HDV mastering & grading
by shotcuts
on
May 3, 2007 at 11:04:26 am
I am cutting a feature documentary shot in HDV 1080i with some SD archive for broadcast in Europe (we're based in Barcelona, Spain).
We are at the first stage of the cut which is to lock the picture in SD then recapture as HDV to build the master as uncompressed 10bit 4:2:2 PAL video, add graphics & grade.
Our system is Final Cut Pro 5 on a G5 quad with a Sony HVR-M25E deck & Lacie d2 external drives.
I would appreciate any advice on system configuration for the recapture & workflow - I have looked at many options including the AJA Io HD & Blackmagic Multibridge Pro with the HD-Connect MI for fast workflow & accurate color rendition with HD-SD realtime conversion. Your experiences would be invaluable.
Our budget is constrained as always & time is our most valuable, yet limited resource.
Re: HDV mastering & grading by Mike Schell on May 3, 2007 at 6:52:44 pm
Hi Jim-
I would recommend using the nanoConnect ($395) to convert the HDMI output from the M25 deck to either HD-SDI or SD-SDI. You can select either 1080i, 720p or 576i output by changing the video output menu on the M25 deck. The nanoConnect will automatically lock to the HDMI signal and produce an equivalent HD/SD-SDI output (video and audio). Then use the 1395 direct from your MAC to the M25 for deck control and time-code capture. It works surprisingly well. The downscaler inside the M25 deck works quite well (great video quality).
I would capure into the new ProRes 422 CODEC using a Blackmagic or AJA capture card. You can output your project in 10-bit 4:2:2 SDI.
Overall, this is probably the lowest cost approach and since it's 100% digital it should yield the bext possible quality.
Re: HDV mastering & grading by Tim Kolb on May 16, 2007 at 3:24:32 am
My only caution would be to look seriously at the harddrives you're working with. Straight FW drives won't play out uncompressed 10 bit HD in any way useful to productive editing...
I'd urge you to try to move to some sort of an external RAID system to work with uncompressed...or reconsider working with HD uncompressed.
