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Component or SDI, which is better quality?
For several years I have been editing in FCP using only DV footage captured over firewire. I now want to be able to produce my final render of each project using 10-bit uncompressed footage. I still want to edit in DV25 though because I have so much footage online in that format. I plan to edit as I always have in a DV-NTSC timeline in FCP and then use the Media Manager to create a new optimized project from which I will recapture my original footage in a 10-bit uncompressed form.
So.. here are the questions I still have:
1. I have to buy a new deck because my DSR-20 has no component or SDI output. Is there any real advantage (ie. a noticeable improvement in quality) by going SDI? The SDI decks seem to be much more expensive than buying a DSR-45 and coming into the mac via component video.
2. Will I enounter any problems with frame accuracy in the final 10-bit version of a project even though the original footage was captured as DV25 over firewire? I have heard some users claim that I will need to recapture all of my DV25 ‘offline’ footage using the same capture card that will be used to capture the 10-bit material. But no one offers any specifics as to why this is better.
3. If I do decide to go with a ‘component-in’ workflow, which AJA card would best suit my needs? I am confused as to whether it is better to get one of the ‘lo’ products or just a regular capture card. As an aside, if possible, I also want to be able to monitor graphics in Motion and DVD Studio Pro through the capture card on my NTSC monitor.
Thanks much for any info you can provide.
John Christensen
cd*****@*****il.net -
30 Replies
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SDI will result in better quality.
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.
mitch@insightproductions.com
http://www.insightproductions.com -
John,
SDi is better, but for the extra money i dont believe it is worth it. Component is still pretty good, especially if you are going SDi on output. One conversion is fine. two isnt. I have been using this workflow and it works/looks fine. People were using (and still are) component for years and they didnt complain.Never had a problem with inaccurate frames when combining firewire and RS232 capture. great thing about fcp is the ability to gang a guide offline video and the online recaptured version. You can check every single frame is correct. I have never had a recapture problem in almost a year of using firewire and recapture via an AJA IO.
As for the correct card it is about taste really. The IO gives you all the ins/outs yo uwill ever need, but the response on the keyboard/screen isnt instant. The Kona (or other pci options) will give an instant response and HD capability but isnt as comprehensive in terms of ins/outs. Personal choice really.
nick
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SDI with embedded audio is the shiz-nit. Accept no subsitutes.
Michael Lazar
okeanos/visual immersions
http://www.okeanos.com -
Thanks for the comments. One question, you said “great thing about fcp is the ability to gang a guide offline video and the online recaptured version. You can check every single frame is correct.”
What do you mean by ‘gang a guide’?
John Christensen
cdesign@airmail.net -
Ok.. so if everyone agrees that SDI is clearly better quality, then am I correct in assuming that the Sony DSR-1500 with an SDI card and a low-end AJA Kona LS is the cheapest way to get 10-bit uncompressed to my Mac?
Also.. Does the AJA ‘Io LD’ box allow me to monitor Motion and DVD Studios Pro projects on an external monitor? All the literature I have read refers only to FCP.
Thanks much for the info.
John Christensen
cdesign@airmail.net -
I want to know about the “gang a guide” too!!
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If you need only SDI in and out, the Blackmagic Decklink is only $295.00.
https://www.blackmagic-design.net/products/sd/
-zolo
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[John] “Does the AJA ‘Io LD’ box allow me to monitor Motion and DVD Studios Pro projects on an external monitor? All the literature I have read refers only to FCP. “
The Io’s currently will allow you to monitor Motion, After Effects and Combustion (soon Apple’s new sound application – Soundtrack Pro). DVDSP is not supported. There is some major tech issue that has prevented AJA/Apple from supporting DVDSP thus far (not sure of the details). With “Core” audio and video now in OS X Tiger, I’d expect/hope to see more applications supported as new versions are released.
Tony!
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You place the cursor on frame one of the approved offline seq in the Viewer window, and park the cursor in the Canvas window on frame 1 of the conformed online. then select the Gang function in the center pulldown menu above the Canvas window. This makes every move you make on the Canvas mirrored on the Viewer side as well. You can A/B the frames on your TV by clicking back and forth on a parked frame. this does not work correctly when comparing sequences that are different frame rates, even though they may be identical programs in terms of length.
steve covello
double wide post -
I’m in L.A., and at the FCPUG meeting about a year ago ProMax did a test, one showing DV footage captured ‘native’ and the other showing DV footage converted to SDI then captured 10 bit uncompressed. The SDI footage was so clean you could actually pull a chroma key. It was stunning. What we determined is that the Apple DV codec introduces artifacts even though it’s not compressing the data.
Here’s the good news (and why ProMax was eager to do the demonstration!)… ProMax makes a Digital Media Converter for $1500 bucks that will let you hook your firewire output of the deck into the box, and convert deck control, timecode and SDI out for Io capture. I’m on the waiting list as the box is sold out and on back-order.
-mjd
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