HD input/editing/Output

I am about to start editing HD in FCP. Can standard Firewire input and output, or do I need the new Firewire drives? If the new Firewire drives are needed, do I have to replace my video card with one that accepts HD? And, finally, several clients have told me they will accept the HD program on the drive. Does that mean the final HD program is saved in a Quicktime format, or what? I'm a fast learner, so thanks, all.

FCP 4.5 with Lumiere HD plugin
G4 Quicksilver w 1.4 processor

What format of HD? There are like a dozen. HDV, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM, HDCAM, HDCAM SR, D5, AVCHD, REDCODE...then 720p24, 720p30, 720p60, 1080i30, 1080i60, 1080p24...blah blah blah.

You aren't going to be able to edit many formats with what you have. HDV and DVCPRO HD only...and NO P2 support. Lumiere converts HDV into AIC, so it is no longer in it's native format...lesser quality. But Firewire drives will be all you need for HDV...it has the same data rate as DV (what does that tell you about how compressed it is? DV being 720x480 and HDV bieng 1440x1080?)


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Am editing and outputing in 720p24. I understand that FCP 5 would allow me a broader range than what I have now, no? Might just go that route. But for right now, if I finish a 720p24 project in FCP 4.5 and want to save it to a separate drive, what format would I save it to? QT? We're all learning here.

720p24...OK, but WHAT FORMAT OF HD? HDV? DVCPRO HD? HDCAM? Using what camera? Outputting HOW? All of this needs to be considered before we can tell you what you need in terms of FCP and equipment and workflow.

FCP captures EVERYTHING into the QT format. DV, SD, HD...everything is in a QT wrapper in a variety of codecs. And yes, you need an external drive to store your footage. And the type of footage you are working with determines the type of drive or RAID of drives you will need.

Give specifics. What will you be capturing? from what camera? What will your final output be?


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We will be using HDV (JVC GY-HD250) and initially using the camera for input. If it is as simple as inputing in HDV 720p24 via the camera, completing the editing, then outputing back to the HDV tape, that would be fine too (as opposed to archiving it on an external drive). Can we do the same for 1080i, in that this camera shoots in both formats?

OK then...with your current setup you can INPUT HDV as AIC...but that's it. No output back to tape. DVDs only.

For input and output capability, you need to get FCP 6. FCP 5.0 was the first to announce HDV Native support, but that is no longer available.


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But, I can store the final product on an external harddrive, right? Then have it converted at a facility that has the equipment?

Yes. But know that mastering to HDV really isn't common. That is an acquistion format, not a delivery one. But, it depends on your client.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Shane:
Could we edit and save on a harddrive if we decided, instead of HDV, to use HD 720p24 from some of the prosumer HD camcorders? We want to end up with a product that we can call HD, regardless of the rediculously insane types of HD there are out there. For example, the PBS deliverables indicate they will take HD 720p, and that's about all they say. I don't want to go through an HDV production process and have it rejected. Thanks.

For example, the PBS deliverables indicate they will take HD 720p, and that's about all they say.

Really? They don't mention a tape format? HDCAM? HDCAM SR? D5? Those are the formats that most networks take as deliverables. SOME take DVCPRO HD...but that is rare.

Could we edit and save on a harddrive if we decided, instead of HDV, to use HD 720p24 from some of the prosumer HD camcorders?

Depends if it hold up well, if the network accepts that format as a shooting format (many don't..don't accept HDV and DEFINATELY not AVCHD). I had to CONVINCE the History Channel that footage from the HVX-200...the p2 DVCPRO HD footage...would intermix fine with Varicam footage. And even then they said that only 25% of the show could be from the HVX. Well, we did a good 55-60% and they couldn't tell. HA!


www.shanerosseditor.com

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According to PBS :

High Definition programs should be submitted on Sony HDCAM 1080i/29.97. Regardless of the acquisition format or frame rate all program submissions must be converted to the submission format.


Also, they add

HD programs may contain non-HD content. Examples of non-HD footage are archival footage, upconverted SD footage and HDV footage. Consumer grade models are not acceptable for HDV acquisition. The total amount of non-HD content from all sources in a HD program shall not exceed 30%.

So I would stop walking down the HDV path now, if I were you.

More information here

PBS Redbook

thanks for the link Jude - is the formatting weird for anyone else on Safari 2.whatever?

Fine in Firefox btw.

Yeah, weird for me too in Safari.

Michael Horton
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