DVC Pro to Pro Res

I need to convert a QT file
from DVC Pro HD 1080i, 1280x1080, 23.98
to Apple Pro Res 422 HQ, 1920x1080, 29.97
What would you guys suggest?

Thanks

Depends on what kind of footage you're trying to match. If you're trying to match video and you need the smooth interlaced look, you send that through Compressor, set output fields to "upper first" and set retiming to "best". If it's in the budget go through a Teranex or an Alchamist.

If you're going for the stuttery film look, cross convert to your desired frame rate and add a pulldown (set retiming to "fast" in Compressor).

And for both, set resizing to better or best, because there is some upscaling.



www.strypesinpost.com

I'll try, thanks!

Basically the difference between "fast" and "best" is that "fast" does a pulldown type conversion while "best" uses optical flow.



www.strypesinpost.com

Oh, I had no idea that was the difference. How do you know so much about NTSC Strypes? You're in PAL land like us aren't you?

Japan is in Asia, and they're NTSC. I always wished they'll get rid of the ridiculous non integer frame rate, but at the rate things are going, we may all end up having to deal with it in the world of 3D. I'm not sure if 120Hz is a flat integer or if it means 119.88 with drop frame timing. My eyes will go crazy.

One more thing, xavpil, if "best" takes too long, go for "better", and you'll shave off precious hours in conversion.



www.strypesinpost.com

strypes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> set output fields to "upper
> first" and set retiming to "best". set resizing to better or best,
> because there is some upscaling.

FYI
For some reasons the default ProRes settings in Compressor processed my files in 10 minutes.
When I adjusted per your recommendations, it gave me an estimated time of 9 hours or more.
So of course I didn't use this settings.
Is this surprising to you, Strypes?

>Is this surprising to you, Strypes?

No. As in anything, you have options, and different results from these options, so therefore, choice. Usually, a more complicated algorithm results in longer rendering time, but provides a better output.

There are 3 modes for frame controls. On, off and "auto". By default, Frame Controls is set to "auto", and Compressor will only use frame controls for two things- downscaling from HD to Mpeg2, and converting from an interlaced source to H.264 (essentially deinterlacing). So as you can see, "auto" is a poor name for it, and it really should be called "sometimes on".

What happens when it is off? The same thing as rendering it out in Final Cut Pro. Instead of repeating fields in a certain pattern, FCP uses the simplest conversion it can find- the 2:2:2:4 pulldown, essentially repeating 1 frame out of every 5. Why such a crappy pulldown? Because machines back the day, weren't as powerful, and they wanted FCP to handle real time processing on tasks like this.

Adding a 3:2 pulldown is trivially simple. Capture cards do it on the fly on output, it is an option on export from After Effects, the JES deinterlacer does it fast, and I don't think Compressor is slow if that is all you want to do- just set output fields to upper first and everything else to "fast", and you get 3:2 pulldown, but it's nearest pixel up-rez.



www.strypesinpost.com