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XDCAM HD to SD-DVD or Blu-Ray Disc: best Workflow on FCP
Hello to everybody,
I need some help to finf the best workflow using Final Cut Pro to produce an SD-DVD or Blu-Ray from clips shooted with a Sony PDW-700 (XDCAM HD). I know that this format use long GOP ‘temporal’ compression: reading in some forums, it seems that when encoding from these codecs to MPEG2, the quality of the finished MPEG2 video may leave something to be desired. While not everyone experiences this problem, for others it can be a real issue.
It seems there is a way around this problem: export your XDCAM HD video from the FCP timeline to Apple’s ProRes 422 codec, a 10-bit, full raster, high quality frame-based codec designed to preserve quality. ProRes 422 files can be encoded to MPEG2 (in Compressor or DVD SP) producing high quality video. You can export XDCAM HD from the FCP timeline to ProRes 422, using Export ‘QuickTime with Conversion’: it does work well.Someone can confirm this workflow?
Another question: if you want to color correct a sequence that contains XDCAM media? I found this workflow:
1. Create a new Sequence inside the project where XDCAM HD files has been imported;
2. Right click on the new Sequence and set the QuickTime Video Compressor Setting in the “General” tab to ProRes;
3. In the “Settings” tab set the “Video Processing” tab for “Render All Material in 10 Bit YUV” radio button, with “Best” option in the “Motion Filtering Quality” pull down menu;
4. In the Sequence Settings “Render Control” tab set the Render Control to ProRes 422.
5. Drag the imported XDCAM HD clip sto this new sequence sequence. You will get a green line, which means you need to render everything (the green line material will play, but it does affect resolution).;
Working with a ProRes timeline will take a bit more disk space, but ProRes is a very good codec to do color correction in and do other rendering.
Do you agree with this??Any reply will be very appreciated!!
Regards,
Alessio -
9 Replies
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Hi Alessio,
[Alessio Gemma] “using Export ‘QuickTime with Conversion’: it does work well. “Your workflow is immaculate except this.
AVOID QT CONVERSION. Thats OK for draft export, previews etc. For mastering export QT Movie.
Cheers,
rafael -
Thanks Rafael for your reply!
So, the final export must be in self contained or by-reference movie, without any QT Conversion… what about the workflow with Color Correction? Do you agree with it too?Regards,
Alessio -
Personally when I finish an edit I like to export a Self Contained movie with the top quality I can allow my self.
In SD Uncompress, but in HD Prores.
For Colors, work with the native XDCAM footage. Export to Prores.
rafael -
Rafael,
if I understood… you create a new project with XDCAM HD settings and you don’t change the sequence settings and render codec. When you export from FCP you use ProRes 422 if your final target is HD (for example blu-ray disc) or SD uncompressed if your final target is SD (maybe a SD-DVD: so you compress the exported clip in compressor to obtain mpeg-2 SD).
Is this right?Alessio
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[Alessio Gemma] “you create a new project with XDCAM HD settings and you don’t change the sequence settings and render codec.”
I change it right before exporting.
Also I set “High Precision” “Motion Rendering..” etc right before exporting.
If I have to do later a DVD, print to video or a web video, if I can export Uncompress, I do it.
Sure I won’t archive the Uncompress master. I keep a Prores master.
I use BitVice to make the MPEG-2 for the DVDs.
While -
Well, you edit the XDCAM clips using the default parameters and sequence settings: at the end, you change the sequence settings to ProRes or Uncompressed and you export as self contained. Using this kind of strategy, you don’t need a quick time conversion when export.
I hope that it’s what you mean!
Alessio -
Right.
You prepare your sequence, then export QT Movie with current setting.
rafael -
Good! it’s clear!
Thank for your support, Rafael!
Best regards,
Alessio -
Hey Alessio
I am having huge problems getting a high quality SD DVD. I have been trying all kinds of work flows.. but cannot get a good SD DVD produced…I shoot with a sony XDCAM, I edit with Final Cut, I am using DVD studio pro to cut DVD…I am editing using the native xdcam settings. In this thread – your workflow has you editing in your native then once you have edited your movie you create a new sequence with pro-res settings… it seems that Rafael does not do this – Rafael is using the same sequence to export is this correct?. Can either of you post a detailed step -by-step workflow ? it looks like Rafael is also tweaking some other settings to get the maximum quality – not shared in detail.. I would greatly appreciate it.
kindly,
TonyTony
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