What is conforming HDV Video?
by Josh Evans (mushyosh)
on
Jun 10, 2008 at 2:11:51 pm
I've worked in HDV before but never had to do the "conforming HDV video" every time I rendered. is this something to do with me having a mix of SD and HDV footage in the same timeline?
Even if I render HDV clips it says conforming HDV video and it takes forever?
Re: What is conforming HDV Video? by Chris Poisson on Jun 10, 2008 at 2:14:08 pm
No, it's because you are using an HDV sequence. Change your settings to 8 bit or ProRes and render once, no more conforming. Conforming has to do with the GOP mpeg format, when you cut it, it is screwed up, so it has to conform.
Re: What is conforming HDV Video? by Andrew Kimery on Jun 10, 2008 at 4:00:57 pm
The "conforming when I just want to render" thing I think is a bug because I've worked on multiple machines cutting HDV and sometimes when I hit render FCP will render but other times it will start conforming the video. What I've noticed is that hitting "command + R" will result in either a conform or a render depending on the machine. Hitting "option + R" or going up to the menu and selecting Sequence-> Render Only->XYZ will result in the machine rending. As was said before though, changing your sequence to render into ProRes will be faster than having it render in HDV.
As for having to switch back to HDV for the final render before output to tape I'm not sure because I've never gone back to HDV tape.
Re: What is conforming HDV Video? by Josh Evans on Jun 10, 2008 at 4:07:44 pm
OK,
but then if I export from my ProRes 422 sequence... Is that an HD export? i.e. does that suit the needs of the TV channel I am making the documentary for? If so, why not just use proRes all the time?
Re: What is conforming HDV Video? by Mike Johnson on Jun 10, 2008 at 6:16:14 pm
This is not a bug. It just depends on your render settings in FCP. If you go to the Sequence menu, then Render "X", you will see a number of options. If "Full" has a check mark by it, then that render option will result in conforming. You can turn it off by clicking where the check mark is.
One thing to note about conforming is that it is only really necessary when you perform a Print to Video command. If you want to render in native HDV, turn off the full render options. If you change your render settings to ProRes 422, it will not conform even with the full option selected. Regardless of your render settings, when you print to video using firewire, your sequence will be conformed. This has to do with the nature of how the firewire interface works with the deck.
If you use a capture card/box to create an HDV tape, you do not need to conform. For example, I use a Matrox MXO to view HDV sequences and video. If I have to publish my work to HDV tape, I use the MXO to run component into my deck and do not have to conform anything.
I have found the best way (atleast for me) to work with HDV material is to capture in native HDV and render in ProRes. This allows for me to retain TC info that way I can recapture the media at a later time if needed using batch capture. Capturing in ProRes or AIC, TC is lost and reconnecting media at a later time is a pain.
Hope this helps!
Mike Johnson
Final Cut Pro Editor
Drury Outdoors
www.druryoutdoors.com
Re: What is conforming HDV Video? by Andrew Kimery on Jun 14, 2008 at 5:17:45 am
[Mike Johnson]"This is not a bug. It just depends on your render settings in FCP. If you go to the Sequence menu, then Render "X", you will see a number of options. If "Full" has a check mark by it, then that render option will result in conforming. You can turn it off by clicking where the check mark is. "
I call it a bug for two reasons. First, the behavior is improper (I'm telling FCP to render yet it conforms) and the improper behavior is repeatable, and only appears, under certain conditions. For example, if I select Render/All and have every option checked (Full, Unlimited, Preview, etc.,) it will perform a conform. If I select Render/All and I don't have every option checked (it doesn't matter which one(s) are/aren't checked) it will perform a render. if I select Render Only and choose any option it always results in a render. This is on my 2.66 quad core running 6.0.3 and 10.4.11. On my G4 running 5.1.4 and 10.4.11 my HDV video has always rendered properly no matter what the Sequence->Render options were set at.
