HDMI for Laptops?

[Terry Nahirny]

DSE, my understanding up to this point has been that if I had a fast enough pc with a HDMI port, I could capture at whatever resolution I wanted (progressive with no interlacing).
But what I’m understanding today is that the camera’s HDMI out port is still interlaced with compressed video.
My main issue now is trying to decide if HDV just doesn’t render to DV well enough when starting with HDV m2t files. Mabe I’m expecting too much from compressed files.
DSE, do you shoot with HDV m2t files, and are you happy with your rendered DVD’s?
tks, t.

[Jerry Waters]

I have a friend who captures HDMI direct to a Sony notebook he paid $1,800 for. That said, m2t files are more than adequate to render DV. The reason to capture with HDMI is that you CAN capture a full HD signal BEFORE it is compressed into an m2t signal. This is working in working in very high definition. If you have NEO just capture from tape and work with their files. They will be much higher than you need for a regular DV render.

If you want to go high using the tape (m2t) capture, get Prospect from Cineform. That codec can render out 1920 X 1080 files with 4:4:4 wrapped around the m2t out of Vegas. HOWEVER, Vegas will first say it can’t and you have to go into “Configure” and a Cineform menu will pop up.

JerryW

[Terry Nahirny]

DSE, why do they make pcmcia sata cards then if the laptops can’t handle the speed? Won’t the sata connection be faster than the usb connection on my laptop thus helping workflow speed?
t.

[Terry Nahirny]

JerryW, tks for the post.
You said HDV should be adequate for DV renders -I’m just not satisfied with how blurry/less defined/pixelated my DVD’s end up. I have a friend that shoots DV and his projects end up better quality than my HDV to DV renders. I’m about ready to through my hands up on rendering these HDV m2t files to DVD.

[Jerry Waters]

I work only with HDV and have done so for two years. There is no way you should be getting blurry. First, what are you trying to render to? I do a lot of widescreen since I’m shooting 16 X 9. Make sure you set the properties of the veg high enough – “File – Properties” and select one of the HDV templates. It should be HDV either 24p or 60i. Both should work. If you aren’t setting the proper properties that would explain getting crap.

THEN render to Main Concept mpeg2 (which is DVD format) and use the template for DVD Architect widescreen 24p or 60i, depending on the properties you set for the veg. Render an AC3 sound file for the same render area. Open DVDA and use the two files to prepare the file — or prepare and burn but many people just prepare the file with DVDA and burn with Nero. They should come out OK.

However, I do not edit plain m2t files. It is possible but Cineform is a much better (in my opinion) way of working. They have a trial version. Their codec is designed for editing. It is also superior for color correction because the codec is only a wrapper and the color space of their wrapper is better than m2t.

JerryW

[Jerry Waters]

Forgot to mention: HDV has 4.5 times the pixels of DV. There is no was you can be getting crap DVDs that I can see except you didn’t set the “Properties” in your veg.

Please answer these: What is “Properties” set to?

What are you rendering out to make the DVD? (Answer both “Type” of file and “Template.”)

What are you doing with the files you render? Give a step-by-step.

Walk before you run. HDMI capture is a whole other ballgame, mainly for HD capture before the camera compresses the video or just capturing directly to the computer without hitting the “record” on the camera. Make a few good DVDs first and then get fancy. Or, better yet, do a lot of reading and then get fancy.

JerryW

[Terry Nahirny]

Tks Jerry -I appreciate all your input. Sorry for the delay -I have Thursdays off.

Source footage is HDV 1080-60i (1440×1080, 29.970 fps) clips. I’ve tried numerous shoots. Last shoot was outside in sunlight of flowers moving in the wind. (looks perfect when inserted on Vegas timeline)
*I’ve tried Cineform Neo coverted files that didn’t seem to make a bit of difference except bog down my pc on the Vegas timeline.

Please answer these: What is “Properties” set to?
HDV 1080-60i (1440×1080, 29.970 fps)

What are you rendering out to make the DVD? (Answer both “Type” of file and “Template.”)

MainConcept Mpeg2 (*.mpg)
DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen Video Stream

What are you doing with the files you render? Give a step-by-step.

I render the files to a new folder using the settings above.
I then open DVDA and select new project (single movie).
I then select NTSC Widescreen (720×480).
I prepare the file and then burn.
I then go mad after I play the disc in different players on different screens and see the obvious pixelation around edges/blotchy colors/about half the quality of original footage. The best way I can explain the outcome is: it looks like I’m watching MSN news clips over the internet.

[Jerry Waters]

Try rendering your files out of VEGAS – not DVD. One mpeg2 USING ONE OF THE DVDA ARCHITECT templates and one AC3 file. Take those files indo DVDA. It should NOT redo the render and should go pretty fast. (I never render in DVDA.)

JerryW

[Terry Nahirny]

Jerry, ya that’s what I do(haven’t had probs with the audio). DVDA doesn’t seem to render it again. DVDA says it is rendering but it quickly changes and doesn’t seem to need too. Just to confirm that I render out of Vegas with mainconcept mpeg2 and DVDA temps. Any other ideas? I’m stumped at this point. I’ve been reading many reviews online this week from HDV m2t users getting fab results on their DVD burns -I’m envious!! tks, t

[Jerry Waters]

One last trial. Go download the trial version of Neo at Cineform.com

Capture from tape – just m2t at first using their HD Link. Do it from firewife if your camera has one. Don’t try to do both stages of capture and convert at once because that is a problem if you don’t have a real fast computer. Then, as a second step, convert in HD Link to their avi files. Put those files on the timeline in Vegas, edit and render. Do just the video. Then do just the audio – AC3. Take those into DVDA and make a DVD. Burn with Nero or a separate burner and see what you get.

If you follow that, you shouldn’t go wrong. You can also use HD link to convert your old m2t files. How do your m2t files look on the timeline in Vegas?

JerryW