internal downconversion hd-sd

[ilight]

hi there, i'm new here and have a couple of questions concerning the internal downconversion with the hvx 200 for a documentary i am going to shoot.

we'll be on the road for about two months and we don't know if we should take kilos of harddisks with us. so i am wondering if it makes sense to shoot with P2 and downconvert it on the road (which will be quite some work)

the final format is not quite clear, yet. so i want to keep as much information for CC later on.

from another thread i understand that the hvx always sees 1920x1080 and converts down from that. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=63810&highlight=internal+downconversion&page=2

now i am asking myself what happens to the compression 4:2:2?
dvcproHD and dvcpro50 use 4:2:2, dvcpro 4:1:1 but DV only 4:2:0
what happens when you downconvert in camera from p2 to tape?

hoping i make sense and anyone can share some information

ps: we are shooting pal

[Jim Carswell]

My suggestion to you would be to keep the video in its original form on hard drives. That way you have the best possible image to work with at all times. Do your down conversion in post after you have edited your documentary. If you down convert in the field as you go... then change your mind after the shoot that you really wanted HD than you are stuck. Also, when you down convert to tape from P2 you will lose that wonderful 4:2:2.

I typically pack an extra Pelican case filled with hard drives when I'm working a project. Be sure to come up with a sensible labelling method for each of your hard drives so you can tell which one is which when you see them stacked on top of each other. Also come up with a solid folder labelling system for storing your video.

I hope this helps.
Jim

[Take_1]

Unless you plan to revisit the project at a later date... Why would you want to downconvert your footage? If your delivery is SD just shoot it in DVCPro50 and save yourself a ton of space and headache.

[ilight]

i just got confused since i wasn't sure if you could tape dvcpro50 with the hvx or just record to P2. with the larger dvcpro50 camera's it's possible and the tape runs faster through.

Jim, which kind of hard drives do you use for your projects? And how heavy are they?
We'll be flying quite often and I have to make sure that the weight is not too much over the limit.

thank you for answering

[Jim Carswell]

ilight,
I use the G-raid mini's. I power them off the laptop which makes for a great convenience. They hardly weigh anything. They are each 100GBs. I typically take a minimum of a dozen with me and as many as 24 on each trip.

Jim

[ilight]

Jim,
thank you for the information. I'll check with the hard disks.

ilight