HDV Widescreen to SD 4:3 Help Needed at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Cross-Platform Post Production Solutions > High Definition Video Editing Solutions

High Definition Video Editing Solutions
For all HD formats including HDV, HDCAM, DVCPRO HD and others.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 14th, 2006, 04:51 PM   #1
Major Player
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oregon
Posts: 213
HDV Widescreen to SD 4:3 Help Needed

I recently moved to HDV and am using the Cineform Aspect HD intermediate codec with Premier Pro 2.0 and Adobe AE 7.0. I shoot local commercials and political spots.

I need help with the best method to take my HDV (widescreen by its very nature) down to a SD 720x480 4:3 file to go out to cable and broadcast stations. What is the best way to get the big 1440x1080 file down to SD 4:3 and keep the proper aspect ratio (with the black bars top and bottom on the 4:3)? I even tried just opening a 4:3 file, importing the HDV footage and just scaling it down. Now, the image fit the 4:3 just fine, but the quality when simply scaling down was beyond crap.

Any advice would be much appreicated.
__________________
Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;
Devon Lyon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 14th, 2006, 05:27 PM   #2
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Elk Grove CA
Posts: 6,838
If I shoot something in HDV, but intend to have a finished product in SD, I would actually consider a downconvert from my FX1 during capture.

Second choice is to do the whole edit in HDV, then convert render the project to a DV Widescreen file. I am using Premiere Pro 2.0, or Vegas. Now that should play fine on most TVs these days, as they can actually detect the NTSC widescreen broadcast and will letter box it.

Thought I haven't done this one, another alternative after render is to the 16:9 wide DV is done, is to drag that to a Regular 4:3 project, and resize the footage to fit the screen properly, if the editor doesn't actually do it.
__________________
Chris J. Barcellos
Chris Barcellos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 14th, 2006, 08:48 PM   #3
Major Player
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oregon
Posts: 213
Chris, thanks for the feedback.

The reason I am so concerned with the 4:3 format is these particular projects will go to Beta SP for local cable and broadcast. As far as HDV to SD for DVD widescreen, that I have down perfectly and it looks great...it is just the darn 4:3 for TV submission.
__________________
Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;
Devon Lyon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 15th, 2006, 09:13 AM   #4
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by Devon Lyon
Chris, thanks for the feedback.
As far as HDV to SD for DVD widescreen, that I have down perfectly and it looks great....
Hi dev

what's your system or method for downconverting to sd dvd?
Brian Luce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 15th, 2006, 04:56 PM   #5
Major Player
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oregon
Posts: 213
Brian:

I export a full 1440x1080 finished project via the PPro 2.0 < Export <Movie<Cineform HD Codec.

I then open up the full 1440 x1080 file in TMPEGEnc and export as a DVD MPEG2 project widescreen at 720x480. I just let TMPEGEnc do the scale down to SD. I used to use Virtual Dub to convert to SD and then take it into TMPEGEnc for the MPEG2 converesion, but as far as my various tests have shown, TMPEGEnc is able to do a great job (much better than Adobe media encoder) at both the scale down and the MPEG2 export.

I imagine it works fine because I am staying in widescreen format.
__________________
Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;
Devon Lyon is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Cross-Platform Post Production Solutions > High Definition Video Editing Solutions

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:58 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network