DVCPRO HD VFR issue (FCP Studio 2, Panasonic HD1400 VCR and AJA KONA 3

[Gary Adcock]

[Thorgnyr Thoroddsen] “You mention the Panasonic Frame Converter, is that the DVCPRO HD Converter built into FCS2?
If so, I’ve been through this process already and it seems it’s not timescaling the video correctly.”

Yes I am
The Software FRC it is NOT for the Conform to 25p.

The FRC allows users to properly play the footage as shot, understand that the VFR functions “flag” the frame rate as shot in camera, without regard to the 60fps that is laid to tape( for the US version) in the panasonic family for 720p.

The Kona Cards ( and the FRC for that matter) allow the end user to playback the footage as shot- either at a higher frame rate (more frames – slower motion) or lower frame rate ( less frame faster motion) based on the motion picture film model of 24 fps ( most often played in the US as 23.98 fps)

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
Inside look at the IoHD

[Thorgnyr]

I’m using KONA 3 using drivers v. 4

[Gary Adcock]

[Thorgnyr Thoroddsen] ” I’m capturing via SDI…wait a moment, the markers don’t get across via SDI? “

use the AJA Kona 720p23.98 Varicam setting for capture the frames should be extracting properly via HDSDI

and yes the Kona cards do keep the RP188 flags for the frame rate intact.

an explanation of the VFR / Kona capabilities is in my IoHD article in the link below, it works the same for all Kona Products.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
Inside look at the IoHD

[Thorgnyr]

(which FCP version are you editing in???- the FRC plugins are unique to each version of FCP)

I’m using FCS2, 6.0.2 if I remember correctly, the most recent update anyhow.
Okay, so far it seems I’ve had the process correct. There’s just one more thing I need to have clear, is it important to ingest via FireWire? Or is ingesting via SDI okay as well?

[Jeremy Garchow]

What Gary says.

If you need to capture offspeed using the Kona as the FRC, you then need to capture longer than what the clip naturally is. It can get a little tricky, that’s why capturing @ 59.94 and using the software FRC can be a little easier to manage, somewhat.

The Kona card can extract the frames and transcode to another codec as well (I.e. you can capture the offpseed material to UC-10bit if need be).

Jeremy

[Gary Adcock]

[Thorgnyr Thoroddsen] “Or is ingesting via SDI okay as well? “

HDSDI if fine with your Kona card, and using the setting in the last post – it will maintain the flags either way

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
Inside look at the IoHD

[Thorgnyr]

Very good,
thanks for the info Gary and Jeremy.

[Thorgnyr]

Sorry for rewoking this thread,
however…

I’m in front of my project now, I have capture the clip already using the AJA KONA 3: 720p 23.98 fps DVCPRO HD Varicam capture setting. The Panasonic HD1400 is set to 59/60 playback.

As expected, the clip plays in very slow motion on the computer. I as well had to capture further than to the endpoint of the media on the tape. That was expected as well. However..

When I choose the clip on the root in my project browser and run the FRC tool I get an error:

The selected media file (name of file)
cannot be processed by this tool.

Only DVCPRO HD 720p 59.94 and 50 fps media files are supported.

Any ideas?

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Thorgnyr Thoroddsen] “I’m in front of my project now, I have capture the clip already using the AJA KONA 3: 720p 23.98 fps DVCPRO HD Varicam capture setting.”

Okay. I might have confused you as I didn’t learn you had a Kona until a few posts in.

The Kona card basically acts as a hardware Frame Rate Converter. Since you are using the 23.98 setting, the media comes in already conformed @ 23.98 with all of the redundant frames removed and all of the proper flagged frames playing back at the intended speed ( in your case over cranked so it’s slow motion). From here you don’t have to do anything and that’s what the footage should look like. Now, all you have to do is open those clips in Cinema Tools and conform them to 25.0.

Now, if you want to use the other method, you have to capture the clips @ 59.94 (using the DVCPro HD 59.94 setting, not the 23.98 setting). You can then use the software Frame Rate Converter from within FCP.

Since you have a Kona, you might as well use that. That way you aren’t limited to capturing @ DVCPro HD if you don’t want to.

Does that make more sense? Sorry for the confusion.

Jeremy

[Gary Adcock]

[Thorgnyr Thoroddsen] “I’m in front of my project now, I have capture the clip already using the AJA KONA 3: 720p 23.98 fps DVCPRO HD Varicam capture setting. The Panasonic HD1400 is set to 59/60 playback. “

With this set up, the Kona card is acting as the frame rate converter – your clips WILL NOT need to be processed in the software FRC ( and since they are already at converted – the software FRC will not work on them)

“When I choose the clip on the root in my project browser and run the FRC tool I get an error: “

that is because they are already processed as slowmotion (as you noted above)

To get to 25p you have to finish the edit then convert the file using Cinema tools.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
Inside look at the IoHD