[Mark Spano]

Why not first try reinstalling Compressor?

Other than that, if you can get Compressor to launch, try resetting background processing / cancel all jobs. This usually kicks over Qmaster and resets the processes.

[Mark Spano]

Did you try Content Browser? At least that would tell if the files are correct and not corrupt. If you can play them there, then there’s definitely an issue with the AMA linking. Also check and make sure you have the current AMA plugin version.

[Mark Spano]

Here’s an idea but haven’t tried it so I don’t know if it will work. Try opening the original in QuickTime Pro. Choose Show Movie Properties and highlight the audio tracks. From there, you can assign each track to a separate output (Left, Right, Center, LFE, etc.). This is to fake out the encoder on the next step (Compressor), where you can encode multi-channel and have the tracks get separated.

[Mark Spano]

Check to see that there are no weird characters in the path. I generally avoid calling files and folders with names containing any characters other than numbers, letters, and underscores.

Aside from that, if it still doesn’t link, perhaps there is something missing in the folder structure. If you download Content Browser from Sony’s XDCAM site, check to see if it can parse the folders and show you your clips. If so, it often automatically rebuilds the structure. Then try link to volume again.

[Mark Spano]

[Jon Munford] “I know that I could do HDMI out to HDSDI. I could also do component out to HDSDI. So my question is which is the more “professional” way to do it, and which will yield better results?”

If the camera outputs full resolution (10-bit 1920×1080) over HDMI, then that will likely be the simplest hookup. If it’s compressed or lower res, then you’ll want the component. HDMI and component HD are of similar quality for transmission. HDMI may be preferable as there will be no d/a/d conversion in the chain, so I’d go that route, making sure your cameras output full HD over HDMI.

[Mark Spano]

If you want your scroll to be 60 field smooth (as opposed to 24 frame stuttery) then yes, do as much as you can in the 24p cut, then export, add pulldown, bring that into a 29.97i cut and compose your scroll there. You will see the results – maintaining high quality when working with multiple frame rate sources and materials is a little bit of hard work, but the efforts pay off.

[Mark Spano]

If you can, and you don’t mind the reduced temporal resolution, build all that stuff at 23.98p. Keep everything 23.98p until the end and add pulldown last. The only times that that is not doable are when either you or your network has existing 29.97i graphic/text elements that would suffer if converted to 23.98p, or when you’re building some animation or animated text roll that looks bad in 24 frames per second but looks better in 60 fields per second. Then I’d do as much as you can in 23.98p, add pulldown, bring that into a 29.97i cut and add in the rest.

[Mark Spano]

You are correct in that there is ONE way to do this in Compressor, and all other ways are wrong. This is the right way.

In the Encoding tab, under Video, choose your intended codec as the compression type.
Choose 29.97 fps.
If there is a checkbox for Interlaced, check it, and choose Top Field First.

In the Frame Controls tab, set as follows:
Frame Controls ON (uncheck the gear icon)
Resize: Fast
Output Fields: Top first
Deinterlace: Fast
Retiming: Fast

Save this preset and apply it to your 23.98 file. It will add the 2:3 pulldown cadence, giving you a perfect 29.97 fps interlaced file.

Oh, and check your work! Play the 29.97 fps file out to a broadcast monitor and enjoy the pulldown.

[Mark Spano]

FYI, if these are the specs, there is NOTHING that FTP transfer can do to convert PAL to NTSC. I would say it’s the other end user’s problem.

[Mark Spano]

I have FSI monitors here at the shop and they do the trick. Affordable and high quality to see interlace / field order issues and reproduce very well for grading.