FCP: XDCAM and ProRes Footage on a SD DVCPRO sequence.
by Rafael Duzzi
on
Aug 11, 2008 at 7:10:52 pm
Hi guys,
First i'd like to introduce myself. I'm an Engineer and I've been working in a Broadcast TV in Brazil for six years.
Here in our company We just use FCP with MacPro, we have about 30 NLE Apple based and our three main used Codecs are: XDCAM EX 1080i60VBR (external material from XDCAM cameras), Apple ProRes (Internal material, where we capture via FCP) and SD/DVCPRO (old material). We started to Broadcast in Full HD since december last year, but we're facing a big problem when we mix the old SD (DVCPRO/NTSC) with the new ones (XDCAM / PRORES).
First Question: Is this because DV is based on Lower Field and XDCAM or PRORES is based on Upper Field on the Field Dominance??? What's the better workflow to work with these two different codecs ???
We've been working just in Full HD, but all of our Promos are made in SD (DVCPRO/NTSC) because our Promo Transmission system is still in SD and when we set a sequence to SD to edit the promos we're facing a big problem working with the HD footages (XDCAM / PRORES), because these two codecs doesn't seem to work well in a SD (DVCPRO) sequence. It seems like you can see the Fields "hitting" (i don't know if this expression is the correct one) i mean that is possible to see the two fields, even and odd !!!! It's awful....
Second Question: What's the best way to downconvert a XDCAM or PRORES footage to SD DVCPRO with no hardware, just with the FCP Studio2 ???
Considerations:
I tried to use the Flicker Filter and De-Interlace Filter and it seems a little bit better than before, but i'm still not satisfied...
Thanks a lot for all of you and sorry for my english mistakes !!!!
Re: FCP: XDCAM and ProRes Footage on a SD DVCPRO sequence. by Rafael Amador on Aug 14, 2008 at 2:27:38 am
Hi Rafael,
First talking about the interlacing (EX-1 Upper, DV Lower):
When you set 480 on top of 480 if you do not apply the Shift-fields filter, all the lines falls in a wrong place. But when you drop a 1080 Upper in a 480 Lower sequence, you don't need the filter anymore.
?[Rafael Duzzi]"we're facing a big problem working with the HD footages (XDCAM / PRORES), because these two codecs doesn't seem to work well in a SD (DVCPRO) sequence" Why, having EX-1 and Proress footage you end up in a poor DV sequence?
I think your problem is the codec you are using. Render in Proress.
My workflow is quite similar than yours. I shot EX-1 but I end up in SD.
Some times I edit in HD, then I down-grade to SD. Some times I edit directly in a SD sequence.
The setting of the sequence are no much important while editing. Choose the codec that gives you more RT performance.
When you have your sequence ready, in the Sequence Setting change the codec to Proress HQ, set "Render all YUV in High Precision" and Motion Rendering BEST.
Rafael
Re: FCP: XDCAM and ProRes Footage on a SD DVCPRO sequence. by Rafael Duzzi on Aug 14, 2008 at 2:50:53 am
You had asked me why I'm using ProRes and XDCAM instead just DVCPRO. This is because all of our TV Promos must be edited and exported in DVCPRO NTSC 'cause our Promo Broadcast System is still in SD not HD, Due to produce all of our material in HD (ProRes and XDCAM) we need to downconvert it.
I donŽt know if you know what i mean... but i apreciate you for having already responded and have given me some tips.
Re: FCP: XDCAM and ProRes Footage on a SD DVCPRO sequence. by Rafael Amador on Aug 14, 2008 at 3:40:50 am
Hi Rafael,
I understand that your company broadcast from DV players, so in the end you have to put everything in a DV tape.
But even in this case there are advantages in working in "High Precission etc, etc.." because your downsizing will be done in 32b Floating Point, so much more accuracy. Rendering will take a bit longer, but worth to try it.
Rafael
