Preferred frame rates for network affiliates

[jeffyjones]

It's fairly well known that about half of the networks use 1080i and the other half use 720p, but what frame rates are they using? I can't find any specific specs and can't get the local affiliates to return my calls. I need to shoot some B-roll for a client, which will in turn distribute video to various affiliates in two or three markets. What rate should I shoot at?

[FatBird19]

30p if you're in America.

[Barry_Green]

Nobody uses 30P.

American television stations broadcast either 1080/60i or 720/60p.

You can shoot 24P and carry it within a 60i or 60p signal for broadcast purposes; that's how sitcoms and network dramas are done. Reality programming (like American Idol) are shot and broadcast at 60P. Drama is shot at 24P and broadcast at 60P or 60i.

[TedRR]

Call the chief engineer at the stations and they can give you an intelligent answer.

[jeffyjones]

See, that's where I struggle with all of this. Everything surprisingly just "works" between the camera and my TV, but even in the old NTSC days (when I last worked pro, all of six years ago), internal environments had a lot of complexity to them, especially as affiliates were transitioning to either DVCPRO or DVCAM.

The 1080/60i I kind of figured on. Actually, among my local affiliates, only one, the Fox affiliate is doing their news in HD, but the ENG work seems to be mostly SD.

It makes sense then to do 1080/60i and down-convert when necessary. I guess I need to find out what tape formats they're using as well since I suspect a lot of them will want stuff on tape. What recording formats do DVCPRO HD and HDCAM generally record with?

[OldManVideo]

Send them SD on a Betacam tape, everyone still has one of those.

[jeffyjones]

Yeah, I'm aware of that... and if I was sending them SD I wouldn't be asking the question here.