Best way to downconvertion MXF to SD

Pablo Lozano

Pablo Lozano

Active member
Hi,
We are trying to convert HD to SD, we have recorded with the HPX 500 in 720pn, sometimes 25p, sometimes 50p.
What is the best way to downconvetion as we are not very happy with the first results in SD.
Thanks
 
Open an SD timeline. Import the HD project file and open up the timeline, then manually shrink every clip on the timeline to SD resolution (make sure that Scale to Frame Size is unchecked). Render in SD.
 
or you could just export your HD timeline using an SD codec @ 1.2 pixel aspect and 720 x 480 frame size. either way essentially does the same thing. its likely easier to just export it using SD settings since you dont have to set up a seperate project at all. pending what SD codec you use youll get different results of course, but you should stick with progressive SD at the framerate of your editing timeline.
 
Actually, if you try to export as SD out of an HD timeline, the footage loses a lot of resolution, even uncompressed. From my experience Premiere has to be "tricked" into downconverting properly; it makes a huge difference.
 
ok. naturally any conversion from HD to SD loses resolution, but its possible that were doing things differently when exporting to SD, but its always worked fine for me. theres an entire world of possible differences involved in the exporting process so its more than plausible to get differentiating results. but for example when i export my 1080p or 720p timelines to widescreen DVD, its great. and the same for any other SD export off my HD timlines, but it really depends on what your export settings are. in reality you are really doing the same thing either way, remember that the NLE is non destructive. so unless your prerendering your entire SD timline with your shrunk HD files on it and then exporting to Sd again going through 2 generation losses, your actually going straight from the original HD files ..applying all effects and such, and then rendering to the SD codec at the SD size for output when your export. its the same off an HD timline where the resizing takes effect as part of the rendering to the specified output frame resolution. but .. it makes no difference which way you do it. whatever works best for you is the way you should do it. if your getting poor results going straight from your HD timeline then of course its best to stick to a working method.
 
If you have After Effects, open up the Premiere Project in AE, and then export to SD from there. You'd probably getting better results than trying to do it in Premiere. Downconvert as your last step from your "digital master."
 
Down converting to SD from an HD source whether you use Premiere or AEFX still has the quality advantage of the fact it was shot HD and more information was captured (in a better color space).
 
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