Best Delivery Format of HD Tradeshow Video at DVinfo.net

Jeff Krepner · April 25th, 2008, 10:59 AM

Hey Gang,

I'm not sure the best place for this thread, but since I'm editing with FCP this seems as good (or bad) as any.

Situation:

1) 3 minute tradeshow video that was shot in 1080i
2) They are using a Dell 1920x1080 LCD with component and PC ins at show

Options:

1) Somehow burn a HD-DVD and get them a loaner player for show
2) Export Timeline as a 1080 MP4 or MOV and hope they can play it from a Dell laptop over VGA
3) Burn regular SD-DVD and just let it be.

Assuming we try to play it from a laptop to a VGA (or DVI) input, what delivery format would be easiest for the laptop to deal with? I know it most likely won't be a powerhouse laptop.

I kind of hate the idea of trusting a laptop playing a HD video for 3 days straight. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
Jeff

John C. Plunkett · April 26th, 2008, 10:14 PM

If you have the available resources, Blu-Ray works great in this situation. The downside to this is that FCP doesn't do Blu-Ray at this point so you'd have to invest in a second NLE. I had to put together a project similar to the one you're working on and opted to go the Blu-Ray route using Sony Vegas to burn the discs. I fully edited the video in FCP and exported it as an h.264 encoded mov file then brought that into Vegas to burn. It worked for me because I already run two workstations that I'm always bouncing back and forth between and the PC already had Vegas on it. All in all it worked out really well, plus we now have a way to hard copy archive the raw MXF data from our HVX.

David W. Jones · April 27th, 2008, 09:09 AM

A Sony Playstation 3.

Jeff Krepner · April 28th, 2008, 06:47 PM

Thanks Guys. I'm also a Vegas user (well, more FCP now) but I'm still on Version 7, so no Blu-Ray for me. But David's option makes sense since (I think) PS3 will play H.426 files right off of a regular DVD.

John Cash · April 29th, 2008, 11:52 AM

Does it have to be a DVD? Why not just upload an HD file in WMVover the net download and play it with the laptop.

Jeff Krepner · April 29th, 2008, 01:28 PM

John,

That was my thought when i posted this, but I'm not sure their laptop will be able to handle playing HD files. I have a similar laptop that doesn't play HD-sized MP4 files without dropping frames. Perhaps I can try to encode as WMV and test.

Thanks.
Jeff

John Cash · April 29th, 2008, 01:39 PM

Its funny Jeff, I have only been doing this for a year but it seems to me that Windows media 9-11 is much better at web delivery that quicktime when using HD.
Im still learning but feel free to look at what I have up on my site. Most files are put up in both quicktime and wmv
see what you think

http://www.ridgelinevideo.com/videos/

Costco here in San Diego had one Toshiba HD3 HDdvd player left last weekend that I gladly paid 80 dollars for with the HDMI cable. So that could be an option...and of course Toast 9 supports bluray out of FCP

Jeff Krepner · April 29th, 2008, 01:44 PM

Thanks, I'll check it. My concern is whether or not the laptop they use will be fast enough. For the next show I'm going to make sure they have a better unit.

Lonnie Bell · April 29th, 2008, 02:28 PM

The easiest and cleanest route is to make a beautiful H.264 mov file. Install Quicktime for Windows on the Dell - the newest version of QT accepts the H.264 codec. In the view tab of QT click the LOOP option... Whalla! Pristine HD.

Lonnie

Lonnie Bell · April 29th, 2008, 02:30 PM

A DVI port to the dell would be best - if not - borrow somebody's recent model laptop with a DVI out...

Good luck,
Lonnie

April 25th, 2008, 10:59 AM	#1
Jeff Krepner Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Timonium, MD Posts: 142	Best Delivery Format of HD Tradeshow Video Hey Gang, I'm not sure the best place for this thread, but since I'm editing with FCP this seems as good (or bad) as any. Situation: 1) 3 minute tradeshow video that was shot in 1080i 2) They are using a Dell 1920x1080 LCD with component and PC ins at show Options: 1) Somehow burn a HD-DVD and get them a loaner player for show 2) Export Timeline as a 1080 MP4 or MOV and hope they can play it from a Dell laptop over VGA 3) Burn regular SD-DVD and just let it be. Assuming we try to play it from a laptop to a VGA (or DVI) input, what delivery format would be easiest for the laptop to deal with? I know it most likely won't be a powerhouse laptop. I kind of hate the idea of trusting a laptop playing a HD video for 3 days straight. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. Jeff

April 29th, 2008, 02:28 PM	#9
Lonnie Bell Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV United States Posts: 361	The easiest and cleanest route is to make a beautiful H.264 mov file. Install Quicktime for Windows on the Dell - the newest version of QT accepts the H.264 codec. In the view tab of QT click the LOOP option... Whalla! Pristine HD. Lonnie __________________ Lonnie Bell mamas boy productions Las Vegas, NV

April 29th, 2008, 02:30 PM	#10
Lonnie Bell Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV United States Posts: 361	A DVI port to the dell would be best - if not - borrow somebody's recent model laptop with a DVI out... Good luck, Lonnie __________________ Lonnie Bell mamas boy productions Las Vegas, NV

April 26th, 2008, 10:14 PM	#2
John C. Plunkett Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Illinois Posts: 130	If you have the available resources, Blu-Ray works great in this situation. The downside to this is that FCP doesn't do Blu-Ray at this point so you'd have to invest in a second NLE. I had to put together a project similar to the one you're working on and opted to go the Blu-Ray route using Sony Vegas to burn the discs. I fully edited the video in FCP and exported it as an h.264 encoded mov file then brought that into Vegas to burn. It worked for me because I already run two workstations that I'm always bouncing back and forth between and the PC already had Vegas on it. All in all it worked out really well, plus we now have a way to hard copy archive the raw MXF data from our HVX.

April 27th, 2008, 09:09 AM	#3
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	A Sony Playstation 3.

April 28th, 2008, 06:47 PM	#4
Jeff Krepner Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Timonium, MD Posts: 142	Thanks Guys. I'm also a Vegas user (well, more FCP now) but I'm still on Version 7, so no Blu-Ray for me. But David's option makes sense since (I think) PS3 will play H.426 files right off of a regular DVD.

April 29th, 2008, 11:52 AM	#5
John Cash Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 253	Does it have to be a DVD? Why not just upload an HD file in WMVover the net download and play it with the laptop.

April 29th, 2008, 01:28 PM	#6
Jeff Krepner Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Timonium, MD Posts: 142	John, That was my thought when i posted this, but I'm not sure their laptop will be able to handle playing HD files. I have a similar laptop that doesn't play HD-sized MP4 files without dropping frames. Perhaps I can try to encode as WMV and test. Thanks. Jeff

April 29th, 2008, 01:39 PM	#7
John Cash Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 253	Its funny Jeff, I have only been doing this for a year but it seems to me that Windows media 9-11 is much better at web delivery that quicktime when using HD. Im still learning but feel free to look at what I have up on my site. Most files are put up in both quicktime and wmv see what you think http://www.ridgelinevideo.com/videos/ Costco here in San Diego had one Toshiba HD3 HDdvd player left last weekend that I gladly paid 80 dollars for with the HDMI cable. So that could be an option...and of course Toast 9 supports bluray out of FCP

April 29th, 2008, 01:44 PM	#8
Jeff Krepner Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Timonium, MD Posts: 142	Thanks, I'll check it. My concern is whether or not the laptop they use will be fast enough. For the next show I'm going to make sure they have a better unit.