The JVC GY-HM650 and the Shape of Cameras to Come
JVC's GY-HM650 is a new three-chip CMOS camcorder with computer-like functionality that enables Internet connectivity and a second encoder that enables shooting and storing two different formats to SD card, or storing one format and transmitting live streaming video. Part 1 of this 2-part review details the mechanics of the online and dual-codec capabilities. In the second, we'll look at the GY-HM650 as a traditional camera and test quality and usability.
4G Testing
So far, everything that I had tried had worked, albeit with a little handholding from the very helpful JVC field engineer (thanks, Dwayne), and an advanced look at some help documents that hadn’t yet made their way into the public eye. So, with my deadline looming, I figured I would try to get 4G up and running.
So I plugged the USB device in, triggered the wizard for cellular connection and waited the 2 minutes recommended in the help documents. Right around that time, the camera’s status screen showed that the connection had been made (Figure 6, below). I was able to log into the camera using the IP address and FTP additional files to the configured FTP address.
Figure 6. Connecting via cellular.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the product worked as advertised, though we’ve all tested enough bleeding-edge products to know that it isn’t always the case. Something about adding computer-like functionality to a camera scares me; it seems the best way to screw up a reliable device is to add a CPU and operating system, and turn it into a computer. Next thing you know, my youngest daughter will be playing Minecraft on the darn thing.
Clearly, though, it’s the shape of things to come, and JVC has done a great job adding encoder- and computer-like functionality to their latest single-chip camcorder. Of course, none of that matters if the camera won’t shoot pretty pictures, a capability I’ll be assessing in part 2 of this review.
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