Difference between 60 & 50 (1080i)
 

IN FCP Express I see to choose to capture 1080i 60 or 50, is there any difference? I also see 720p 30, whats the point of that? thanks.

I'm on sony hc3

anyone know?

They are the framerates that the video follow at.

50 is PAL's framerate, 60 is NTSC's framerate.

720p30 is the format used by a early JVC HDV camera.

You're using an NTSC model so you MUST capture using the 1080i60 preset.

Frame rate
 

Well, 1080i stays for 1080 vertical lines, interlaced. This means each frame is made of two different fields, alternate by halfs (NSTC) or by lines (PAL). However, 50i or 60i mean the nominal frequency of the power system: 60 Hz in the USA and 50 Hz in Europe (and other countries). The frame rates are: 30 frames per second for 60i (60 fields per second) and 25 frames per second for 50i.
720p (30 or 25) is the lower high definition system: 720 vertical lines, but progressive scan: this means: no fields (half frame), but 30 (or 25) frames per second (similar to 24 fps of "old" movies).
Please note that data rate (bits per second) for 1080i and 720p is quite the same (not the definition!).

thanks for that Milan

Important question:

Before I got this answer I captured a short project in Codec 1080i50.

My editor has been editing from clips and everythign seems fine. Can something come back to haunt me as it was not captured in Codec 1080i60?

If your target is PAL then no you have nothing to worry about…

Sorry, don't know what that means, if my target is...

I captured it in 50, the clips look fine, editor has made quicktime files. look good, what could be the problem? later when go make DVDs? thanks.

Actually, only thing I see that changes in Easy set up between the 50 & 60 is says Device Control Preset, one is pal other ntsc.

But once it's successfully captured, even mistaking at 50, am i ok now.
I hope I'm clear here.

- 50i implies 50 interlaced fields (or 25 frames) per second, meaning PAL timing, encoding, and size (if applicable).
- 60i implies 60 interlaced fields (or 30 frames) per second, meaning NTSC timing, encoding, and size (if applicable).

If this is for your own consumption, then you know what your system is capable of and you have already tested it and found no problems in displaying the content. If you are doing it for a client: Can you guarantee that his equipment will be capable of displaying the same? What if you have 100 clients each with different player/display? Standards are there for a reason. Yes, it is working on your system but don’t count on it 100% of the time.

Do as you wish. My advice to you is: If your target is NTSC then shoot NTSC, etc.
There maybe artistic reasons for shooting at different frame rates and sizes, but the final output should always be converted to your target system.
Don’t relay on the DVD player to convert it for you, each brand, and each model will do it differently. At the end, your client maybe disappointed.

If you do the same for broadcast TV, your material will be refused at the door.

Robert, I'm the client. although I may want to distribute my own DVD later. Obviuosly this mistake wont happen again. I'm just asking about the current predicament.

Hi Kevin.........
 

I may be wrong (I'm sure it will be pointed out in pretty short order if so) but whilst you're playing with your 50i stuff on the pc it will probably look and be fine.

The problem will come when, having burned it to a DVD for display, you post it into a DVD player attached to a NTSC telly, and then it will go extremely unhappy very quick indeed - unless you DVD player/ telly combo can indeed handle PAL 50 signals, which would be suprising indeed seeing as how you live in NTSC 60 land.

(I would add quickly that many PAL systems can indeed handle NTSC encoded stuff, just doesn't seem all that common the other way around)

Don't get me wrong, it won't (er, shouldn't) damage anything, it'll just look, er, sad.

Does this make it any clearer?


CS

i haven't tried this in final cut but i am fairly convinced that the capture setting needs to be chose to match that of your camera (i.e. NTSC 60i and PAL 50i) and that an incorrect setting means either:

1) it wont capture at all
2) it will capture fine but the file will claim its 50i although it is actually 60i

something like that

there is no way FC is actually performing a conversion. so if you can watch the captured video i would say you have nothing to worry about.

Kevin, if your in the U.S.A ( which i think you are) you need to be in NTSC 60i
If your in Australia you need to be in PAL 50i

Cheers
Simon

well , if you do not even know basic stuff about video like framerate, you should get a book a read it before dealing with video editing....

Fc will always do conversions unless the sequence settings match.