• Avid Media Composer

  Downcoverting HD to SD for on set editors

  Posted by Leigh O’neill on April 12, 2014 at 12:55 am

  Hi there,

  Not a super Avid related, but I think this is the best place for this question…

  I work as an Avid assistant for a production that requires immediate (and I mean immediate) access to the footage as they shoot. Two on-set editors capture camera feed in Avid MC and are able to work with the footage as soon as they call “cut”. To accomplish this, they’ve been downconverting the 23.98 HD SDI camera feed signal to an SD 29.97 signal, then capturing into MC. Their on-set rigs don’t have the power to deal with HD media at the rapid pace that director/editor demand, so they’re forced to work in SD. The cuts are then sent to us with the dailies and we have to manually match back the editor’s cuts back at the office. A huge pain because on-set is working in 29.97 and we work in 23.98.

  My general question is, anyone ever dealt with an on-set workflow like this? Any ideas as to how to make this not so aweful?

  My more specific question is: Is there a way to downconvert an HD SDI 1080p 23.98 signal to 23.98 SD as opposed to 29.97 SD? I think the on-set rigs are currently set up with these: https://www.aja.com/en/products/mini-converters/hd10md3
  outputting only 29.97.

  It’s all very odd. Any suggestions appreciated!

  Thanks,

  Leigh

  Michael Phillips replied 12 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Michael Phillips

  April 12, 2014 at 4:15 am

  Have you tried capturing 23.976 SD on the fly from 29.97 video? In the Film/24p settings, you can set the “A” frame for on the fly capture. Assuming the down-convert is sticking to recommended 30fps NDF with “A” frame on :00/:05 then you can capture native 23.976. If it is not correct, then you can adjust the capture to B, C, or D to accommodate for proper cadence.

  Michael

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