I need to output HD footage (1440 X 1080) to HDCAM SR for a broadcaster, who sent me their specs. I've never worked with that format before and need to know what to expect. I have some questions, sorry if they come off as noobery, I'm making the jump into a different league and this is completely alien to me. Feel free to answer any pertinent question I might not have asked:

- should the original footage and project be 60i, or is it acceptable to work in 30p?
- the broadcaster asked for the timecode on a "control track" (translating from the French). How is that different from a regular track in Premiere?
- what do I need to be able to have a lab output to an HDCAM SR tape? Do I pre-render (and if so, what format) or shoudl I save the project to an external HD and let the lab render and output to tape?
- The broadcaster asked for non-5.1 audio to be on tracks 1 & 2 for HD broadcast as well as 7 & 8 for SD broadcast. Do I just create 8 tracks, leave 3-6 empty, and the lab will output them properly to the HDCAM SR tape?

I'm sure this will all seem obvious to me once you explain it. Thanks in advance.

J.

I can't answer everything but here is what I know.

1) edit footage in original framerate and encode in 60i. If the footage hasn't been recorded yet, then use 30p because interlaced reduces the quality while recording.
2) can't remember but might be related to the HDCAM tape
3) Find out what the method the lab/business uses to write to the tape and what format they need.
4) This might work for the audio. I would ask the lab as they should know.

1) edit footage in original framerate and encode in 60i. If the footage hasn't been recorded yet, then use 30p because interlaced reduces the quality while recording.

Thanks Steve. So I should shoot and edit in 30p, and output to 60i?

J.

Yes, shoot in 30p and encode to 60i.

I think the 'Control Track' should relate to timecode at the very least. I googled HDCAM SR "Control Track" and this is what I have found so far.