HDV to DVCPRO--best settings/way to convert?

I am currently shooting in HDV 1080/60i. As I get into more compositing/effects I would like to migrate to a better format for FCP/Motion to work in.

At the same time I do not want to break the bank on goint to a format requiring large extra amounts of storage and bandwith (I usually edit on my MacBook Pro). The DVCPRO HD format seems to be a good compromise.

Two questions-

1)The 720/30p DVCPRO HD format seems to require only a modest increase in storage over HDV and I think that the degradation of the image quality going to 720p from 1080i is minimal. Any thoughts?

2)Is the best way of converting the project to use Media Manager? Will it automatically deinterlace my 1080i footage in the process of converting to a 30p format?

Thanks for advice!

MacBook Pro/DP G5 Mac OS X (10.3.7)

MacBook Pro/DP G5 FCP6 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Jun 2, 2007 7:54 AM

21 replies

Jun 3, 2007 1:36 PM in response to hanumang

I believe that ProRes 1920/1080 has MUCH higher storage requirements. Also-will it run off an external FW drive?

Once again-my question is as a prosumer with limited resources was the workflow I described acceptable? i.e., using Media Manager to create a new DVCPRO HD project at 720 30p?

Thanks for all of the input! (HDV is both a blessing and a curse).

MacBook Pro DP G5 FCP 6 Mac OS X (10.4.9) FCP 6/FCS 2

Jun 3, 2007 2:11 PM in response to Robert Altman3

I must admit, after working in HDV only a little, the only native HDV issue I had was going back to tape - all other work with it was fine. What's the issue you're trying to get around by going to another codec?

Yes indeed, HDV has that blessing / curse duality!

ProRes runs at 140 or 220 mb/s which should (just) work of a FW drive, and FW 800 should be no bother.

Graeme

Jun 3, 2007 3:07 PM in response to Graeme Nattress

The issues are compositing/effects/Motion. Using FCP for straight cuts works very well with HDV.

Jun 3, 2007 3:14 PM in response to Robert Altman3

Then working with prores for the Motion exports should be fine. If you're doing effects, you don't want to put the HDV through another very lossy codec which is going to effect your ability to key / color it, or do effects to it. In that respect the main danger of DVCproHD is it's reduced resolution which causes all sorts of artifacts / blurring.

Graeme

Jun 3, 2007 6:01 PM in response to Graeme Nattress

Is there a rountrip technique from FCP to Motion that would allow me to use ProRes just for the Motion work?

If I create a new graphic in Motion in ProRes, when I import it to my FCP HDV sequence won't it be a problem with playback speed, or does the FCP 6 open timeline feature REALLY work?

Jun 3, 2007 6:32 PM in response to Robert Altman3

FCP timeline really works.

Graeme

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HDV to DVCPRO--best settings/way to convert?