SD to HDV at DVinfo.net

Steve Rosen · January 9th, 2006, 10:07 AM

This may have been covered elsewhere, but if it has I can't find it, and it's something most of us will have to deal with at some point...

I am shooting two projects with the H1 in which I will need to integrate a small amount of DV footage shot previously with my DSR300 (4x3) and XL2 (16x9)...

Is there a software sollution for this, either existing or in the wings? If not, what are the hardware options?

As I said, I'm shooting HDV with the H1, my deck is the Sony SOHVRM10U, I'm editing (currently) on a G4 1.25 dual (Final Cut 5.0.4), have a G5 quad on the way. Anyone got any ideas? Steve Rosen

A. J. deLange · January 9th, 2006, 10:32 AM

There are probably lots of ways to skin this cat. You might want to start by opening your SD footage in Quicktime and re-exporting it in another size. I think exporting from FCP will let you do the same thing (it's based on QT). FCP is so powerful I wouldn't be surprised if it would let you just import the SD stuff and automatically uprez it for you so you might want to spend some time cruising the FCP documentation.

Steve Rosen · January 9th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Thanks for your reply.. I did try that, and it looks okay, but not as good as it looks on the same screen directly from an SD timeline... I would hope that now (or soon) there would be a way to keep the resolution...

I realize that it won't intercut seamlessly with the HDV footage, but it isn't necessary in this case... I just want to be able to use it without sacrificing any quality... I've read several articles/reviews of Kona products, but that would apparently require a more sophisticated deck...

I would prefer a software sollution, since the footage is already in the computer, but would consider any option that preserves or improves resolution... Steve Rosen

Kevin Wild · January 9th, 2006, 11:07 AM

I've actually been surprised how well nicely shot DV will scale up to HD in Final Cut Pro. All I did was resize it up and it looked pretty decent still. Of course, your 4 x 3 ftg will still be 4 x 3.

KW

Jonas Nystrom · January 9th, 2006, 11:09 AM

...as I know, you cant mix HDV and SD clips in the same seqence in FCP, as you can on AVID (I think thats the one, using FCP myself) or others...

Kevin Wild · January 9th, 2006, 11:55 AM

Sure you can, just not real time. You'll just have to render it.

KW

Steve Rosen · January 9th, 2006, 12:05 PM

Kevin: Did you resize it in the timeline or export it as an HDV QT movie? I exported mine, and, as I said, it looks pretty good, but not as good as the original. Just want to know what my options are...

Kevin Wild · January 9th, 2006, 12:19 PM

I just resized in the timeline. Any time you blow something up to 2-3 times it's original size, it's definitely not going to look "as good." There are definitely different solutions that scale in different ways, but I don't know how much better it'll really get than just scaling it up in the timeline in FCP.

There will be many headaches like this over the next couple years as we make the transition to HD content!

Hope it helps.

KW

Steve Rosen · January 9th, 2006, 12:26 PM

Helps a lot, thanks.. and yes, there will be many headaches, and other parts aching as well... the cutting edge is sharp...

FYI: Just tried resizing (I think it was 226%) and it does look better than the export...

Per Johan Naesje · January 10th, 2006, 02:20 AM

Steve, I am running Avid Liquid 7.0, and you can mix SD an HD content on the same timeline without any rendering!
In fact you can edit DV, MPEG I-frame, MPEG IBP, uncompressed SD, Windows Media, DIVX and MPEG-4, as well as HDV, in the same timeline.

Downside are that this NLE run only on PC.

You may read more her:
http://www.avid.com/products/liquid/

- Per Johan

Kevin Wild · January 10th, 2006, 08:15 AM

I would guess FCP is moving this way, too. Look for it at NAB in FCP6, be it Extreme or not. This FCP SHOULD be the total, groundup rebuild we've been waiting for that is optimized for the OS. One of the new things will hopefully be mixing resolutions in the timeline.

