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Audio for HDCAM, Beta SP, DigiBeta when outputting from FCP
I am finishing a short film and will be laying off to HDCAM, DigiBeta and Beta SP.
Am I correct in understanding that HDCAM, DigiBeta and Beta SP can all accommodate up to four channels of audio?
What are the possibilities for soundtrack formats that one has with these three tape formats?
And if you would like to watch the film, which of course was edited in FCP (and also had a photomontage done in Motion) you can go here:
https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=31542082
Thanks.
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3 Replies
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Samah,
You might want to think about a dolby encoded 2-channel track for channels 3&4, and a regular stereo mix on 1&2. Surround mixes take 6 channels. If you wanted to do that, you should master to HDCAM SR instead. Don’t forget to have a version without music or sound effects for future changes…
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Samah,
You might want to think about a dolby encoded 2-channel track for channels 3&4, and a regular stereo mix on 1&2. Surround mixes take 6 channels. If you wanted to do that, you should master to HDCAM SR instead. Don’t forget to have a version without music or sound effects for future changes…
Michael Gossen
Helium Digital Media -
There are many possibilities.
1. Dolby-E on 3&4 (like Michael said). This is expensive and limiting. Not only do you need a special hardware encoder. Anyone who wants to access the tape needs a special decoder on their end. Unfortunately it’s standard practice for HDCam delivery to TV stations.
2. Multiple passes or multiple tapes. This is what we do in my business since we deal with short content (like :30 TV spots). Audio requirements for delivery generally require split track audio as well as stereo. So we just make multiple passes. I’ve never seen it done for 5.1. But it’s certainly possible. Just label it and slate it very clearly. You could do Stereo Mix on 1&2, Front L/R on 3&4. For the 2nd pass or tape, do SL, SR, C, LFE.
3. DA88. This is (or at least was) a standard way to deliver 5.1 audio. Stereo on 1-2. Surround on 3-8. It’s a beyond archaic and pointless format now since the advent of the recordable data DVD. But you can always deliver on it and people will know what it is and what it’s for.
4. Data Disc. This is what I try to get away with every time. I put WAV files on a DVD-R. I put on the lablel that the audio starts at 00:59:58:00 and start it with a 2-pop. This can annoy computer-illiterate machine room guys. So make sure you can get away with it first.
Sean
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