720/25pN & 720/50p FCP workaround for HVX200E
 

Looks like there's a way now to use HVX 720/25P, 720/25pN, and 720/50P footage in FCP. The guys at Imagine Products have incorporated a file conversion tool into HD Log that imbeds a 50p stream within a 60p stream that makes it FCP-compatible. Not sure exactly how it works, but it sounds promising.

There's a downloadable demo version posted on their website at http://www.imagineproducts.com/dl_form_hdlg.htm

This is very interesting! I couldn't find any info on this on their site Barry, where did you hear/see this?

Anyway I just downloaded the demo and tried a 720p25 file - the file imports and plays inside HD Log. When I exported it, Quicktime Player reports it as 'DVCPRO HD 720p50' at 50fps - so that seems to work and I was not given any extra options inside HD Log so it must be automatic.

What's strange is that there is no such 720p50 Apple DVCPRO HD codec! Yet this is exactly how Quicktime Player reports it - codec names usually come straight from the codec bundle but for 720p the Apple DVCPRO HD codec has only ever shown as 24, 30 and 60. It seems to me that this DVCPRO HD codec could easily be enabled/extended for 25 and 50?

Inside FCP however, it is reported as DVCPRO HD 720p60 at 50fps. I could not set up a custom sequence template to work with the clip as FCP has no 50 option for FPS.

Very intriguing though - thanks for looking out for us PAL people Barry!

Mark

Perhaps this should be another thread but it's so related to this PAL group:

Are people shooting with the HVX200E and Editing in FCP? If so, how? Are you limiting yourselves to 1080i? Is that the best option for now. What are the other options for we who shoot PAL. Or are you HVX200E owners just waiting for the update of FCP? Is it better to buy an NTSC version of the HVX200, shoot in 24P and later use Compressor to convert to 25P? (with the added advantage of being able to shoot 60fps for extra smooth slowmo as compared to 50fps)?

Also, how does the 1080i converted to 576P look later? I imagine it'd give you greater flexibility in Post to zoom in and crop later without noticable pixelation (like shooting film.)


PS: I'm leaving Tues to shoot for 6 days and still haven't decided if to shoot from our DVX100AE or rent (buy?) and HVX200E, so I need to decide right away on the following matter.

Tks tons!
Mike