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HD to SD Workflow
I have looked through the cow for an answer, but have been unsuccessful.
We are mastering a DVD that we have edited entirely in HD. All the footage was shot in HD, we digitized and edited the footage in ProRes (HQ) and are now preparing for DVD mastering. The problem we are encountering is determining the best workflow to downres the final sequence to SD. Our DVD master is going to be an SD master this year, next year we look to go HD, but we need a good solution for this year.
We have tried the following with marginal results and wonder if there is a better way.
1. We tried nesting the HD sequences in an SD timeline whose compressor setting was 10-bit uncompressed. The render time for this became such a burden that we scratched this method. It was going to take us nearly 40 hours to render the entire media on the DVD to SD using this method and we could not afford a/several machines down that long.
2. We patched a machine with the HD sequences through our HDCam deck (which can upres/downres in realtime) into a Digibeta Deck into a second machine that digitized the footage as SD. This worked in realtime, however, it has introduces some artifacts along the way.
Open to suggestions. Any ideas? What are you guys doing to produce high quality SD DVD from your HD footage. We spend the money and invest the time and resources in HD equipment, we want the final product to look as good as possible.
Thanks.
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11 Replies
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[Alan Smith] “The problem we are encountering is determining the best workflow to downres the final sequence to SD.”
You don’t need to do this. Simply export your HD timeline, bring that into Compressor and create a 16:9 MPEG-2 using the standard DVD presets.
Then take that into DVD Studio Pro and create your DVD. It will play full screen on a widescreen TV and letterboxed on a 4:3 TV. We’ve been doing this for years.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!
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Thanks Walter. One of the reasons I had not attempted that method was because there are a few sections of the video that is using SD footage (Old B-Roll stock) and I assumed that those pieces would be stretched and/or distorted in some way. Any thoughts on this while I wait for the sequence to render? I am going to try your suggestion.
Thanks.
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[Alan Smith] “Any thoughts on this while I wait for the sequence to render?”
The SD footage will appear exactly the same as it does in your HD timeline.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!
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The workflow that WB describe is fine. This in not an attempt to confuse you BUT…We’ve discovered that when we let compressor do the scaling from HD to SD, our graphic aren’t quite as sharp as if we let FCP do the scaling. It’s splitting hairs but if you’re looking for a liiiiitttle better encode try this.
After exporting that HD quicktime. Import it back into a 10bit uncompressed SD project. Place it on a timeline and export it out again with current setttings. It’s going to take a while because you’re doing the scaling. But you will make the time up in compressor.
Bring that Standard Def QT in compressor.
FCP Studio 2
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[Fred Miller] “We’ve discovered that when we let compressor do the scaling from HD to SD, our graphic aren’t quite as sharp as if we let FCP do the scaling.”
Fred,
Not that I’m doubting your post… Okay, if truth be known, I really am doubting it. So, I’d really like to see this find supported in a side by side comparison. There’s no doubt it, every single FCP Cow member would benefit from your effort. Are you up to the challenge?
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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Sheeesh, I knew I was opening a can of worms. We don’t have the test clips anymore. But the test is easy to run. Here are the guidelines we used.
PRORES 10Bit HD to MPEG2 for DVD
Pic a clip that contains a Graphic (preferably one with a not so video friendly font – thin curvy lines are key to this comparison) All of our graphics are rendered out at 10 Uncompressed animation.
Put in on your ProressHD timeline and export out at current settings.
Transcode that HD QT with your favorite flavor of settings in compressor.
Take that same HDQT that you’re transcoding and drop it on a 10Bit Uncompressed SD timelime FC should add the appropriate field filters but you should check just for piece of mind – export out at current settings and transcode it Compressor.
There’s no need to make a dvd the differences are noticeable in Quicktime player. As I said before they are subtle. If you must for argument’s sake go ahead and make the DVD, the differences do carry through to an NTSC monitor.
FCP Studio 2
Dual 3Gg Quad Core
5Gg RAM
KONA 2
OS 10.4.11 -
Take that same HDQT that you’re transcoding and drop it on a 10Bit Uncompressed SD timelime FC should add the appropriate field filters but you should check just for piece of mind – export out at current settings and transcode it Compressor.
Fred – what format HD are you talking about? I have had horrible results when scaling a Progressive HD file into an interlaced SD timeline.
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PRO RES 1080i is the flavor of HD that I’m working with.
FCP Studio 2
Dual 3Gg Quad Core
5Gg RAM
KONA 2
OS 10.4.11 -
[Fred Miller] “.We’ve discovered that when we let compressor do the scaling from HD to SD, our graphic aren’t quite as sharp as if we let FCP do the scaling.”
I agree with you Fred. I’m doing the scaling in FC and looks great. In fact I’m editing EX-1 footage directly in SD sequence. Before rendering: “Render all YUV footage in High Precision” and Motion Rendering: BEST. Great.Mac OX 10.5.2-FC 6.02-QT 7.4.1
G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM-BlackMagic Extreme
PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM-AJA ioHD
JVC DTV-17″
SONY EX-1 . SONY PD170
..and always a big mess on top of the table. -
Hey David,
I have had a bit of time today, so I thought I’d re-do my old test and see if it still holds true. From what I can tell it still does. I have two short MPEG movies, one using PRO RES HQ 1080i that I exported a QT movie, using current settings (BEST/HIGHEST QUALITY) directly off the timeline. The other using Quicktime Converter – a SD 10Bit Uncompressed. The most noticeable difference is how the graphic looks. Now I know that there are many variables, especially in the encode settings that could render this experiment faulty. All I can do, is assure you that I tried my hardest to make the HD sourced MPEG look as good as it possible could using compressor settings.
I would like to send you the MPEGs, or some screen snaps of them in QT player, but I don’t have your email address.I would attach them to this post if I it was possible and I knew how to do it.
FCP Studio 2
Dual 3Gg Quad Core
5Gg RAM
KONA 2
OS 10.4.11
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