HD to SD Broadcast conversion

[Chris Tompkins]

Did you adjust frame controls?

Did you tweak the data rate?

Choose a preset to start with , then save as and adjust?

Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC

[Ben Scott]

the scaling settings you are doing in compressor look right
look to the last tab for what size it will output and pixel aspect ratio as all you have is scaling algorithm

it will take ages though

the quality if its the right aspect ratio will be better than an AJA downconvert, trust me I have done this a lot

the AJA downconvert is good on moving footage but on overly sharpened footage and animation graphics you will see a lot of undesirable aliasing. also there is a frame delay on the picture so you need to offset the audio and picture so they go to the correct timecode and in sync on tape.

after effects has a nice scaler and on newer machines is really fast, download a demo if you need to

check results on a proper SD CRT

remember that if there are broadcast safe filters on the HD these will be useless on the downconverted material as transients are introduced.

your mpeg2 codec is wrong as a starting point, use prores which is a quicktime export.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Andreas Lupp] “However this is going to take forever and I would like to give compressor another shot. I have downconverted successfully before but this client is extremely picky.”

How is the Io HD going to take longer than Compressor? It’s realtime and it’s hardware, broadcast quality HD to SD conversion.

I would not recommend Compressor at all for HD to SD conversions destined for broadcast. We use the AJA Kona boards for all our conversions. You have the same hardware in your Io HD. It’s realtime, it’s broadcast quality. it’s faster than anything you’ll do with Compressor.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media

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