A few simple questions...

C

Can Scanner

Well-known member
1. Will 720p24PN footage burned to a standard SD dvd look better than DV footage burned to a standard SD dvd? And similarly, will 720p24PN footage that has been downconverted to tape (in camera) look better than regular ol' DV footage on the same tape?

2. Is it better to shoot in 720p24pn (which is DVCPRO HD) than DVCPRO 50 because it will look better even if it is downconverted to SD? (Besides the fact that DVCPRO50 needs more space than the "progressive native" 720p24PN.)


3. Are all of the DVCPRO codecs 4:2:2 (DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD)?

Thanks in advance!
 
Can Scanner said:
1. Will 720p24PN footage burned to a standard SD dvd look better than DV footage burned to a standard SD dvd? And similarly, will 720p24PN footage that has been downconverted to tape (in camera) look better than regular ol' DV footage on the same tape?

2. Is it better to shoot in 720p24pn (which is DVCPRO HD) than DVCPRO 50 because it will look better even if it is downconverted to SD? (Besides the fact that DVCPRO50 needs more space than the "progressive native" 720p24PN.)


3. Are all of the DVCPRO codecs 4:2:2 (DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD)?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

1) it should cuz of the extra color space though dvd is only 4.2.0 i think. not sure about the second part. i'd think not though

2) i think dvcpro50 is the format you should use if you intend SD delivery. it gives you full 4.2.2 whereas hd doesn't... not sure though.

3) no, dvcpro is 4.1.1. it's mini dv essentially.
 
2) i think dvcpro50 is the format you should use if you intend SD delivery. it gives you full 4.2.2 whereas hd doesn't... not sure though.

DVCPRO HD is 4:2:2, but with resolution loss compared to the 720 or 1080 specs (most of the formats currently operate with some kind of resolution- or colorspace loss to accomodate lower bitrate)

3) no, dvcpro is 4.1.1. it's mini dv essentially.[/quote]
Or 4:2:0 in PAL.

Gunleik
 
720pn (DVCProHD) is always 16:9 and always 4:2:2 as I understand it. If you're looking for widescreen DVD final output, 720pn is probably your best option. It even takes less space on the P2 cards. And it does look much better than DV --- much better! I can't tell you about downconverting in-camera --- I've never done that.
 
gunleik said:
2)
DVCPRO HD is 4:2:2, but with resolution loss compared to the 720 or 1080 specs (most of the formats currently operate with some kind of resolution- or colorspace loss to accomodate lower bitrate)

3) no, dvcpro is 4.1.1. it's mini dv essentially.
Click to expand...
Or 4:2:0 in PAL.

Gunleik[/QUOTE]

It's my understanding dvcproHD though a 4.2.2 container is not fully utilized by the hvx chip--which seems to be what your saying. It's 422 but it isn't.

Sorry for dissing you PAL folks.
 
gunleik said:
3) no, dvcpro is 4.1.1. it's mini dv essentially.

Or 4:2:0 in PAL.
Click to expand...
Actually, not so -- DVCPRO is 4:1:1 in both NTSC and PAL... DV is 4:2:0 in PAL, but DVCPRO is 4:1:1 even in PAL.
 
I suggest you shoot in the the highest resolution possible even if you plan to down-rez to HD. It should produce the best looking image.

Out of curiosity though, what's the exact difference bewteen DVCPro 50 and DVCPro HD?
 
In my personal testing, the end result looks better shot in 720p and then converted to dvd. Perhaps it has to do with the workflow to make that happen.
With my system/setup, 720p is always progressive, so you never have to worry about the correct field setting, or pulldown. The presets are optimised to shoot, edit and convert to mpg for dvd authoring. Going from SD 16x9 has caused me a little grief in most cases. I only do it that way when it is a straight raw footage to dvd, otherwise I like the 720p option everytime.

For me, 720p is a smoother best quality option if any editing is involved.

480p has only gone well from raw footage. More likely due to my doing something wrong than the anything else. That "something wrong" is usually to do with a field setting at some point thus causing jitter, or interlaced artifacts in some or all of the clips, requiring me to redo something.

The footage , to me, also does not look as clean with the 480 footage.
480 footage looks like DV. Downconverted 720p, to me, looks like something that came out of 1/2 or 3/4 SD camera (if lit and exposed properly).

Not sure if this is a placebo effect, but that's my current feel on that topic.
 
That has been my experience. A friend just went from BetaSP to the HVX. He missed the DV step altogether. He has had VariCam experience. He was getting all hung up on the difference between going 720 24pN or DVCPRO 50. So we did a test. The 720 24pN looked a little better and the workflow seemed a little easier.
I think he understands that the DVCPRO 50 option is for interoperability with other legacy cameras, decks and footage.
If you are doing an original production we would recommend 720 24pN.
 
Can Scanner said:
1. Will 720p24PN footage burned to a standard SD dvd look better than DV footage burned to a standard SD dvd?
Click to expand...

I got this one.

It is significantly different to us.

We shot some race footage (Bloomsday in Spokane, 40000 participants) on Sunday and I did a rough edit to DVD out FCP and DVD SP4.

It look absolutely fabulous on our plasma
 
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