Capturing HDV footage as ProRes 422?

[Mark Kenfield]

Hey guys,

I've tried searching the answer to this all over the place but can't find any solid answer to my question:

Can you capture HDV footage (i.e. footage captured to tape from an HDV camera) into Final Cut Pro 6 using the ProRes 422 codec? (i.e. perform the transcoding from interframe to intraframe compression when you initially capture the footage on to your computer.)

That is, can you do this to avoid having to capture your footage into FCP6 as HDV and then spend the extra time transcoding the HDV into ProRes? I know that you can capture ProRes 422 from an HDV camera using a capture card, but that's not what I'm interested in. I just want to figure out the most streamlined process for getting HDV footage into intraframe codec so that I can edit it smoothly.

Is this possible? Or do I have to capture my footage as HDV first and then transcode?

I will be using a Mac Pro for this.

[Iain Anderson]

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

Hey guys,

I've tried searching the answer to this all over the place but can't find any solid answer to my question:

Can you capture HDV footage (i.e. footage captured to tape from an HDV camera) into Final Cut Pro 6 using the ProRes 422 codec? (i.e. perform the transcoding from interframe to intraframe compression when you initially capture the footage on to your computer.)

That is, can you do this to avoid having to capture your footage into FCP6 as HDV and then spend the extra time transcoding the HDV into ProRes? I know that you can capture ProRes 422 from an HDV camera using a capture card, but that's not what I'm interested in. I just want to figure out the most streamlined process for getting HDV footage into intraframe codec so that I can edit it smoothly.

Is this possible? Or do I have to capture my footage as HDV first and then transcode?

I will be using a Mac Pro for this.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I think the answer is no.

The HDV capture preset is not editable, nor can HDV be selected as a capture device when making a custom preset. The presets (HDV and HDV>AIC) are all you have. I think you're down to an HDMI capture or a capture+transcode.

[Geoff Dills]

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

I just want to figure out the most streamlined process for getting HDV footage into intraframe codec so that I can edit it smoothly.

just curious why you think you can't edit hdv smoothly? cuts like butter for me and I'm using a dualcore 2.3 ghz non-intel mac

[Iain Anderson]

Originally Posted by Geoff Dills

just curious why you think you can't edit hdv smoothly? cuts like butter for me and I'm using a dualcore 2.3 ghz non-intel mac

Actually, that's a fair question -- there's no need to leave HDV for simple editing. My MacBook Pro deals with HDV without any problems, even with real-time effects. When you start colour-correcting or adding more complex effects, you will likely see quality benefits from intra-frame encoding. For that, convert later; save time and space transcoding only what you need to.

Is anyone having any issues with HDV in Final Cut Pro that transcoding deals with?

[Mark Silva]

If your machine can cut HDV smoothly, then capture it and edit it as HDV, then when your done, delete all the renders and change the codec on the sequence to ProRes and export your timeline.

You will achive the exact same results as if you transcoded it, but without all the extra work.

[Michael Palmer]

Ken
Here is what you need to convert Sony (or compatible) HDV in real time to ProRez 422 codec.
A Mac Pro Intel, Final Cut Studio #2, either the Sony 1500 or M25U decks, or any camera with an HDMI port like the Sony V1U or I believe the JVC BR-HD50 deck will work as well, the Convergent Design Nano or MI-Connect for all HDMI flows converting to HD-SDI, an HD-SDI capture card and proper storage that handles SD uncompressed. This is how you can get to ProRez in one step.
In July you can also use the AJA I/O HD to HDV in and ProRez out via firewire into any Mac with proper storage.

[Brett Sherman]

I've tried to set up my Intel Mac Pro system to capture ProRes 422 from HDV via HDMI through an Intensity Pro card. It works so long as you don't want deck control or timecode. FCP 6 seems unable to control an HDV deck via Firewire while capturing video from Hardware. If you set deck control as HDV, then it will only capture HDV. Editing in HDV isn't bad though. And you can set your render settings to render to ProRes 422 even while keeping your timeline HDV, that way rendered effects won't go down a generation of HDV.

[Les Caudle]

Brett - FedEx is bringing my Intensity today for use with a Canon HV20.

Once you have the ProRes captured, what is your workflow?

Is the resulting proRes interlaced with pulldown added?

If so, what are your steps to remove this (had someone on FCP forum tell me that I didn't want to remove pulldown, I'm a bit confused).

This tech note from Apple seems to suggest removing this, but this workflow is for HDV, not uncompressed:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306389

My end result will be Flash for the web (I've been told I certainly want to deinterlace), DVD and hopefully transport stream that my HDTV video server can handle.

Thanks!

[Tony Sal]

You can capture from HDV to ProRes on the fly just by using the Firewire connection. No video cards are required. Just plug up your camera or deck to you mac with the firewire cable and select proress as your capture preset. It will do the conversion as it's capturing. Depending on your Mac's specs it may lag behind (slightly slower than real time) but at the bottom of then capture window it will tell you how far behind real time it is.
On my Intel 2.8Ghz Core 2 Extreme it does the conversion in real time (no lag).

Hope this helps

[Tony Sal]

Here is an Article I found regarding the process of HDV to ProRes.

I should have stated to select the HDV-ProRes Preset for capturing.

http://library.creativecow.net/artic...hdv-prores.php

Good Luck.