS-422 connectors.

I'm not sure what changes in both situations regarding the RS-422 and the AV/C protocols...

[GrassValley_BH]

- The Timecode Input Switch is only meaningfull when we desire to choose from LTC or VITC input, right?
...
When I capture from an HDV source, both Leds are active (VITC and LTC), meaning that HDV timecode will be present in both formats as output (VITC in Video Stream, and LTC in TC OUT connector). I guess it makes sense, because I think HDV format only stores TC in one track/way.

Yes, you are correct on both accounts.

When I use it as "decoder" HDV to HD-SDI, I don't get TC nor control through RS-422 when using the ADVC-HDM1.

I'm still trying to determine whether there should or should not be timecode on the RS-422 interface. It seems a little odd to have both a Controller and Device port if the unit can only function as a controller, but perhaps it's just for easy connectivity without requiring special cross-cables.