Converting HDV to Apple Intermediate Codec

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Edward,
Before thinking of converting all the stuff to AIC make a test to see how your computer likes to work with this.
Compared with HDV is not a light codec. The data rate is around 100Mbps. So the files will get four times bigger.
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Edward Howard]

Thanks for your reply, I’ll take that into consideration.

The question really was regarding how exactly you convert from HDV to AIC via media manager if it’s possible?

Thanks again,

Ed

Regards,

Ed

[Rafael Amador]

To use the MM you need to select the footage you want to convert and drag it to a sequence.
Go to the MM and in MEDIA, select RECOMPRESS. You you just need to select the codec. The media will keep the rest of the parameters (size, pixels aspect, field order..).
Down in Project let selected “Duplicate Selected Items..”.
Select the destination and everything you have in the sequences that you have selected will be processed.
The MM is mostly used to delete unused media once you have finished cutting.If you want to convert all the footage, you may use better the Batch Export. Just select the clips in the Browser and set the parameters of your AIC.
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Edward Howard]

I thought that might be the way it needed to be done but I wasn’t sure.

Thanks for your help!

Ed

Regards,

Ed

[Jason Porthouse]

Ed,

Dunno how old your Mac is but I regularly cut HDV on a dual 2ghz mac with the standard video card in with no problems. I’d try before going AIC, it’s not the best codec IMHO. Maybe cut native HDV and then go to ProRes for the grade etc…

Just my 2p’th

Jason

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*

[Edward Howard]

Thanks Jason, I guess it’s going to be a ‘stuck it and see’ situation. I’m running on a old Powerbook 1.5Ghz PP with 10.4 but my major issue is that I’ve lost a DIM slot so only running with 1GB RAM! I know, I know but I’ve been told that the only way to fix it is to buy a new mac and that’s not an option at the moment.

Anyway I’ll probably blag a decent computer for the grade so I think I’ll be able to limp along with the Powerbook for the basic edit.

What I would like to know is, will a Firewire 800 drive be able to handle the datarate of AIC and Pro Res? I know theoretically it can but what’s the deal in practice?

Thanks,

Ed

Regards,

Ed

[Rafael Amador]

No problem for FW800 to manage that data rate.
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Edward Howard]

Excellent, thanks for your help!

Ed

Regards,

Ed

[Glenn Kaplan]

I have found that AIC causes degradation of the color quality and sharpness of the image. Is that what you were referring to when you said “it’s not the best codec IMHO.”

I would like to take my AVCHD movies and use iMovie to edit them (I am not enough of a pro to use Final Cut Pro). Is there a better way to import to iMovie so that you don’t get the AIC degradation? I have Toast 10 platinum and am willing to buy any other software that would allow me to bypass AIC without too much difficulty. Is there a way to use native HDV in iMovie?

Thanks,
Glenn