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HD to SD Broadcast conversion
Hi
I’m working on a project that was shot in HD and need to deliver the reels and the slaves in SD for the edit. We tried using Compressor to convert the files but the client’s engineers told us the quality of the files was good but not good enough and that we needed to down convert using an AJA IO HD machine. However this is going to take forever and I would like to give compressor another shot. I have downconverted successfully before but this client is extremely picky.
The engineers told us that there are settings in Compressor that will give you perfect SD results but I am struggling to find these settings. Can anyone help? My final output is SD PAL 16:9 Letterbox with an Apple Pro Res 422 codec.
Thanks,
Andy -
3 Replies
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Did you adjust frame controls?
Did you tweak the data rate?
Choose a preset to start with , then save as and adjust?
Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC -
the scaling settings you are doing in compressor look right
look to the last tab for what size it will output and pixel aspect ratio as all you have is scaling algorithmit will take ages though
the quality if its the right aspect ratio will be better than an AJA downconvert, trust me I have done this a lot
the AJA downconvert is good on moving footage but on overly sharpened footage and animation graphics you will see a lot of undesirable aliasing. also there is a frame delay on the picture so you need to offset the audio and picture so they go to the correct timecode and in sync on tape.
after effects has a nice scaler and on newer machines is really fast, download a demo if you need to
check results on a proper SD CRT
remember that if there are broadcast safe filters on the HD these will be useless on the downconverted material as transients are introduced.
your mpeg2 codec is wrong as a starting point, use prores which is a quicktime export.
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[Andreas Lupp] “However this is going to take forever and I would like to give compressor another shot. I have downconverted successfully before but this client is extremely picky.”
How is the Io HD going to take longer than Compressor? It’s realtime and it’s hardware, broadcast quality HD to SD conversion.
I would not recommend Compressor at all for HD to SD conversions destined for broadcast. We use the AJA Kona boards for all our conversions. You have the same hardware in your Io HD. It’s realtime, it’s broadcast quality. it’s faster than anything you’ll do with Compressor.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media
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