I have a Media Composer 3 system with analog mojo. What are my options for downconverting something I edit in HD to SD? Am I limited to 720 30p HD or can I downconvert from 1080 60i?

I'm not seeing any choices in the Video Output Tool other than sync lock. But I read something that said you were supposed to be able to do it with an analog mojo. Thanks.

corsolini:

Am I limited to 720 30p HD or can I downconvert from 1080 60i?

.....No. You can convert 1080i and HDV 1080i as well as 720 HDV & 720 Standard raster. (Only in MC ver. 3.0)

corsolini:

I'm not seeing any choices in the Video Output Tool other than sync lock

...You're looking in the wrong place. Go to the effects palette window and click on the Format tab. Select 30i in the Project Type setting. Select the Raster Type setting to HDV or Standard.

Laptop,

Thanks I did change the Project Type to 30i NTSC from the Format tab in the Project window and now see an anamorphic(squished) image coming out of my mojo(quality is pretty bad).

What I don't see is this:

thats espc its only in adrenaline systems

I am unsure, but I think corsolini is being misunderstood - I don't believe they are looking for an RT downconvert for review purposes.. I think they are looking to take the HD edit and master it to SD.

Having not performed this task myself, but I hope that my understanding to corsolini's issue may help those who have performed this.

Solopost:

I am unsure, but I think corsolini is being misunderstood - I don't believe they are looking for an RT downconvert for review purposes.. I think they are looking to take the HD edit and master it to SD

Yes, that is what I would like to do. Make an SD version of my HD edit.

Playing it in real time through the mojo would seem like the easiest for going to tape. Is this possible on my Media Composer 3 with analog mojo? What would be the process for doing this otherwise?

Thanks.

 You can't. Not with the Mojo. Mojo is SD only and no downconverting is possible,

In order to do that, the least of the Avid products you would need is the Adrenaline with the HD card.

 If you want a non-anamorphic output of high quality via your MOJO in SD, then set your project at 30i, then make sure your resolution button is at Green/Green, then apply another video track above the one you already have flor your sequence and simply drop an 16x9 filter from the Reformat effects pallette and hit the spacebar and voila. I do this all the time with my Analogue MOJO and it works everytime. It looks like high quality and is unsqueezed, but plays in realtime in SD.

Laptopeditor:

If you want a non-anamorphic output of high quality via your MOJO in SD, then set your project at 30i, then make sure your resolution button is at Green/Green, then apply another video track above the one you already have flor your sequence and simply drop an 16x9 filter from the Reformat effects pallette and hit the spacebar and voila. I do this all the time with my Analogue MOJO and it works everytime. It looks like high quality and is unsqueezed, but plays in realtime in SD.

Thanks laptop I will give this a try!

Avid's response that this is not doable and requires that I spend more does not sit well. I just had to upgrade my XpressPro because that is no longer supported.

Even though I've been editing on the Avid since '94, I was seriously considering making the switch to FCP.

 You asked if you could transcode HD to SD through your Mojo. That's not possible. However, LE is correct that you can convert your HD sequence to SD and output an SD project through the Mojo.

BLKDOG:

 You asked if you could transcode HD to SD through your Mojo. That's not possible. However, LE is correct that you can convert your HD sequence to SD and output an SD project through the Mojo.

 ...I'm not quite sure why or what application your trancode needs are for, but you certainly can trancode in MC, you just can't trancode inside your MOJO (But you can downconvert) inside your MOJO in realtime and playout to a tabletop DVD recorder if you want a quick and no hassle way to make a dvd. You can also use the built in auto DVD maker application in MC called DVD Onestep. DVD Onestep will give you a clean HD to SD DVD downconvert which will produce an insert and play DVD (Without Splash Screen). If you must produce an authored-full splash screen DVD, then simply export a QT Reference file into Sorensen Squeeze or whatever 3rd party application you use for DVD authoring and this workflow should work for you.

...If you're not making a DVD, then simply right click on your Record monitor in MC and Export a QT movie using 1:1 resolution and you should be good to go as well.

Laptopeditor:

 If you want a non-anamorphic output of high quality via your MOJO in SD, then set your project at 30i, then make sure your resolution button is at Green/Green, then apply another video track above the one you already have flor your sequence and simply drop an 16x9 filter from the Reformat effects pallette and hit the spacebar and voila. I do this all the time with my Analogue MOJO and it works everytime. It looks like high quality and is unsqueezed, but plays in realtime in SD.

 That's great if you don't want to play back the result on a true 16x9 monitor.  If you do you'll either have a tiny rectangular picture inside a black frame, or you'll need to zoom on the image.  Either way you lose significant vertical resolution.

The way that I handle this issue for SD DVD's is to export to Sorenson and let Squeeze do the reformat as it compresses.  Just remember to tell Squeeze that you're dealing with 16x9 footage.

If I need to play out to SD I create a new SD-only project, and open the bin containing the HD cut in there.  I then do a video mixdown of that cut. and create a new sequence containing the mixed video plus the master sound.

This has a few advantages.  The first is that you obviously get your SD cut in a form that can be played out to external decks.  Another advantage is that you can tailor your titles to work well for SD and HD independently.  In fact, even if you're happy to accept the image degradation that Laptopeditor proposes you can still do the Reformat effect as well.