Walter Biscardi
Forum Replies Created
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All I can say is we’ve done splits here as well and honestly, there really is no way the HD-SDI capture could look better than firewire since it’s just digital information coming in. What you will see is if you start to add filters, the quality will be different in the uncompressed timeline, but again,t that depends on how many filters and what type.
We’ve done a split of a DVCPro HD Firewire Capture, DVCPro via HD-SDI at uncompressed and an AVID DS/HD capture of DVCPro via HD-SDI and in all cases, the captured video looked identical.
Comparing DV/25 vs. 8bit and DVCPro HD / 720 Uncompressed are not the same at all. It’s really an apples and oranges comparison since there’s a huge difference between DV/25 and DVCPro HD. With straight DV footage, you always want to work in uncompressed so your graphics don’t take a bit quality hit. With DVCPro HD, that’s not the case. I’m also finding that the filters hold up very well with DVCPro HD. It just depends on what you’re doing which will determine whether you want to go Firewire or Uncompressed on the way in.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Kat] “Even when I am using the same long stream of audio for the different shots of video? Or do I just splice where it pops and put a cross dissolve there?
Thank you”No, actually you should not hear any pops in the audio if there is no edit. I’ve not experienced a video transition causing an audio pop in FCP. If your video levels were too hot, then you could get a buzz in the audio, but I’m no sure how a video transition can cause and audio hit.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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You just need to put some cross dissolves on your audio tracks. You’ll hear a pop often when there is no transition going into an audio track. That is, a cut in the audio. Simply add a very short cross dissolve like 10 frames.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Fred Connors Jr] “However, we also believe the SDI/HDI into the KONA2 and down sampled to DV25, DV50, or DV100 “looks” the same as FireWire in of the same sources. We test this with a Panasonic HD1200A that had both the FireWIre and SDI/HDI options installed. We tried it with DV25, DV50 and DVCPRHD (DV100). We could not detect a difference in the Decompressed HDI -> Recompressed DVCPRO and the FireWire -> DVCPRO direct.”
Actually, you should be able to see a difference using that method since you’ve doubled the compression. You take a DVCPro HD tape which is already compressed. Run it into the Kona 2 and ask it to compress it again. I can see the added artifacts when viewing an image that has been captured this way.
If you’re going to come in HD-SDI, then stay at 720 uncompressed, don’t apply the DVCPro HD codec. I’ve done the side by side comparison of Firewire DVCPro HD capture vs. HD-SDI Uncompressed capture of a DVCPro HD tape and they are identical. But apply the DVCPro HD codec to the HD-SDI capture and there’s a difference.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[dan luke] “Is it better, the same, or worse to digitize using the dvcprohd codec through the Kona card as opposed to firewire? Logistically it’s simpler to just run it through the sdi connector but is the signal transcoded to hd-sdi in the deck and transcoded back to dvcprohd in the card? Doesn’t this dual transcoding cycle cause wear and tear on your virgin digits?”
For straight DVCPro HD, just come in and out via Firewire. If you come in HD-SDI, then come in uncompressed. Do not set up your Kona 2 to capture at DVCPro HD via the SDI input because that will simply add another round of DVCPro HD compression.
I’ve found that capturing DVCPro HD via Firewire and Uncompressed via HD-SDI yield identical capture results. There is no difference in picture quality. Some folks have a problem with editing in a DVCPro HD timeline due to the compression hit you will take with all the renders. To my eye, I’m not seeing a quality hit from the original so on this current project I’m working on, all 7 episodes are being captured Firewire, edited in DVCPro HD with filters, then output back via Firewire to DVCPro HD.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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when you’re editing the project, are you using an external television to monitor the timeline? You can’t use your computer Canvas screen to edit video that will end up on a television precisely due to interlacing issues that can arise.
Ensure that your timeline is set for the correct field dominance, generally lower for NTSC and upper for PAL, and ensure that all of your renders are set to render in Fields.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Ivan Yousif] ”
I own 5 lacie disks including the 500 gig disk. I’ve had nothing but problems. Lacie BLOWS!”Very professional statement there. LaCie is a rock solid device when used properly and maintained properly. I’ve been running the Big Disk Extreme for over a year with everything from DV to 10bit uncompressed with no issues. The units move around from system as needed and have not had a hiccup.
Are the problematic LaCie products out there? Sure, but show me one drive manufacturer that doesn’t. It’s a piece of hardware, it will fail, especially if it’s not taken care of properly.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Ivan Yousif] “I’ve never had as many problems with other hard drives then the Lacie. I don’t know what HD they use in their cases. What ever it is IT SUCKS. Yeah Lacie will replace your hd not the material you lost. Do yourself a favor and toss your hard drive quick.”
That’s funny because LaCie has been rock solid here for over a year. We run the Big Disk Extreme (500GB model) with everything from DV to 10bit uncompressed. The drive hops around from system to system as needed with no issues.
I’ve also recommended the unit to quite a few people and they all seem to like them as well.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[AJA Sales Department] “The D5CE is a standard-def converter, not HD capable.”
Well that certainly explains that! Good to know.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Steve Courtney] “Walter, (Wally?)”
I’ll answer to both, especially if there’s food involved. 🙂
[Steve Courtney] “Anyway, thanks for the tip. This basically doubles the number of effects on my system, which means flashier promos, which means happier clients.”
Glad we could help. It’s just a great widget set of filters and effects. Even the simple DVE’s in the Distort pack are just great for rotating and flipping things and you’ll love the lighting effects too.
Enjoy!
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters