The HD convert to SD Question

[yia]

I heard that shooting in HD and Down convert it to SD looks better than shooting in SD. My other question is what happen to the HD files?

1) it is just lowering the HD resolution to SD resolution making smaller files?

2) what about picture quality, still about the same?

thanks for your knowledge

 

[mrbrycel]

Sorry if i'm hi-jacking your thread, but I had another question to add...

I read that with the HVX200 you can shoot DVCPRO-HD, and converts the DVCPRO-HD footage to DV onto tape (within the camera). Does the HVX200 (and will the HPX170) allow you to shoot DVCPRO-HD and convert it to DVCPRO/DVCPRO-50 onto P2?

 

[Shane Ross]

Via...

1) How do you convert HD to SD? The files might be smaller, but DVCPRO HD is pretty small as it is...roughly twice the size of DV.

2) No, the quality will not be the same. HD is higher quality than SD.

Mr.Brycel - if you want DVCPRO 50, you can shoot to that with the HVX-200 and HPX-170. But no, you cann convert after, unless you import it into an NLE and convert it there.

 

[yia]

what I meant to say was, after you edited HD footage in you NLE, Your wanna put it on DVD so you convert it in your NLE, is that quality still be fairly decent .....thanks shane

 

[mcvideo]

Mr.Brycel - if you want DVCPRO 50, you can shoot to that with the HVX-200 and HPX-170. But no, you cann convert after, unless you import it into an NLE and convert it there.

Im interested in how to convert DVCPRO HD footage to DV-SD footage within FCP 6.0. If anyone can post a link i'll red up on it. I'll continue to search as well.

so you understand what im up against.. i have hvx footage shot in 720x24pn (DVCPRO HD) and reg SD footage shot with a Sony vx2100. My concerne right now is how do i convert the HD footage to SD within the NLE (FCP 6.0). This footage will be edited together with the SD vx2100 footage inside a SD 720x480 timeline.

thanks

 

[manglerBMX]

just put the HD clips in your SD timeline. simple as that. if you shot your footage at 4x3 with your vx you can either crop all of that footage or enlarge your HD footage to fill the 4x3 screen.

 

[Shane Ross]

Well, one issue you will have is frame rate. Mixing 23.98 from the 720p 24PN with regular DV. FCP won't add the proper cadence if you drop it into a timeline and render. Even if you converted it to DV, you'd still have the 23.98>29.97 issue. Converting the HD to SD is pretty easy...either use Compressor or even the Media Manager...but it will take a while. Compressor will do a better job, and you will have to set the frame options all to BEST...and that will take it a WHILE. But it will look better.

Why did you shoot 24PN if you were going to mix it with 30 frame material? Mixing codecs is easy...it is frame rates that really throw a wrench into the works.

 

[mcvideo]

Well, one issue you will have is frame rate. Mixing 23.98 from the 720p 24PN with regular DV. FCP won't add the proper cadence if you drop it into a timeline and render.

By this you mean the aspect ratio wont match? I looked at what im up against last night and noticed the letter box look (per-say) on my HVX footage and full frame 720x480 ration on SD footage.. it did not look right.. is this what your referring to?

Even if you converted it to DV, you'd still have the 23.98>29.97 issue. Converting the HD to SD is pretty easy...either use Compressor or even the Media Manager...but it will take a while. Compressor will do a better job, and you will have to set the frame options all to BEST...and that will take it a WHILE. But it will look better.

So if i follow your suggestion of using Compressor, i would basically load all my HVX footage on my timeline (does it matter if my NLE it set to SD or HD?) render out and do file>export as QT mov as self contained? Do i have this right? then bring it into compressor and render that out for SD. then bring that back into my FCP project? Wont i be compressing the footage two times by doing this?

Why did you shoot 24PN if you were going to mix it with 30 frame material? Mixing codecs is easy...it is frame rates that really throw a wrench into the works.

I did not think about my 2nd cameras settings of 30 frame... this is all new to me so this is a lesson learned for me. Does it matter that i shoot with my hvx.. 24pn, 30 etc? I guess it just boils down to post work ill need to do to get the two footage to match?

 

[mcvideo]

just put the HD clips in your SD timeline. simple as that. if you shot your footage at 4x3 with your vx you can either crop all of that footage or enlarge your HD footage to fill the 4x3 screen.

thanks for the reply Mangler.. i take it your suggestion would be the easy way to do it? If i dont want to crop my SD footage since the output will be 720x480 SD. If anything i would need to enlarge my HD footage to match footage in my viewer/canvas. If i was to do this (enlarge HD footage) would all come out like its suppose to when i export as QT move then bring into Compressor then render out to SD? Everything will look right as far as aspect ratios go?

thanks..

 

[Shane Ross]

Not aspect ratio...although that is ANOTHER issue. FRAME RATE...24fps (23.98) HD and 30fps (29.97) SD. Mismatching frame rates makes for funky looking footage. ASPECT RATIO is 4x3 full screen vs 16x9 WIDESCREEN. To mix that you need to not only blow up the SD to be HD size, but go even FURTHER so that it fills the 16:9 frame. Or you have to downconvert all your HD to SD and zoom in to get rid of the letterboxing. UP to you.

And no...by using COMPRESSOR to convert the footage, I mean the RAW footage. Don't export the final timeline, that will have the funky frame mixing. Convert only the SD footage you use in the timeline.

 

[mcvideo]

shane.. much thanks for the time to respond.. dont pull out your hair now.. i have to ask. how do i convert my HD RAW footage to SD? i dont have the footage on p2 card if your response will be to down convert from p2card to tape which would be DV.

Let me figure out this part first then ill worry about aspect ratios etc. unless i need to worry about it at this point.. just so we are clear i will be down converting HD footage to SD 720x480 and 4x3 ratio not 16x9.. if there is a link on how to do this just send me towards the link and ill read up on it unless your kind to spell it out for me and others who will follow this thread..

thanks again for the assistance.