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Trying to get good SD downconvert – HPX2000 HVX200
I’ve picked up the HPX2000. Incredible HD images.
I’m having quite a time downconverting the edited files for SD playback/SD DVD’s. I’d like to shoot/edit in Edius Broadcast SP as DVCPRO 1080 60i (1280×1080), upres to 1920x1080i for a master & file for BluRay, and transcode that file (or HD timeline) into a downconverted AVI and/or MPEG2 for SD DVD’s.
I’ve shot a lot of 1080 60i footage to test with. Again – HD settings in Edius SP look incredible (either DVCPRO HD or Full HD (1920×1080). However, I can’t seem to get it to play on my Edius SP system in SD modes without edge tearing/stairstepping, warbling, moire, etc. I’ve tried changing the project settings from HD to SD, tried swapping the fields, tried ProCoder 2 Mpeg 2 exports from HD & SD timelines, etc.
I’ve even tried to downconvert in After Effects with an Canopus Lossless 1920x1080i file. I’ve tried upper/lower fields, fitting the input to the comp (DV Widescreen), etc. Those files still look scrubby when brought back into a Canopus SD timeline and have a strobe/moire on test DVD’s when tilting or panning on wide shots.
Does anyone have any specific advice, settings, After Effects comp tips (or other specific workflow advice). I’ve gotta think that people have gotten good post edit downconverted 1080 60i clips from the 200 or HDX900…
I’ll also want to test 720 60p, but I haven’t had much luck there either. Bottom line – I can’t get SD to look good… Tried footage from the HVX200 as well. Seems like a softer version of the same problem. Tearing my hair out on this one… Great camera, but it feels like an expensive mistake right now.
Thanks all.
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5 Replies
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Bumping this again – can anyone please discuss their experiences in downconverting DVCPRO HD footage – even the HVX200? I’d like to focus on the 1080 60i or 720 60p side, but any workflow tips/experiences/observations are greatly appreciated (Edius preferred, but any platform, hardware, flow, considerations, etc).
Edius has been awesome to work with and I don’t see the severity of the warbling/moire, etc when downconverting HDV Z1/H1 footage. Very frustrating to have this nice HPX2000 and ultimately have trouble with SD downconverts…
Any specific advice and observations are greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
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I use Final Cut Studio and was having similar results to make SD DVD look good from DVCPROHD footage. I did several downconvert tests to 10-bit uncompressed using Compressor until I found settings that I liked. We delivered those 10-bit masters to a DVD authoring company and the end product looked great.
They key is finding a good way to downconvert. Do you have a Kona card that you could lay off to an SD master? AE should be able to do a good job downconverting. Did you put the HD footage in a HD comp and then downconvert on render or did you put the HD footage in a SD comp and rendered it out? What codec did you render to?
-Russ
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I received my HPX2000 May,5 and did my first shoot last week. I used the Firestore 100. The camea was set to 720p 24p. The Firestore received the footage as 24 pn. I Used Edius Broadcast 4.24 on my Laptop Dual Core AMD ,and also Edius Broadcast 3.61. I rendered on Precoder Express. video edit,ntsc,canopus dv avi. I brought the avi back into a sd file and played the timeline back into a sony dvcam then to a panasonic stand alone dvd recorder. The quality was very good. I used the HVX200 for b roll. The HVX footage was a little more to my taste. But with a little more time with the 2000 it can be tweeked to look awsome.
I am very pleased with my 2000.
Mule Ferguson
Pumpkin Creek Video -
I had done some 720 24 tests almost identical to yours as well – also with the FS100 doing 24pN. I agree – it looked very good in both HD24 & SD24 modes. There wasn’t much quicker pulling/panning in those tests, but that would go with respecting 24p shooting anyway. That will be the ‘next phase’ of HD ‘looks’ to offer and subsequent testing as well.
I’m currently trying to get good results with the cam downconverting from 1080 60i or 720 60p – burn a master Canopus HQ file (1920×1080 or 1280×720) for BluRay and send to ProCoder for SD DVD. I’m trying to offer that ‘hyper real’ look with solid slow motion capabilities and ultimately end back on BluRay and/or DVD. I don’t doubt that 720 24/30p will lend to better results – ultimately authing a progressive DVD, closer to the native chipset of the cam, etc.
Sounds like we have very similar setups – I would really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you over email or call you if that’s at all possible.
Thanks very much indeed for your post…
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Tarkken. My phone
Mule Ferguson
North Wilkesboro,NC
336 9577426
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