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1280×1080 or 1920×1080 ?? I’m confused!!
I’m doing a project w/ animated drawing edited in a DVCPRO HD 1280×1080 sequence in final cut pro. I now fear that I should have used an HD sequence 1920×1080 for the best resolution. I want to have the best resolution possible for this project.
From what I’ve read, DVCPRO HD isn’t true HD, it is just stretched to 1920×1080 when played. So you would never project, screen, or upload a video for the web in 1280×1080, it would always be stretched to 1920×1080 (or compressed accordingly..)
I started to be confused when uploading something for vimeo, and it said to encode to 1280×720. This makes sense if DVCPROHD is in fact anamorphic.
The question is, is there anything to be gained if I copy the material out of my DVCPROHD sequence and put it in to a true HD sequence? It would be a lot of work, but I would do it if necessary.
Honestly, I’ll probably output it at work for it’s premiere theatrical screening at Lincoln Center in NYC, and I think we can only output DVCPRO HD where I edit. However, for the future, I want to have my bases fully covered.
(BTW: how would a full 1920×1080 sequence be screening in a theater if not DVCPRO HD? — Digibeta? Digitally?)
Honestly, I wish the reign of VIDEOTAPE would just be over forever. If everything were purely digital, running off hard drives, life would be so much easier…
-Bobby
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5 Replies
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[Bobby Abate] “From what I’ve read, DVCPRO HD isn’t true HD”
That is a bad way of putting it (IMO) DVCProHD is a “THIN”raster HD codec, meaning that i has to be stretched out on playback, which if your editing system (FCP) does on the fly. This is to easy the bitrate load on a system and drives and it does so very well.But that being said this should only be used in conjunction with DVCProHD cameras. If you are not using footage from these cameras it would not be my first choice especially for graphics. For that I would use ProRes for the compressed format. Is is a full raster 1920×1080 codec, a little large in file size but it is also a 10 bit codec so graphics will hold up a bit better.
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[Bobby Abate] “From what I’ve read, DVCPRO HD isn’t true HD, it is just stretched to 1920×1080 when played.”
Well then HDCAM isn’t “true HD” either since it’s 1440×1080 stretched. Most HD formats are anamorphic. DVCPro HD is just as true an HD format as HDCAM.
For theatrical work we do everything internally at 720p so there is no aliasing. If a theater calls for a 1080 file, then we just convert it at the end of the process.
720 and 1080 are both HD formats. You just need to ask the theater for the digital delivery specs before you can determine your best course of action.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” featuring Sigourney Weaver coming soon.
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[Michael Sacci] “(IMO) DVCProHD is a “THIN”raster HD codec, meaning that i has to be stretched out on playback”
Isn’t this the same thing as “anamorphic”?
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Walter, can you explain this a bit more? “For theatrical work we do everything internally at 720p so there is no aliasing.” Why would 1080 cause aliasing?
The theater said they can project HDCAM, what their other playback options are is a question I hope they’ll answer soon.
If the playback is HDCAM only, then I imagine I would only need to print the video to tape and send it off…?
If they have digital projection – I’m not sure what is the best option for output.
-Bobby
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So here is what the theater can project/playback. I guess since my project is in HDCAM, I’ll just pop it out to tape. If someone has some special tips or advice from the field as to how to get the best output, I’d love it.
HDcam (Not HDcam Sr)
HDV
BluRay
The theater is in 5.1.-Bobby
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