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Some technical questions about HDV and comp settings
Okay, I was finally able to import my 720p, 24p footage into AE. I transcoded my footage to Avid’s DNxHD codec, millions of colors, best; and then exported from Avid as a QT movie.
I created a 720/24 project and it imported into AE like a dream.
However, I have a few questions:
1. The footage is 16:9. After I import, I just go to my comp settings and change it to 720×480. Is this the best way to go from 16×9 to 4×3?
2. If I import 720/24p footage into a dv 720×480 comp, will it be reduced to that resolution or will it stay DVCPRO50?
3. I shot in 24p (Avid wasn’t playing nice with 30p for some reason) Eventually I’ve got to print this to a DV Tape (that’s the only way my local station will take it)To go to tape it has to be 30 fps right? Now, being that I’m going to be exporting a QT into Avid before I dump to tape; does this even matter? Do I still need to do a pull down?
4. what exactly is the difference between millions of colors and millions of colors+? What is that referring to?
5. In the comp settings, why are there only certain presets and not others?
Such as:
HDV 720/29.97
HDVTV 720/25
1080/29.97
1080/25
DVCPRO50 HD 720/23.976That’s not all of them but why is there not an HDV 720/60p setting?
Sorry if these are all questions with obvious answers.These knowledge gaps seem to have developed being that I’ve never actually worked with HDV footage or variable frame rates until now.
Thanks.
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8 Replies
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1. It depends. I usually drag the footage into a 4:3 comp and size to width (ctrl+alt+shift+H) to letterbox it, making sure to separate fields (interpret footage).
2. Strange question. Terminology is important. The 720P footage will be come in bigger than the comp, so you’ll have to scale it down to fit the comp. The footage was not DVCPRO50, it was DVCPROHD, which is (sort of) DVCPRO100 but nobody calls it that. That is the codec, which will only change when you choose a codec for rendering.
3. Don’t accept any delivery tech specs from us. You MUST contact the station and get exact specs. But yes, if you’re in NTSC land, confirm with them that the final product must be 29.97 fps, 720×480, DV codec on the Mini DV tape. Pulldown has to be done sometime – either in AE or the Avid. I don’t know if Avid can do it.
4. Millions + refers to alpha channel. DV doesn’t do alpha. Check the manual.
5. Later versions of AE have more presets. DVCPROHD50 doesn’t exist – it’s DVCPROHD. I think you need to research your specs and get your formats straight, since it looks as if you’re listing formats that don’t exist.
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Okay. Thanks Steve and Dave. That clears things up quite a bit. I had some wonky misinformation going there.
Normally, I would shot in 30p. It was just this one instance where Avid wasn’t letting me capture it and I had people standing around waiting to shoot.
Good thing this was just a test.
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Well, it wasn’t just 30p. I’m shooting with a Panasonic HVX200. to record the higher res formats (anything in 720 or 1080i) you either need to record to an external hardrive or it’s solid state P2 cards. As of now, I have no P2 cards. So, I was attempting a live capture directly into Avid. For some reason, it wasn’t playing nice with 30p (I had gotten it to work before). So, I ended up shooting 720/24p. What I’m really after is the 720 lines of resolution. 30p or 30i would best the easiest to work with being that it all has to br 30 fps in the end to print to tape.
It’s a long sad story and like I said, I’m pretty new with all this.
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And why are these frame rates no different?
P.s. if there are any past articles discussing the pros and cons of these frame rates, I would gladly read it!
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30p or 60i, you mean. 🙂
Assume nothing with the HVX. Not everyone’s onboard with it fully. We used the Firestore drive, and it was fine with FCP. For more HVX info, check the relevant COW forum.
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I was referring to Dave’s comment.
“If I recall correctly, capturing 30p should be NO different from capturing 29.97 interlaced.”
Thanks. I’ll check out the the HVX forum of there.
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Here’s a link to a DV Magazine article – hope it clarifies some things (it didn’t to me, but I haven’t stuck my toe in the HDV waters…yet):
https://www.dv.com/print_me.php?articleId=26800213
Joe Bourke
Art Director / WMUR-TV -
I’ll read it.
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