AVCIntra50?

A

Andrew McCarrick

Carbonite Member
Is AVCIntra 50 4:2:2 or 4:2:0? I was pretty sure it was 4:2:2 and that AVCHD was the 4:2:0 format, but now wikipedia has me second guessing that.
 
The 100mbps version is 1920x1080, 10-bit, 4:2:2.

The 50mbps version is 1440x1080, 10-bit, 4:2:0.

AVC-HD is either 1920x1080 or 1440x1080, 8-bit, 4:2:0.
 
okay, thanks... any reason why they went with 4:2:0 though? Doesn't make much sense when they say it's comparable to DVCPro HD at that point.
 
It's half the bitrate. They had to compromise somewhere, so they went 1440 and 4:2:0 in order to fit it in half the bitrate. It does, however, have 10-bit color depth, which cancels out some of the other compromises. So you get 10-bit 4:2:0 instead of 8-bit 4:2:2, which may make it subjectively visually comparable (depending on who's doing the looking).

AVCIntra50 isn't marketed as the ultimate visual feast, it's marketed to news shooters who want the longest record times and the lowest bandwidth. If you want ultimate visual fidelity, that's what AVCIntra100 is for.
 
DVCPro HD 50mbs is only 960x720 8-bit but with 4:2:2 and less efficient image compression. Although a different pixel pattern, intra's actually has more chroma data in 1080:
1440 x 1080 / 4 = 388800
960 x 720 / 2 = 345600

If that math is correct, intra still has more (not including the extra bits, extra luma, and compression). I bet the intra version holds up quite well for most applications.
 
Of course. DVCPRO-HD is accepted for unlimited acquisition at Discovery, and it's the format the BBC just standardized on. If AVCIntra50 is truly a visual match for DVCPRO-HD, why wouldn't it be more than enough for behind-the-scenes stuff? I'd think it'd be fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top