How to upconvert SD to HDCAM

Hello, I have completed my project in DV NTSC and am looking to upconvert it to HDCAM. Is there a simple way to do this? I do have the complete .mov file, but I can also go back to the edit, if need be.

Thanks in advance !

Jennx

Did you shoot and edit in anamorphic 16:9? If not, you'll need to consider how you want to do the reframing. You'll also need to make sure you're retaining whatever frame rate was intended.

Generally SD-to-HD upconverts are best done at a professional facility with hardware solutions. You can run Compressor or MPEG Streamclip on your SD movie file, just don't expect it to look all that hot.


www.derekmok.com

Just to detail derekmok's suggestions.
There are three ways to do the reframing.
1 (simple): make pillarboxed HD, so your original 4:3 video is intact between black pillars.
2 (simple): chop 1/8 the frame height off each the top and the bottom of your original.
3 (some work): chop a total of 1/4 the frame height off the original, choosing different top and bottom amounts shot by shot.

Compressor upconverts DV poorly because DV is interlaced. The "hardware solutions" probably convert the 60i to 60p, then upconvert, then take 60i from the 60p. You can, with much work, accomplish this yourself using Compressor + FCP. The first step is explained here. The next two are simple.

Dennis Couzin
Berlin, Germany

the Kona and Blackmagic cards both do decent upscaling,
so a very simple approach is to play your DV timeline out from FCP direct to HDCam.

playing out to Digibeta, say, then going tape to tape though a box to do the upscale might give you a slightly better result.
by which i mean it probably will give you a better result, which you might notice

Also remember that watching HD material on a tiny computer screen is not the same as watching it downconverted to an SD broadcast monitor, nor is it the same as when it's screened in a theatre on a large screen. What may appear "acceptable" on your computer screen or online can turn real ugly if you're projecting it big.


www.derekmok.com