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SD to HD Upconversion with TC sync
I’m getting ready to start a project that is about 75% HD and 25% SD. My final delivery has to be HD, so I’m looking for hardware options for upconverting the SD portion.
I have FCP project files where all of the SD material has already been edited. I need to use these project files to batch capture the SD source to quickly reconstruct the edits. I would prefer not to use software to upconvert the SD material because of the extra time it would take. I would rather use a real-time hardware process (unless there is a real-time software process I’m unaware of).
Any suggestions? With the batch capture process I need something that provides deck control and frame accurate TC sync.
I’m running a MacPro 3.2 GHz OctoCore. I will be updating to Snow Leopard and Studio 3 before this project starts. The deck I will be using is a Sony M15U.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Mike Johnson
Final Cut Pro Editor
Drury Outdoors
http://www.druryoutdoors.com
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9 Replies
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How about laying off the SD material to Digi-beta, then recapturing with a Kona card (or similar) and let it do the real time up-conversion to HD.
John
MacPro 8-core 2.8GHz 8 GB RAM OS 10.5.8 QT7.6.4 Kona 3 Dual Cinema 23 ATI Radeon HD 3870, 24″ TV-Logic Monitor, ATTO ExpressSAS R380 RAID Adapter, PDE enclosure with 8-drive 6TB RAID 5
FCS 3 (FCP 7.0.1, Motion 4.0.1, Comp 3.5.1, DVDSP 4.2.2, Color 1.5.1)Pro Tools HD w SYNC IO & 192 Digital I/O, Yamaha DM1000, Millennia Media HV-3C, Neumann U87, Schoeps Mk41 mics, Genelec Monitors, PrimaLT ISDN
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WHy lay off the SD material and recapture? Why not just capture the original SD tapes? Need a Kona or Matrox card if you want hardware upconvert. I have this link to help:
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/ross_shane/aja_kona3.php
As for remaining in sync…SURE it will remain in sync. If you captured proper timecode the first time, then you will the second time. I’ve onlined a lot of shows that were edited offline as DV…and mixed shows. Works fine.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Looks like I might have my solution. I found out this morning that someone purchased an AJA Kona LHe before I started here. They never could figure it out, so it has sat idly for about 3 years now.
I looked up the specs on the Kona LHe, and it appears that it will meet my needs.
Thanks for the input, guys!
Mike Johnson
Final Cut Pro Editor
Drury Outdoors
http://www.druryoutdoors.com -
The LHe doesn’t upconvert. Only the LHi and Kona 3 do. You won’t be able to upconvert with what you have.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hello Mike
Just to confirm what Shane is saying (thanks Shane). The LHe will not give you hardware SD-HD upconvert. (LHi, IoHD or Kona 3 will)
You may have been given an incorrect steer on the LHe functions from AJA’s website (they are upgrading some information at the moment; Xena is being rolled in to Kona). This is being fixed.
Apologies for any confusion
Best regards
Matty Causon Phosphor
EMEA Business Management for AJA Video Systems Inc.
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Thanks for the correction. I checked AJA’s website again, and I guess I misread the specs on the LHe.
So…. It looks like its the LHi that I need. Before I convince the boss to drop $1200 on it, what can we expect the upconverted quality to be like? All of my SD source is DV-NTSC. My HD source is HDV 1080i60. I will either upconvert to HDV or ProRes. Is the Kona LHi the best solution for the price? Or is there a better option?
Mike Johnson
Final Cut Pro Editor
Drury Outdoors
http://www.druryoutdoors.com -
[Mike Johnson] “it, what can we expect the upconverted quality to be like?”
How can we describe how it will look? I mean, it will look like upconverted SD. Less quality than a Terranex, but far better than blowing it up in the timeline. Slightly better than software conversion options, unless you set those settings so high that they take DAYS to do a minute long clip.
I upconverted EVERY SINGLE shot from beta and digibeta tapes for a Nat Geo show on JFK. Delivered the entire show as HD (Pillarboxed). Got compliments on how good it looked, from the network and a COMPETING network that also did a JFK show, with upconverted footage (but done on an Avid). What does that tell you? But I didn’t use the LHi, to be honest. I used the Kona 3 and IO HD. But they all have the same upconverting hardware.
[Mike Johnson] “Is the Kona LHi the best solution for the price? Or is there a better option?”
There are other options. The Matrox MXO2. I have used this as well for other shows. Not quite as clean as the Kona upconvert, but darn close. I could only tell the difference in the scopes. It is in the same price range.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hello
I should first make it clear I represent AJA, (so you might want to get some feed from non affiliates;)
The AJA LHi SD-HD upconvert quality is very good, essentially same hardware as the Kona3, IoHD and FS1.
To go much better you’d have to spend $20k+ for a converter (and for a pretty small improvement to most eyes).
LHi is I think excellent value.
best regards
Matty Causon
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[Matthew Causon] “I should first make it clear I represent AJA”
Good sales pitch, though 🙂
[Shane Ross] “How can we describe how it will look?”
Yes, I know, a difficult question. Your comparison helps put the LHi in perspective. I guess that’s what I should have asked for 🙂
I definitely appreciate your input. This is new ground for me and I want to make sure I suggest the correct piece of hardware for the job. Thanks!
Mike Johnson
Final Cut Pro Editor
Drury Outdoors
http://www.druryoutdoors.com
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