DVC-PRO HD 1080 23.98 DOWNCONVERSION to DVCAM via DSR-11

[Bob Zelin]

Let the DVCPro VTR do the 2:3 pulldown, and simply make a dub from the composite out of the AJ-HD1200 or AJ-HD1400 into the composite input of the DSR-11. Now you have your tape. I assume this project is for television, so you don’t need to work at 23.98 – you can work (even when you remaster at HD) at 59.94 – the Panasonic VTR will do the 2:3 pulldown for you in composite, and in HD.

If you are already digitized into the FCP system at 23.98 (mistake) – then simply go to the Audio Video settings, choose the playback tab, and choose a 29.97 output, and the Kona will output from the “Y” BNC a composite signal (if you choose this in the Kona Control Panel) to go into the composite input of your DSR-11. This ain’t gonna happen thru the Firewire port on your DSR-11.

Bob Zelin

[Pierre]

Why is 23.98 (in this circumstance) wrong?
That’s what the footage is in it’s native form and that’s what the FCP sequence is too.

[Bob Zelin]

23.98 is not wrong, but conventional products (like VCR’s, and your TV at home, and the DSR-11) don’t work at 24p. This is why pulldown was created (back in the film transfer days – which of course still exist). Unless you are releasing at 24 frames per second, there is just no reason to work at a frame rate that can’t be used by Beta, Digi Beta, VHS, and almost every TV monitor that you can think of (which is what your market is, unless you are releasing a theatrical release). You ain’t gonna get 23.98 recorded on a DSR-11, or even a more professional VTR, like a DSR-1800. These products are all designed to work at normal 29.97 frame rates, so unless you do the 2:3 pulldown – using the VTR, or using your AJA card to do it – you are not going to get a dub on a DSR-11.

Bob Zelin

[Jeremy Garchow]

But there’s been some noise about how some things are getting rejected to do inconsistent pulldown cadences (i’ve never seen this personally myself). Meaning if you are editing material that was shot 24p with 3:2 pulldown and you start editing at 60i, the pulldown cadence will be inconsistent. Working in 24p native and then laying off to tape will create a consistent cadence across the tape. This means that you can then also recapture to 24p off of that master if you ever need to for whatever reason. Plus as an editor, i like that 24p material takes up less bandwidth, and disk space, plus compositing and green screen keys works nice with progressive material. I think the reasons for working in 24p in video are plentiful and with tools/hardware/naming & numbering schemes such as AJA, FCP, Cinema Tools, advanced pulldown, rp-188, P2 Native frame rates, working with 24p is not a hassle at all and I find it a more creative and versatile way to work. Also, going to PAL is a lot easier with 24p material than standard NTSC material if that ever fits into your workflow.

Jeremy

[Gary Adcock]

[JeremyG] “But there’s been some noise about how some things are getting rejected to do inconsistent pulldown cadences (i’ve never seen this personally myself).”

I have, but the only thing I have seen rejected was footage shoot at 24pA and posted at 29.97
that cadence seems to get flagged everytime.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Gary Adcock]

[Michael Pierre] “Why is 23.98 (in this circumstance) wrong?
That’s what the footage is in it’s native form and that’s what the FCP sequence is too.”

There is no SMPTE delivery format for anything other than 29.97 in the NTSC world.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Pierre]

I probably wasn’t very clear. I wasn’t really concerned with the frame rate. I knew it would be converted… I just wasn’t sure how the hell to do it?
This is a theatrical piece so we’ll finish on HDCAM-SR and then it’ll be digitally projected. We just needed to get our project onto DVCAM period.
I figured out how to do it through the KONA card and I must say it looked pretty nice too!

Thanks!
Michael

[Joe Moulins]

Michael, care to summarize how you got your project out to the DSR-11?