Re: Intermediate CODEC Workflow

If you were working on the Mac and Final Cut Pro, you could Transcode the HDV footage into Apple Intermediate Codec or (preferably) into Apple ProRes 422, or even ProRes 422 HQ (10-bit).

Yes, you don't re-introduce quality that was lost in the HDV compression, but you have a better color space (4:2:2 in PR vs. 4:1:0 in HDV) in which to process special effects, transitions and color correction.

Working in a compressed color space is like multiplying a grid of long decimal numbers but only being able to use Whole numbers as their result. Fidelity and Granularity is lost.

I don't know anything about the Elements NLE, but I heard that Sony Vegas has a format that's similar to ProRes and can be transcoded to on Ingest (capturing to computer from tape).

Maybe it is called, "Cineform" ?

If your NLE can transcode to DVC PRO HD on ingest that would be a better format than HDV, but still more compressed than Animation (Lossless).

Also, are you working in the HV30's 24P or 30P mode? I've read on the Cow that After Effects may be able to remove the Pull Down from this footage after it is captured as 29.97. Working in Progressive is really great. You can set your AE Comp to 23.976 fps and save rendering 6 frames every second and the results and effects look spectacular.

Okay. Good luck.