KW

January 9th, 2006, 10:07 AM	#1
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	SD to HDV This may have been covered elsewhere, but if it has I can't find it, and it's something most of us will have to deal with at some point... I am shooting two projects with the H1 in which I will need to integrate a small amount of DV footage shot previously with my DSR300 (4x3) and XL2 (16x9)... Is there a software sollution for this, either existing or in the wings? If not, what are the hardware options? As I said, I'm shooting HDV with the H1, my deck is the Sony SOHVRM10U, I'm editing (currently) on a G4 1.25 dual (Final Cut 5.0.4), have a G5 quad on the way. Anyone got any ideas? Steve Rosen

January 9th, 2006, 11:09 AM	#5
Jonas Nystrom Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Posts: 306	Not that powerful... ...as I know, you cant mix HDV and SD clips in the same seqence in FCP, as you can on AVID (I think thats the one, using FCP myself) or others... __________________ Jonas Nyström, DoP :: HOT SHOT® SWEDEN :: www.hotshot.nu :: RED #1567, RED 18-50mm T3 :: XL A1, Letus Extreme :: XL H1, 20X & 6X lens (for sale) :: www.vimeo.com/nystrom

January 10th, 2006, 02:20 AM	#10
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Avid Liquid Steve, I am running Avid Liquid 7.0, and you can mix SD an HD content on the same timeline without any rendering! In fact you can edit DV, MPEG I-frame, MPEG IBP, uncompressed SD, Windows Media, DIVX and MPEG-4, as well as HDV, in the same timeline. Downside are that this NLE run only on PC. You may read more her: http://www.avid.com/products/liquid/ - Per Johan

January 9th, 2006, 10:32 AM	#2
A. J. deLange Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: McLean, VA United States Posts: 749	There are probably lots of ways to skin this cat. You might want to start by opening your SD footage in Quicktime and re-exporting it in another size. I think exporting from FCP will let you do the same thing (it's based on QT). FCP is so powerful I wouldn't be surprised if it would let you just import the SD stuff and automatically uprez it for you so you might want to spend some time cruising the FCP documentation.

January 9th, 2006, 11:04 AM	#3
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Thanks for your reply.. I did try that, and it looks okay, but not as good as it looks on the same screen directly from an SD timeline... I would hope that now (or soon) there would be a way to keep the resolution... I realize that it won't intercut seamlessly with the HDV footage, but it isn't necessary in this case... I just want to be able to use it without sacrificing any quality... I've read several articles/reviews of Kona products, but that would apparently require a more sophisticated deck... I would prefer a software sollution, since the footage is already in the computer, but would consider any option that preserves or improves resolution... Steve Rosen

January 9th, 2006, 11:07 AM	#4
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	I've actually been surprised how well nicely shot DV will scale up to HD in Final Cut Pro. All I did was resize it up and it looked pretty decent still. Of course, your 4 x 3 ftg will still be 4 x 3. KW

January 9th, 2006, 11:55 AM	#6
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	Sure you can, just not real time. You'll just have to render it. KW

January 9th, 2006, 12:05 PM	#7
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Kevin: Did you resize it in the timeline or export it as an HDV QT movie? I exported mine, and, as I said, it looks pretty good, but not as good as the original. Just want to know what my options are...

January 9th, 2006, 12:19 PM	#8
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	I just resized in the timeline. Any time you blow something up to 2-3 times it's original size, it's definitely not going to look "as good." There are definitely different solutions that scale in different ways, but I don't know how much better it'll really get than just scaling it up in the timeline in FCP. There will be many headaches like this over the next couple years as we make the transition to HD content! Hope it helps. KW

January 9th, 2006, 12:26 PM	#9
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Helps a lot, thanks.. and yes, there will be many headaches, and other parts aching as well... the cutting edge is sharp... FYI: Just tried resizing (I think it was 226%) and it does look better than the export...

January 10th, 2006, 08:15 AM	#11
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	I would guess FCP is moving this way, too. Look for it at NAB in FCP6, be it Extreme or not. This FCP SHOULD be the total, groundup rebuild we've been waiting for that is optimized for the OS. One of the new things will hopefully be mixing resolutions in the timeline. KW