Is the HVX for Me?

[James Steele]

I produce local and regional commercials and the occasional corporate video. The picture on my beloved 20 year old Beta camera just turned blue and I can not find it in my heart to repair it. I don't do a lot of shooting but it is necessary evil that I own a camera.
I edit on an Avid Xpress Pro with Mojo on a PC, I have heard that there are issues with the files from the HVX, will I have problems working with the files from the HVX with my PC Avid Xpress Pro?

[Chien Huey]

Originally Posted by James Steele

I edit on an Avid Xpress Pro with Mojo on a PC, I have heard that there are issues with the files from the HVX, will I have problems working with the files from the HVX with my PC Avid Xpress Pro?

You need to upgrade to Avid Xpress Pro HD (only available for the PC). I got the upgrade from Avidstore (http://www.avidstore.com/index.cfm?p...&categoryid=69)
. There's a downloadable upgrade from v. 4.x to v. 5.2 (HD) for $49.95 for the PC. I downloaded that, upgraded my dongle and I was off editing my DVCPROHD files.

A slight hassle is involved in getting the MXF files to a place that Xpress Pro can recognize them. Basically you have to copy the audio and video MXFs into the "*:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\1" directory - where * is your drive letter. Only then will Xpress Pro recognize your files in Media Tool.

[James Steele]

Thanks Chein,
I also do a lot of work in Aftereffects, do I down convert to SD for my work in aftereffects and also for output to Beta SP?
And if I am going to do that should I just shoot in DV? Or is it the quality going to be better to shoot in HD and Down Convert it in Post?

[Chien Huey]

Originally Posted by James Steele

I also do a lot of work in Aftereffects, do I down convert to SD for my work in aftereffects and also for output to Beta SP?
And if I am going to do that should I just shoot in DV? Or is it the quality going to be better to shoot in HD and Down Convert it in Post?

Quality is definitely going to be better if you shoot in HD and down convert to SD for delivery (hence why most TV is still shot on film or HD for audience watching on SD sets). Correct, for BetaSP delivery you'd downconvert from HD. One option is to shoot DVCPRO50 on the HVX which is less compressed w/ better color-sampling while still being SD and native 16:9.

I don't know much about After Effects. Though unless AE supports HD you'd probably have to downconvert.

[Cassidy Bisher]

Down Convert after you have done your compositing in After effects, you have much more resolution to work with... keying, rotoscoping. Why not shoot in HD and downconvert afterwords so you have a HD master sequence? This would have been a nightmare to do roto work in DV..

http://www.motivitypictures.com/hvx2...composite.html

But maybe your just throwing titles on things, and DV will be fine. I have never shot any DV, after seeing and working with HD resolution.

Originally Posted by James Steele

Thanks Chein,
I also do a lot of work in Aftereffects, do I down convert to SD for my work in aftereffects and also for output to Beta SP?
And if I am going to do that should I just shoot in DV? Or is it the quality going to be better to shoot in HD and Down Convert it in Post?

[James Steele]

I am currently using Aftereffects 5.0 will that recognize HD files?