Re: DVCPROHD to MPEG-2 Workflow

The problem is the Gamma and Color. I just finished a HD to MPEG 2 encode using compressor and it took the director and colorist beating their heads against the wall for 45 days. At the last minute the problem was solved. Remember that DVCPRO HD has a wonderful color space. I pushed the colors on my show. Cram that into MPEG 2 and we had oversaturated chroma. The next problem is the issue of Gamma. Apple puts a gamma correction so that colors are correct on the desktop monitor. When printing to tape that correction is taken off. Using software MPEG 2 compression the correction is left on and you end up with a very bad gamma look that results in noise.

Apple is very screwed up here and have their heads in the sand. Deep in the sand.

Try this.

1. Nest your color corrected sequence into a new sequence.
2. Add 3 Way Color Corrector
3. Add Gamma Corrector
4. Control click on the nested sequence and open in viewer
5. Set Gamma Correction to .82
6. Set saturation on 3 Way Color corrector anywhere from 75% to 90%, depending on the saturation of the original DVCPRO HD sequence.
7. Using in and out points, render a 30 second MPEG 2 test in compressor using a 60 minute best quality preset. (Best quality is two pass)
8. Burn the test to DVD and play it on several players and monitors. Since you never know what the public is going to play your show on try as many as possible.
9. Adjust the saturation as necessary but don't mess with the gamma.

Hopefully you will be happier. If this does not work spend the money for two pass hardware compression from the HD Master Tape.

If you have any questions, email me.

Dennis Lisonbee
denbee@mac.com