By inexpensive, I mean under $1,000.00.
It's not for me but someone on another forum I belong to.
All the adapters I've found so far with a google search are $2,000 or more.
John, this is for a guy on the dpsVelocity forum and, if it will help, here's his original post.
I've been using a SD Connect with VelocityHD for years.
I just upgraded to HD cameras and a Sony HVR-M15AU deck.
The deck only has HD component and HDV (firewire) output.
The firewire capture on the VelocityHD is unusable so I need a HVD (1394) to SDI converter box.
Apparently Convergent-Design stopped making the HD-Connect Si and HD-Connect LE.
We have the HD Connect LE from Convergent Design B&H list it at just under $1,000.
I've been trying to track down a local company who make very similar products under the name Red Ant. We've just recently aquired one of their boxes but darned if I can find the company on the web. Their range of 'glue' boxes is excellent and cheap. I keep seeing various resellers with them on stands at trade shows. I'll try to track down the product catalog, hopefully there's a link to their website on it. We seem to have quite a few local manufacturers who make world class products at very good prices but these companies are clueless at marketing. The latest one I found were Bees Kneez, who custom make condensor microphones, literally in a garage, in our Blue Mountains.
Thanks John & Bob.
He obviously hasn't had any luck sourcing either the HD-Connect Si or HD-Connect LE.
I did find the nanoConnect on the Convergent Design site ($360) and it looks like it might do the job.
Bob, if you do find any links to your local guys, please pass them along as they sound very interesting.
"Bob, if you do find any links to your local guys, please pass them along as they sound very interesting."
Eventually tracked them down.
Talk about me being dyslexic, they were called "Redbyte" not Red Ant, their logo is a redback spider ( widowmaker) :)
They've since changed their name to Decimator Design:
www.decimator.com
I don't see any HDV to HD SDI converter in their current lineup but there's a number of other interesting boxes.