Whlch HD format???

I have a DV 24P advanced anamophic (16:9) project that I will be taking to HD.

I have access to a KONA 3 and a D5 deck.

I will need to make a D5 HD master.

Wondering what format should I use - 720p (23.98), 1080p (23.98) or another? Any advantage to one over the other, given that I am starting with DV.

Also, the plan is to go to Color before final output. When I output my footage from Color, what codec would be best to use?

Also, even though when making standard def digibeta tapes I have to go 29.97 interlaced, I presume there is no reason to go 29.97 or 59.97 interlaced with the true HD master?

Any advice greatly appreciated,

EW

Do you have a requirement to deliver? Is your client or whoever you are doing this for have something that says "you must deliver a 1080p master?" If not, I'd aim for 1080p 23.98. That is a universal HD format that can be converted into anything. 720p masters are rare...1080 is the main standard.

Notice I said "main standard." There are many standards...

And you can make great looking digibeta dubs of the D5 masters...I do it all the time.

Codec for Color? ProRes...definately.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Thanks Shane,

The client doesn't know beyond that he wants an HD master....

By they way.....in terms of making a 29.97 digibeta SD dub of a 23.98 HD D5 tape...what process would you use? Does the D5 deck have the ability to send out a letterboxed SD 29.97 signal from a 23.98 HD tape?

Alternatively, would I get a better result going SDI out of FCP and my 23.98 timeline (which seems to output to NTSC monitors fine, using 8bit uncompressed NTSC (29.97) through the KONA 3.

Thanks.....

EW

I don't do the dubbing, so I can't tell you how that works. There is some trick to it...but I leave that to the dub facility...I have other things to do.

And yeah...duh...you can output to digibeta using the Kona 3 and get great results. Sorry...DUH moment.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Regarding the dubbing. . .

D5's and HDCAM decks have downconvert boards available as optional add-on cards which can be installed in the machine, --- so, many machines in use have this capability built in.

If not, this can be accomplished with an outboard converter such as a with a Teranex.

As a point of reference --- If you read the nitty-gritty of some network specs, they prohibit the use of an onboard downcoverters and require outboard downconversion.

Somehow I think that when they were banning the use of onboard downconverters they generalized, in an attempt to avoid downconverts being done out of lower end cameras, not so much about the downconverts available in a mastering deck.

Perhaps the results from a $10,000 add-on card for a $100,000 mastering deck are regarded as satisfactory.

Mike Klinger
Tree Falls Post/Clonetown
Los Angeles