HDV tape to Capture 16:9 DV anamorphic

[Douglas Villalba]

I tryed capturing from the FX1 a HDV tape to DV 16:9. What I got was a 4:3 letterbox timeline.
My final delivery is DVD and I wanted 16:9 for 16:9 TV and letterbox for 4:3 TVs.
I use FCP5 and DVDSP4. What is the best way?

I know to capture HDV and go direct to compress for DVD but it just takes to long to process. I just want a DV anamorphic 16:9

[Chris Barcellos]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

I tryed capturing from the FX1 a HDV tape to DV 16:9. What I got was a 4:3 letterbox timeline.
My final delivery is DVD and I wanted 16:9 for 16:9 TV and letterbox for 4:3 TVs.
I use FCP5 and DVDSP4. What is the best way?

I know to capture HDV and go direct to compress for DVD but it just takes to long to process. I just want a DV anamorphic 16:9

I am unclear what your are indicating problem is. Then I am new at this. I ve just had my FX1 a short time, and did one capture in DV 16:9. I did download to DV editing, and I seem to recall what I got was a 4:3 frame with the black bars at top and bottom. As I recall, this is the same as I would get with my VX 2000. That raised a concern for me, and I am wondering if that is what you are also concerned about.

[Douglas Villalba]

You are right. I am getting the the black lines. I want true 16:9 in my timeline.
I just recapture about a minute to test it agin. This time instead of capturing anamorphic I just captue 4:3 and that seems to work. I'll get back to you later to let you know.

[Shannon Rawls]

Douglas,

I don't think the FX1 has a CROP feature like the Z1U, but just in case, make sure you captured your footage as "SQUEEZED" in the FX1 menus. That will ensure you are capturing your HDV footage in anamorphic. In Final Cut Pro, since I think you are downconverting to DV, please make sure you have your capture settings to ANAMORPHIC as well, and 16:9 is checked. By doing this, the capture window will be stretched, but the final video will be correct. If you are getting black lines, then it seems your sequence (timeline) settings are for 4:3 project. You must change the sequence settings to 16:9 anamorphic. After that, all should be well.

- ShannonRawls.com

[Douglas Villalba]

As well intended as you are, your answer to my question is incorrect. The image that you get from the FX1 down converting is already stretched, so you don't have to set it as anamorphic. That was exactly my problem, I was assuming that I had to set it anamorphic on capture. It does go on an anamorphic timeline.

[Shannon Rawls]

I'm glad you worked out the anamorphic issue....

- ShannonRawls

[Dave Perry]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

I just want a DV anamorphic 16:9

Douglas,

By definition, DV footage is 720x480 whether it's shot 16:9 or 4:3. There are 2 methods for creating the 16:9 widescreen footage in the camera. The cheap way is to crop the top and botom off. This results in the fram being stretched vertically when it's fit to the standard DV 720x480 frame. This is the bad way because you loose 1/3 of your resolution.

The better way is refered to as true 16:9 or native 16:9. The camera has a sensor that is configured to capture an image that is 854x480. This is then put into the 720x480 frame and again the image looks stretched vertically but in reality it's squished horizontally. Note, I'm using the technical terms, stretch and squish :) This method keeps the full 480 lines of resolution.

The reason you are getting letterboxing in your timeline is because the timeline is set up as 4:3 rather than 16:9.

Take everything out of the timeline and change it's settings to anamorphic. Then put your clips back in the timeline and they will fit properly and not need rendering. Change its settings by control clicking on it and checking the Anamorphic box. When finised editing, export using "QuickTime Movie", NOT "QuickTime Conversion". Make sure it's self contained and you'll have a master for archiving and converting to MPEG2 for DVD authoring.

As for DVD SP4, I don't use it. I use FCP 5 and DVD SP3 and A.Pack. I use BitVice to encode to MPEG2.

In DVD SP you select your track and in the inspector palatte choose "16:9 letterbox". This will yield a DVD that will play 16:9 letterboxed on a 4:3 set and full widescreen on a 16:9 set.

[Douglas Villalba]

Originally Posted by Dave Perry

Douglas,

By definition, DV footage is 720x480 whether it's shot 16:9 or 4:3. There are 2 methods for creating the 16:9 widescreen footage in the camera.

Thank you for your explanation.

That was what I was doing and it was giving me the letterboxing instead of true 16:9. I was using the easy setup but changed it to anamorphic when capturing. I got it to work right by just using ther easy setup (not selecting anamorphic) I know it doesn't make sence, but it is working fine.

[Douglas Villalba]

I want to thank evryone that sincerely try to answer my question. I've my answer so if a moderator is around feel free to close this thread.

[Douglas Villalba]

Oh, for those of you with Macs FCP 5.0.4. is out.

[Dave Perry]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

Oh, for those of you with Macs FCP 5.0.4. is out.

Thanks Douglas for the FCP update. Can't wait to download it.

[Douglas Villalba]

Nice page Dave, Love you work.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

I've my answer so if a moderator is around feel free to close this thread.

I think it's probably a good time to take you up on this suggestion Douglas. This thread is now closed.