Exporting HD files with Media composer

[Job Ter burg]

You need to be in an HD project. Are you?

[Lor Porter]

ummm…. since I have to ask – I don’t think so. How do I check that. Sorry!!

[Job Ter burg]

In your project window (CMD-9 or CTRL-9), there are some tabs, one of which will list your project’s format. If you were set to SD, and imported HD files, they will have ended up as SD, you will have downscaled them. Exporting as HD will blow the up again, so you would effectively apply two scaling processes (not recommendable).

[Lor Porter]

Ok – In my project – the format that I imported was 30iNTSC. The other choices I had are 720p/29:97 and 1080/59:94.

At the same time – my import settings were set to “601 SD or 709 HD (16-235). Or is that setting just for stills.

Under the settings tab in my project bin I also have a check mark by “HDV Digital cut”

So – are any of thes right? I do not see anything that says CMD-9 or CTRL-9.

Does any of this help? Am I making any sense… I hate feeling so out of water…

I’ll be exporting these files out to a seperate hard drive… so I’m not worried about “blowing them back up” that you say is not advisible… is that still possible?

For my next project & ingest of HD files – what should those format numbers be? normally the guy I was working with was shooting HD – but editing SD?? Not why… but now he just mentioned that the file I gave him was SD… never mentioned he wanted the HD file… so I never noticed what I gave him was different from what he needed.

I feel so “lost” with the switch… but know it can be resolved. Thank you for all your help in this matter. I really appreciate you working with me, showing me how to figure it all out.
-Lori

[Job Ter burg]

The 601/709 import setting only determines the source color levels, not the frame size.

Project type determines the frame size of anything and everything you bring into MC.

And even when exporting to an external drive, you will not want to blow them back up. You have scaled down the HD sources to SD, and now they are no longer HD (the sources are, your mediafiles in Avid are _not_). Exporting them to a bigger frame size will not make them look an inch better; perhaps even worse.

If you want to do this correctly, flip your project format to the appropriate type (check the sources if they are 702p or 1080i or 1080i). Then Batch Import the source files. Then everything will be HD, and you can export as HD.

With CTRL-9 or CMD-9 I mean the Ctrl-key on your keyboard (PC) or the Command-key on your keyboard (Mac) and the ‘9’-key on your keyboard. It’s a shortcut that takes you to the Project Window (also under Tools menu).

[Lor Porter]

The source is (the guy who gave me the footage said) 1080p. I think he means 1080i.

So by just changing the project – it automatically sets itself up to work in HD. That’s cool. So, I should empty the media from my timeline and then highlight and batch import from source? OR should I ingest the source again… but then it won’t link to my timeline right?

Oh and CTRL-9… Did you roll your eyes on that one! GOT IT… duhhh – sorry – just trying to get all this other stuff in my brain… You are too nice.

[Job Ter burg]

Duplicate your sequence, and batch import that copy. No need to take away the existing media.

[Lor Porter]

Thanks – I was able to do the batch capture on one of my timelines. The other – I changed all the names of the origional clips. If I change the names back (in my bins) would the batch capture work?

Also – his origional source is 1080p 23.98 fps ProRes Codec – I was able to change my project to 1080i/59:94. I don’t know if that matters. sorry.

As another option – I tried to open a new project – in HD – and then bring in my bin containing the sequences – it would not open my old timeline because the frames or format didn’t match – so, the 1080i/59:94 was my only HD option in my origional project. So, I scraped the new project idea.

[Job Ter burg]

You should have worked in a 23.98 project. In modern versions of the software, it is easier to mix frame rates.

The names of the master clips do not matter when it comes to Batch Import. Batch Import will look for a file path, no matter the clip name at bin level.

[Lor Porter]

“The names of the clips do not matter” – YOU JUST SAVED MY LIFE. I can not thank you enough. I never knew that. I didn’t think the time line with the new clip names would link back to the origional footage with different names on the Hard Drive. That is the best news I’ve gotten in a long time. When I hit batch import – it gave me the list of all the “new named” clips… but did not show the hard drive it was linking back to. Is that still ok?

The guy said my files were 23.976 – so, I suppose I was in a 23.98 project like you said. His origional was 1080p 23.98 fps ProRes Codec and said 24.98 (he’s working in FCP – me in Avid)… I’m doing his editing for him… I suppse with the new batch capture from the origional HD footage – and then export new QT files – they will work for him. (my project is now set to 1080i/59:94) it was the only 1080HD that this project would go to. I now see when setting up or opening a new project I can select a whole host of HD options.

Again – thank you- thank you!