converting DV NTSC into Digital Projection format

[Sean Lander]

You can try using Compressor to do this. I’ve found it does a pretty good job of up-ressing.
Obviously for a truly professional result you will want to outsource it. I guess it all depends on your budget.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thanks, Sean.

Since our goal is to project the documentary in a theater, I would like the best quality possible.

Would taking it to some kind of post house produce a much better result than allowing FCP to do this?

Does anyone know of a post-production facility that would take DV format and then upconvert it to the format necessary for digital projection equipment in a theater?

I appreciate the feedback,

Khashyar

[Jonathan Miller]

I’ve never converted anything to 1280×1024, but I have converted DV (720×480 29.97fps) to 1080p HDCAM (1920×1080 23.98fps) and it looks pretty darn good for originating various PD-150 and PD 100A cameras.

There are many ways to do this with software and you can easily search these forums for those solutions.

However, I usually can’t tie up my computers for the huge processing time software solutions take.

So, several times now I’ve used a Teranex Video Computer to do the conversion. The results can be pretty amazing, and the conversion is real-time. The Teranex box can do several things at once with your footage. It can do the scaling to bring your video up to HD, it can reduce the noise and DV compression artifacts in your original master and it can perform the frame rate conversion. My favorite thing about this computer is it’s ability to add proper motion blur to the image and to automatically recognize scene changes. This is important to be able to keep the conversion from “burping” across cuts.

Two things to keep in mind, though, with any type of conversion. The resulting image will look slightly fuzzy since you are taking a low resolution image and making it larger. You can sharpen it up slightly, but that will just make it noisier. Secondly, the frame rate conversion will not look as good as something FILMED in 24fps. Some of it will look amazing and some of it will strobe. By filming in 29.97fps (or more precisely, 60i) you don’t have to worry about the speed of pans or zooms. Anything will a certain amount of motion will stutterbecause of the lower temporal resolution. If there’s any way you can project 60i or 30p that will eliminate most of this issue.

I live in Colorado and use a company called Hannaway and Associates gwha.com They are a wonderful company and have helped me out too many times to count. Typically, their Teranex conversions cost $1000/finished hour of converted footage. You only pay for what has actually been converted. That price includes use of a the DVCAM feeder deck and the HDCAM recording deck all connected via SDI.

My feeling on all of this is that if it really matters, bring in a professional. This will also create an improved master for creating your DVD, so the cost can be more easily justified.

I hope you can find a solution that you’re comfortable with!

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Good luck!

Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USA

Currently producing these popular podcasts:

[Walter Biscardi]

[Khashyar Darvich] “Does anyone know of a post-production facility that would take DV format and then upconvert it to the format necessary for digital projection equipment in a theater?”

You should talk to CineFilm here in Atlanta. They’re a film and tape transfer house that does a LOT of work with feature and independent films. I helped them install an FCP system which allows them to either ingest film / tape material or take your project and convert it to whatever format necessary for film projection.

http://www.cinefilmlab.com is the website. You’d be able to ship them your drive and your FCP project and they’ll be able to play it out to whatever format you require.

We use these guys all the time for Teranex conversions and they’ve done great work for us.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Director, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

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[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you very much, Walter and Jonathan, for the recommendations and the feedback.

Now I have some post houses to call and speak with in more detail.

Khashyar

[Jonathan Miller]

One thing to keep in mind that I didn’t mention earlier.

The timcode of your DV/DVCAM master won’t transfer through the Teranex box. I think it takes about 4 frames of time to do the conversion, so every frame will be recorded onto the HD master slightly late.

This may not be an issue, but I just wanted you to be aware of it.

IF it is an issue, then you could capture to an NLE and lay it to tape with proper TC, or you could simply make a tape to tape (SDI) dub of the converted material and correct the TC on the record deck.

Good luck!

Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USA

Currently producing these popular podcasts:

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you very much, Jon.

That was helpful.

Khashyar