DVCHD PRO 720 60p

[pasto1 0]

Hi,

 

Might not be the right place to ask but I am quite stuck.

I have a kona aja card linked in HDSDI to a DVC HD PRO VCR and I need to capture the best quality in 60p (59,94 actually).

 

 

I have only a software raid that can give me 100 mB/, but the capture can't stand anything better than PRO RES 422 HQ so far.

Shouldn't I be able to capture in uncompressed 8 bit with this config ? What would be the best codec to use (this is green screen footage, I need to use AE's keylight on those, and the pro res 422 HQ is giving me bad result so far (very grainy).

 

thx a lot for your help.

Edited May 14, 2008 by pasto1

[aspekt 0]

why do you need to capture uncompressed? just go in firewire out of the deck I assume you're using final cut right? bring it in DVCproHD 720p59.94. you should ahve no issues pulling a key from that.

Edited May 14, 2008 by aspekt

[pasto1 0]

Ok, so no difference of quality (in order to key) between DCVPRO HD and uncompressed 8 bit ?

 

 

thx a lot

[aspekt 0]

I key DVCproHD all the time. It's 4:2:2

[aspekt 0]

though if you're still getting that noise...someone may have iris'd up a bit on the cam, in which case...well, good luck.

[basilisk 0]

Ok, so no difference of quality (in order to key) between DCVPRO HD and uncompressed 8 bit ?

 

The footage on the tape is already compressed with DVCPRO HD, so you can't "add quality back in" by converting it to uncompressed.

If your original source was captured uncompressed then there might be a reason to keep it that way (with attendant huge file sizes), but it is usually best to keep footage in the original codec unless there is a good reason not to (such as long GOP mpeg codecs like HDV not working well with AE). Final Cut Pro works fine with most HD codecs.

[filmbot 0]

remember to prores doesn't support alpha channels and your frame size with DVCPROHD will be at 960x720.

if your getting noise as well they could have OIS on in cam stabilizing which is a no no .

there is a diff betwenn 8 bit and dvcprohd .

simply dvcprohd is compressed and 8 bit is not .

You dont need to go uncompressed if you dont need to as long as it was correctly lit and shot your good.

[pasto1 0]

Ok guys, thanx a lot for your answers. Really helpful.

[ianfreeze 1]

DVCPRO HD is a solid codec, as everyone said. The main difference between DVCPRO HD and PRORES 422 is that pro res is full raster (1280x720) while DVCPRO HD used rectangular pixels at less than full raster (960x720). DVCPRO HD is also an 8 bit codec while PRORES is a 10 bit codec. Neither of these codecs support transparency.

 

Hope that helps a little!

[pasto1 0]

Helped a lot, thank you very much.

 

The internal software RAID is way faster than the sonnet card esata can provide with the external disks.

The AJA capture app is quite buggy but made the job.

 

The grain is quite heavy on some shots. Any specific keyer might be better than Keylight on this ?

 

thx.

Edited May 14, 2008 by pasto1

[Duder 0]

The only reason to capture to uncompressed or ProRes is if you're getting it straight from the cameras head (not from tape) via HD-SDI or HDMI. If it's tape, capture natively in FCP via FireWire. Since it's tape, FCP needs to do some pulldowns to make it proper 60p.

[ianfreeze 1]

"The only reason to capture to uncompressed or ProRes is if you're getting it straight from the cameras head (not from tape) via HD-SDI or HDMI. If it's tape, capture natively in FCP via FireWire. Since it's tape, FCP needs to do some pulldowns to make it proper 60p."

 

Havok, Ill have to disagree with you there. Capturing over firewire is not the ideal way to ingest footage, your timecode can get screwed up, you can get audio drift, among any other number of problems. The ideal way to capture is the tried and true HDSDI hose into your AJA card, along with RS422 cable for deck control and TC. I'm not trying to start a flame war, I've just read enough horror stories about FW to know that there are better ways to do things if you have the tools.

[Duder 0]

But capturing DVCPROHD via firewire is just a file transfer, just like DV. Hey if you have the gear to output via HD-SDI from a DVCPROHD tape, and the space to work with it, fine by me, capture to ProRes...but you won't gain anything since it's already compressed and DVCPROHD is 8bit.