I am a new user of MC 3.0.  I'm using a Sony HDR-HC1.  I am interested in generating HD output.  I have seen references to "DNxHD" and it's advantages for editing HDV material.  How is this codec used?  Does it need to be selected somewhere, or does it just work it's magic in the background?

Any input or references would be appreciated.

Remember Cosby's sketch on the kid in kindergarten?  The teacher says "one and one is two."  The kid says, "Right, one and one is two...What's a two?"

That is where I am in this process.  Assumptions of what I know (what's a two?) may not be valid.

Thanks.

Ken

 Ken:

As DNxHD is native to Avid and HDV is not, most people are finding the workflow is more stable when capturing HDV and then transcoding it to a DNxHD resolution for editing.

Larry Rubin:

 Ken:

As DNxHD is native to Avid and HDV is not, most people are finding the workflow is more stable when capturing HDV and then transcoding it to a DNxHD resolution for editing.

 ...I concur. When you go DNxHD, it playback more lines and effects in real time as well. In our case, we edit on an ISV certified workstation laptop PC, and DNxHD makes things go more smoothly without any noticeable loss in visual quality. HDV is the bane of our existence and if you want to output to DVD, then you must transcode to DNxHD. We use the nice DnXHD 110 X 10 bit codec and we see virtually no loss in visual quality. DNxHD is a very clean compression.

 I have a HDV project looming on the horizon and I am considering purchasing the HD-Connect LE from http://www.convergent-design.com/CD_Products_HDConnectLE.htm  It looks like (someone please tell me if this is correct) that you "loop" you HDV thru this box and connect the HD-SDI output to you HD-SDI input on your editing system.  This way (again, someone tell me that this is correct) you can digitize low OR high res. directly (real-time) into an Avid HD resolution.

 I would think this method would avoid serious time, and possible errors, in transcode/render since everything is originated in Avid DnX.

I am correct ?

Michel

 Looking at your link, I don't see anywhere that it converts the file to an Avid HD resolution, like Avid DNxHD 145 or DNxHD 220.

 Hello Larry,

I think I may have put cut/paste the wrong link.  Try this one  http://www.convergent-design.com/CD_Products_HDConnectSI.htm

This box seems to convert, and please tell me if I am wrong, HDV to either a SD or HD signal.  The literature (on the web site) claims to real-time transcode HDV to a full-fledge serial digital HD signal.  Then, is it not just a matter of selecting the resolution to digitize at (in the dig. tool window.) ??

Michel

 Yes, now according to that link:

Sure hope that claim is true.

 Hello Larry,

I sure hope it's true as well... But the price is right at $795 US.

Michel

What I find interesting is "Supports 720/24p, 720/25p, 720/30p, 720/50p and 720/60p HDV ", "Verified with: Avid Adrenaline HD, Avid DS Nitris, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro (with AJA or Blackmagic Card), Adobe Premiere, Media 100 & Quantel products" and in particular "1080i and 720p HDV Support (tested with Sony, JVC, and Canon camcorders and decks)".  Looks like Solopost has a solution to his on-going problem, too.

Answering Ken's question, though - which no-one really seems to have done.  Once you've captured your HDV material you can choose to do one of two things.  You can either use it directly as is, or you can transcode to one of the DNxHD codecs.  Using it directly puts a heavier load on your CPU, and so as others have posted here, you will have more sluggish performance and fewer real-time streams.

Transcoding, however, is a deliberate choice that you must make.  Once you have digitised your material, select the contents of the bin that you've put it in by clicking on the bin and hitting control-A.  From the clip menu, select Consolidate/Transcode, and in the window that then appears, click on the Transcode button.

Select the drive you want to put your new transcoded media on, and choose the format you wish to transcode to from the drop-down menu beside "Target Video Resolution".  In general, the higher the number, the lower the compression rate, and the more space your media will occupy.  You can also choose between 10-bit ("X") and 8-bit versions of the codecs.  For HDV there is usually little to be gained by choosing 10-bit.  Click on the Transcode button.

Once Avid does it's thing you can delete your original media if you wish.  It's now redundant, as from now on you should be using your new transcoded media.

This box converts HDV to SDI or SDI HD. So you need an equipment capable of inputting SDI HD. I did two camera editing in native HDV MPEG2 many times. Response of Avid is slower but it's still usable for me.

PP

Yeah, so the box converts to an SDI connection.  What version of Avid do you need to read HD SDI?  Id there an HD SDI mojo?  Or do you have to go Adrenaline?

I've been shooting with a JVC and having problems aplenty with getting the footage into Avid.

 Ssnygg, to digitize HD SDI in real -time, you need an Avid with the DNxHD option.  There are several version of software (Composer, Symphony etc) that can deal with digitizing and Digital Cut.

As far as I know, the Mojo-SDI is only for (digitizing and digital cut) standard definition SDI signal, not HD

Nothing is stopping you from digitizing HD onto a bunch of hard drives on a "big" (HD capable) Avid system.... then connect the hard drives onto a "small" (Mojo equiped) Avid and edit away.

Once your editing is completed, reconnect the drives on a "big" HD-capable system and do you output(s).  Of course, your software version should all work with one another and such...

Michel

 Thankyou for that.  I will give it a whirl and see how it goes.  Does the transcoded file have a new name?  What is the suffix of the transcoded file? 

And thank you for understanding my question.

Ken

John, you not only understood my question, but your answer was what I needed.  I tried it and it works.

Now I know a little more about "what's a two?"

Thanks.

Glad to be able to help.