Re: 720 60p or 720 24p

That's pretty much it, Frank. The 720p60 scheme was setup for the Varicam so that you could pull out those 24 distinct flagged frames out of the 60p stream since it was not possible to record 24p Native to tape. The SMPTE spec requires 720p60, there's really no 720p24 according to SMPTE. The HVX works in the same way with the firestore as the 720p24 data stream is wrapped in a 60p cadence out of the firewire port. You then have to remove the extra frames upon import of FCP. It's kind of like shooting 24p advanced on a DVX100. The 24p frames are recorded to a 60i stream down to tape. You can then remove the advanced pulldown frame upon ingest into FCP leaving you with 24 distinct progressive frames. The same applies to the HVX. Click the option to remove the redundant frames and you will be left with 24p media and will work in a 24p sequence. If you don't do this you will work in a 60p timeline, but still retain the 24p look.

If you are working in 720p24 out of a capture card or firewire out of FCP, you are actually watching a 720p60 stream. FCP adds in the redundant frames automatically. The advantage to working in 720p60 is that some people like to work with exactly what they are going lay back down to tape, especially for broadcast. You can still retain the 24p look, but there'll be no surprises with pulldown and the timecode will match exactly back to the DVCPRO HD tape.

Hope that helps.


Jeremy