Sony 900 Camcorder User Manual


 
1
Chapter 1 Introduction 12HDC-900/950/930 Series Product Information Manual
* Monitoring quality only.
** Entries printed in blue are recommended choices.
*** HDC-930 only supports interlace formats.
Optical Fiber Digital Transmission
The cable connecting the HDCU-900/950 CCU to an
HDC- 900 or HDC-950/930 camera uses two single-
mode optical fiber lines, two control lines, and two
power lines to carry digitized video, audio, control
signals and power to the camera. An extremely high-
quality, all-digital bi-directional video and audio signal
can be transmitted up to a distance of 3 km (1.86
miles)* with the HDCU-900 and up to 1.2 km (0.75
miles)* with the HDCU-950. This cable and connector
conforms to the SMPTE standard.
* When supplying power to the camera via the optical fiber
cable, the maximum cable length varies with the camera
system configuration and lens type, the size of the optical
fiber cable and the number of cable connectors.
Safety Oriented Power Supply
As safety is a major design concept of every Sony
design, the HDCU-900/950 continuously checks the
camera cable for open or short circuits. An alarm is
given if a fault is found and some appropriate
precautionary actions taken, case by case.
An additional safety feature is that a low voltage is
initially supplied from the HDCU-900 optical fiber
connector when the unit is switched on. Only when the
system check has verified that an appropriate camera
is connected is the normal operating voltage output.
Locking to External Reference Signals
The HDCU-900/950 can be locked to an external
reference signal. Either a HD tri-level sync signal
(according to SMPTE 240M), or an SD black burst
signal can be used as the reference signal.
RCP-750/751, Remote Control Panels
Two types of RCP-750 Series Remote Control Panels
are also available, providing a range of control
functions from the basic to very sophisticated for
operational adjustments of an HDC-900/950/930. Each
type is available with either a joystick or dial type iris
control.
RM-B750, Remote Control Unit
The RM-B750 Remote Control Unit has been designed
to establish a highly mobile and fully controllable
camera system in the field by integrating control
capability equivalent to a Master Set-up Unit into a
compact unit powered from the device to be
controlled.
The RM-B750 can be connected directly to the any
HDC- 900 Series camera, attached to the half-rack
HDCU-950 Camera Control Unit or connected to an
HDW-250 portable VTR used with these components.
The combination of an LCD touch-panel screen and
direct push buttons enables full parameter adjustment
of the camera to be controlled. When necessary, basic
tape transport functions of a portable VTR can be
controlled*. For further operational convenience, the
RM-B750 has a Memory Stick
®
media card slot so that
various setup parameters can be stored and
transferred between camcorders.
* VTR REC START/STOP can also be assigned by the
assignable switch.
CNU-500 and CNU-700, Camera Command Network
Units
The CNU-700 and CNU-500 Camera Command
Network Units form the technical “nerve center” of a
star-shaped camera control network, providing
communication between all the units in the system. A
RISC-based microprocessor system provides high-
speed transfer of command signals to the HDCU-900/
950 CCU for rapid response. The CNU-500 is for use
in systems with up to six cameras and the CNU-700 is
for use in larger systems. One CNU-700 can also
control six cameras, but can be expanded to control
up to 12 cameras when fitted with an optional
expansion board. Several CNU-700 units can be
connected to the camera control network in a large
system.
HDVF-C700W and HDVF-C750W, Multi-format LCD
HD Color Viewfinders
The viewfinders developed for the HDC-900 and HDC-
950/930 cameras are of a new, innovative design that
is based on a 6-type TFT color LCD panel providing a
resolution of 960 pixels horizontally x 540 pixels
vertically. These viewfinders feature very low power
consumption and, as they are very compact, their
panning and tilting angles are greater than those of
CRT-based viewfinders. The HDVF-C700W is for use
with the HDC-900 camera and the HDVF-C750W for
use with the HDC-950/930 portable camera.
* The liquid crystal display fitted to this unit is manufactured
with high precision technology, giving a functioning pixel
ratio of at least 99.99 %. Thus a very small proportion of
pixels (at most 0.01 %) may be “stuck”, constantly on or
constantly off. In addition, over a long period of use, because
of the physical characteristics of the liquid crystal display,
such “stuck” pixel may appear spontaneously. These
problems have been kept to an absolute minimum, but are
an unavoidable characteristic of liquid crystal technology.
HDVF-700A and HDVF-20A, CRT-based Viewfinders
The monochrome CRT-based viewfinders, HDVF-
700A (7-type) and HDVF-20A (2-type), can also be
used with the HDC-900/950/930.
Standard Definition Origination
Production Format 480/60i 480/30P 576/50i
Camera Head Capture
Format
1080/
60i
1080/
30P
1080/
50i
HDCU-900/950 Output
Format
HD-SDI (Reserved slot)
1080/
60i**
1080/
30P**
1080/
50i**
Down-converted SDI
(Removable slot)
480/
60i**
480/
30P**
576/
50i**
HKCU-903/953 Frame
Converter (Optional)
HKCU-904 Line Con-
verter (Optional)
HKCU-901/951 SD
Encoder (Optional)
NTSC** NTSC* PAL**