Sound Devices just announced firmware update 3.0 for its PIX recorders, which (among other things) adds the option of ProRes4444 recording. The capability of recording 4:4:4/RGB is quite desirable when footage is to be graded, especially if your camera can output this color space. Although the press release indicated that after the update the PIX recorders would accept 4:4:4 via 3G-SDI, I immediately asked: “What about 4:4:4 over HDMI?”
Many ProVideo Coalition magazine readers will recall my articles about external 4:2:2 recorders, especially the most recent Record progressive 4:2:2 or beyond from your HDMI camera with an external recorder from October 2012. Many will also recall my 2011 article Untapped features in Sony NXCAM’s new HDMI output. One of the untapped features mentioned in that article was the RGB 4:4:4 over HDMI (when requested via EDID). Since even before then, I had been asking why so many ProRes recorder manufacturers who had licensed the ProRes422 códecs (including ProRes422LT, ProRes422, and ProRes422HQ) had neglected to include the ProRes4444 códec. (The last 4 refers to alpha channel, which is typically not necessary or appropriate in a camera, but often required with animation files.) So since the press release only mentioned 3G-SDI with higher-priced cameras like ARRI ALEXA, Canon C500 and Sony F3, I ran to inquire: “What about 4:4:4 over HDMI?”
Sound Devices quickly responded:
The PIX 220 and PIX 240 (plus the “i” versions) have HDMI connections which support 4:4:4 RGB, up to 10-bit. We do inform of this capability via EDID.
This is excellent news, especially for those who plan to grade their footage, even though the NXCAMs (so far) will only output 8-bit over HDMI. However, Sound Devices has not (yet) been able to confirm this potential compatibility with NXCAMs since currently they don’t have any NXCAM in house to test. I am attempting to arrange the courtship between a recent NXCAM and a PiX recorder which has been updated to firmware 3.0 in order to test this. After the update, the input type and bit depth is now displayed on the PiX’s onscreen display, so theoretically a recent NXCAM connected to an updated PIX recorder will show up as either 4:4:4 or RGB… and 8-bit. I will publish another article this once I have been able to confirm it.
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My latest ebook
I have just published an ebook in two languages. The format is Kindle, but even if you don’t have a Kindle device, you can read Kindle books on many other devices using a free Kindle app. That includes iPad, iPhone, Android phones, Android tablets, Mac computers, Windows computers, some Blackberry phones and Windows 7 phones.
In English: 
- At Amazon.com (for all of the Americas and the Republic of India, and for all worldwide gift purchases)
- Amazon.ca (Canada)
- Amazon.co.jp (Japan)
- Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)
- Amazon.de (Germany)
- Amazon.es (Spain, pero a lo mejor lo prefieres en castellano, a continuación)
- Amazon.fr (France)
- Amazon.it (Italy)
If you’re going to buy a Kindle book as a gift, you must do so via the Pan-American Amazon store (the first one listed above), regardless of where you live or where the recipient lives.
En castellano: 
- Amazon.com (todas las Américas la República de la India… y todas las compras de regalo mundialmente)
- Amazon.co.jp (Japón)
- Amazon.co.uk (Reino Unido)
- Amazon.de (Alemania)
- Amazon.es (España)
- Amazon.fr (Francia)
- Amazon.it (Italia)
Si vas a comprar un libro Kindle como regalo, debes hacerlo vía la tienda panamericana de Amazon (la primera de la lista) sin importar donde vivas tú o donde viva la persona que recibirá el regalo.
Allan Tépper’s books, consulting, articles, seminars & audio programs
Contact Allan Tépper for consulting, or find a full listing of his books, articles and upcoming seminars and webinars at AllanTepper.com. Listen to his TecnoTur program, which is now available both in Castilian (aka “Spanish”) and in English, free of charge. Search for TecnoTur in iTunes or visit TecnoTur.us for more information.
Disclosure, to comply with the FTC’s rules
No manufacturer is specifically paying Allan Tépper or TecnoTur LLC to write this article or the mentioned books. Some of the other manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. Many of the manufacturers listed above have sent Allan Tépper review units. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur LLC via affiliate programs.
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The articles contained in the TecnoTur channel in ProVideo Coalition magazine are copyright Allan Tépper/TecnoTur LLC, except where otherwise attributed. Unauthorized use is prohibited without prior approval, except for short quotes which link back to this page, which are encouraged!