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media file format for FCP 5 and DVCPro SDI?
Please excuse my ignorance, but I’ve been using FCP 2 for 4 1/2 years, and am just now upgrading. I’m buying a new quad core G5 to run FCP 5. I own a DVCPro AJ-D615 camcorder and AJ-D450 studio deck with SDI I/O. My old G4 has a Targa Cinewave card, so all footage was stored using the Targa YUV codec–good quality, but very large files (about 1 Gb per minute). With the new system, I have to give up the Cinewave, so I’ll be using the Kona LSe for I/O. For best image quality, what file format should I use? What, exactly, is “uncompressed?” And what determines whether it is 8-bit or 10-bit? Doesn’t the computer always use some kind of codec to write the files to disk? Or am I misunderstanding the process somehow?
This affects the storage needs for the new system, i.e., do I go with a G-Tech FW array, or do I have to spend an extra $2K on a SCSI or Fiber Channel array? I do mid- to high-end corporate work, and the occassional low budget commercial, so image quality is important. I have not been impressed with what I’ve seen of the DV codec, so I want to stay away from it.
Would really appreciate hearing from anyone with experience using a DVCPro deck with SDI and FCP.
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1 Reply
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[keith salkowski] “With the new system, I have to give up the Cinewave, so I’ll be using the Kona LSe for I/O. For best image quality, what file format should I use? What, exactly, is “uncompressed?” And what determines whether it is 8-bit or 10-bit? Doesn’t the computer always use some kind of codec to write the files to disk? Or am I misunderstanding the process somehow?”
One thing to note right away, the Kona system can read your old CineWave files if you still have any around and need to play them out. Use the Kona 2Vuy codec setting for a sequence.
Uncompressed is simply another codec which generally allows you greater flexibility in color correction and cleaner graphics / titles than some other formats.
What determines 8bit vs. 10bit is the setting you choose for capture. it doesn’t matter what the original footage is, an 8bit SD capture is smaller than a 10bit SD capture. it is trying to capture more information, but of course you can’t “magically” add more information than what is already there. With DVCPro footage, there’s really no reason to capture at uncompressed, unless you really want to work with heavily gradated graphics or you don”t like the quality of your graphics in DVCPro. From what I’ve seen, that’s a very clean format.
Yes, the computer always captures to a codec and the Kona series are very flexible in what codec you want to capture / work with. With the DVCPro codec, I would simply capture Firewire and use the Kona for monitoring and output. You’ll be able to work in the quality and small file size of DVCPro HD, but be able to lay out directly to Component and SDI sources from that timeline.
[keith salkowski] “This affects the storage needs for the new system, i.e., do I go with a G-Tech FW array, or do I have to spend an extra $2K on a SCSI or Fiber Channel array? I do mid- to high-end corporate work, and the occassional low budget commercial, so image quality is important. I have not been impressed with what I’ve seen of the DV codec, so I want to stay away from it.”
FW 800 is find for DVCPro work and even for 8bit uncompressed SD. If you plan to go with 10bit workflow, then SATA or Fibre would be a good choice.
Stay away from the DV codec and only work in the DVCPro 50 codec or 8bit uncompressed and you’ll be fine.
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