why does HDV look like this?

P

powerdog

Veteran
Took a test shot with a Canon XL-H1, using HDV 1080i and recording to DV Rack.

DVR gave me m2t file, which FCP can't open.

Following various people's advice, I converted to QT in MPEG Streamclip.

Did the FCP 5.1.4 Easy Setup for HDV 1080i60.

Clips imported fine in FCP...no render line.

The problem: when I use Desktop Preview, the footage is very grainy. Looks like high-speed film.

Is this because I'm not using an Apple HD LCD, just a Samsung 19inch LCD? Or am I missing something about the conversion?
 
Because Digital Cinema Preview shows you an image that is not full quality...it is a preview quality only. Enough to show you what you have, but by no means a color correct image. And yes, seeing this on the Samsung makes it worse.

If you want to really see what you have you should get the Matrox MXO and hook it up to an Apple 23" Cinema Display. That combination wil get you broadcast quality colors.

But I also suspect that the converting process costs a little quality loss as well. But also know that HDV is HIGHLY compressed. HD frame sizes at DV data rates. HUGE compression.
 
Interesting. But while I can imagine that my colors are off, that's not my immediate problem.

I can't imagine that a better monitor will do anything about grain (except maybe make the grains sharper!)

I think my first step is actually in the camera...to turn gain and NR all the way down. Gain, for example, goes from -3 to +3, and defaults to 0. Some people on the Xlcinema board say you gotta set it to -3
 
Shoot some test charts- sounds like you might have underexposed or had gain on or both.

Noah
 
The A1's have an auto gain switch that is on by default. It needs to be turned off or the camera will show grain in lower light situations. Is that a possibility. I know I was seeing lots of grain in my test footage until I found this item in and turned it to manual.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top