HDV to SD-DVD: Best Results Simplified

[Jerry Davis]

I'm in the process of learning FCP(5.1). I shot a wedding in HD with an xha1, edited it and it runs about 45 minutes. I should have tried a short clip first but, unfortunately, I didn't. I'm learning you know. I went through Hughs' workflow and after 12 hours of processing in compressor, it stopped at 88% complete. Looking at what was processed as QT looked very good but NO audio. What have I missed and should this take so long to process? The processed file was 1.2GB. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[Peter Kraft]

To resize from HD to SD first establish a new sequence and choose the desired prefs,
for SD, e.g. PAL (in my case) and codec (preferred MJEPG A or B).
After activating that new sequence drop the HD sequence into that SD sequence as if it were a single clip, as you do with nesting sequences.
Re-render and export as QT or go directly into compressor. Done.

Alternative: Export QT movie (Can by "related movie", no need to spend HDD estate).
Open that QT in MPEGStreamClip.
Resize in MPEGStreamClip while watching the preview window and the progressive bar.
Save SD file. Open in Compressor. Done.

Personally, I prefer alternative 2, because I can either do de-interlacing either in MPSC or with DVMaker or RS-Fieldskit. DVMaker produces a wonderful motion blur out of the two interlace frames. This de-interlacing yields to far better down scaling of interlaced source material.

Hope this helps. P.

[Jerry Davis]

Thanks Peter for your response. I've been out of pocket for a few days. I'll check that out. Jerry

[Jeff Turkali]

Originally Posted by Hugh Walton

All that is needed is a simple side by side comparison. If you are happy with the results you are getting then don't bother. When I wrote the first post I was using Final Cut Studio 1, so perhaps the new version of Compressor corrects the problems I was having.

Thanks,
Hugh

So I finished a 60min. project and leveled all horizontal planes in landscape that needed it, ones that would benefit from matching to other cuts in the project. Using image-wireframe in the canvas I had a blast reworking many of these clips. The movie really took on a slicker look, I was happy as a clam even if I had to spend extra time to do it.

Ok, so everything worked out fine except one thing. Every clip that I used -image-wireframe on to straighten the horizon is now blown up to make only the center 40% of the picture show in the movie. In other words, the exact amount I blow up the frame is not exactly what is now blown up. There is some issue with aspect ration in just these tweaked clips.

I tried nesting the entire sequence and that did not work either. Something about dropping clips that have had wire-frame work into new different type sequences is not a good thing.

The only thing I can think of now is to go back and re-frame every shot that has this blown up effect, do it all again.

But I do like this was of going HDV to SD. I just hate what has happened to my work I spent some serious time on.

Any ideas would be welcome. But I might just be SOL I know.

Do you know about using image-wireframe to straighten out and level frames? Beautiful featrure in FCP, but ruined by this method of HDV to SD I'm fraid?