Discovery and the HPX-500

[Shane Ross]

HPX still shoots P2 footage, and Discovery only accepts tape as footage. We did use the HVX-200 on many shoots, we just had to transfer the P2 footage to DVCPRO HD tape first, then recapture. Pain in the butt, but what we had to do.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Bob Woodhead]

…”transfer the P2 footage to DVCPRO HD tape first, then recapture”

For your own edits? You’re not talking about creating an edit master for them, you mean you’re making “camera tapes” from P2 cards? Was there a rationale behind this? It makes sense if you’re handing over tapes to be edited by Discovery, but not if you’re handing over an edit master. They can cut promos from a split track master.

[Shane Ross]

[Bob Woodhead] “, you mean you’re making “camera tapes” from P2 cards?”

Yes.

[Bob Woodhead] “Was there a rationale behind this?”

Yes. Because Discovery wants ALL the camera masters when you wrap production, and they will not accept P2 data files. Not on DVD, not on hard drive. Tape formats only. So we dumped to tape and then capture the tapes as masters. Painful…I know. But better quality than HDV. Matched the Varicam.

[Bob Woodhead] “It makes sense if you’re handing over tapes to be edited by Discovery, but not if you’re handing over an edit master.”

Again, at the end of the show, Discovery requires that you send in all the production masters…and they don’t want data files. And they need the tapes to match the TC used in the show. Also didn’t help that the show was edited on Avid Meridian running on OS 9.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

But I thought the HVX-200 was not allowed as a primary full acquisition camera for Discovery HD Theater period. I know they want tape as the final deliverable, but that’s a separate issue. We have never worked them, so I don’t have any first hand knowledge of any of this, I have just heard the Varicam and HDX-900 are OK for full acquisition, but they both have higher res chips than the HPX-500.

[Shane Ross]

Well, they took it on the last show that the company I worked for did. They said that 100mb/s was they lowest they go, and they accepted the HVX-200. At that time. Not sure what they say now. I have a series coming up so I will find out soon.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Steven Gladney]

Rumpy, you keep saying that Discovery won’t let you use the HVX200 as your “Primary” camera for acquisition. Shane, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you guys use a Varicam as your “Primary” and the HVX’s as secondary units? If so, then does that answers your question, Rumpy.

Steven Gladney

Sometimes the obvious is hidden in plain view.

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

Hi Shane,

Thanks for the info. As I said, I have no first hand experience with them. I was just going off of this document: https://www.exn.ca/producersguide/HDSpec.logo.doc

Please let me know what you hear from them next time.

Thanks

[Accountneedsrealnameupdate]

Yes, the document in my post to Shane says the HVX-200 is accepted with the same restrictions as HDV, no more than 15%. Varicam is allowed as a full acquisition camera, but the question remain, what about the HPX-500?

[Shane Ross]

Rumpy is asking if the HPX500 would be good for PRIMARY camera…if I understand the question. And I simply don’t know.

Yes, Varicam was A camera, HVX was the B camera.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Kyle Self]

I think the only one that can answer you question is Discovery. I don’t know if they have an answer yet. Off hand as picky as they are it would not surprise me if the answer was no. If I had to guess I would say no for full use but ok for a larger percentage than the 200.

K