Hi,

By mistake i shot in HDV Ntsc with a Sony Z1, and now i cant capture (i work in europe, so PAL), unless i create a ntsc project and downconvert the stuff.

is there any way to convert the material to HDV Pal? Maybe it could work use 2 Z1, one playing in ntsc and another one recording in pal?

any help will be appreciated

 

thanks

Download the trial for Avid Liquid from Avids trialsite, hopefully there are no waterstamp on it, this is easily done with Liquid.

i never worked with liquid. im downloading the trial.

is the same avid liquid and pinnacle avid liquid?

once in liquid, whay do i have to do?

 

thanks

Log your tape to Liquid in about the same way that you are doing with MC or export a transport stream out of MC and import that one into Liquid.

When you have done that, tell and we continue , I am going out myself for a couple of hours but others might also be able to help ( Lew ?? )

for the moment solution:

1. capture via downconvert in a ntsc project.

2. export QtRef

3. transcode to Microsoft Dv Pal with Canopues procoder

4. Import in a Pal project.

It works well. im just sad to loose the HDV. i dont like much doing the downconvert. i feel im loosing quality.

I keep on downloading liquid, to see how it works that.

Linchi,

What version of CanopusProcoder do you have?

Regards,
Douglas

I just did a test run with Procoder.

Canopus Procoder 2 and 3 will convert your NTSC HD to PAL HD.
No need to begin installing a new NLE to do an encoding job.

Don't downcovert when capturing.
Put your NTSC HD capture onto an NTSC timeline.
Transcode to a suitable DNxHD format.

Export your NTSC footage from MC as a QT reference file.

Import the QT ref. into Procoder as "Source"

Choose Target. Go to Target presets and choose HD - MPEG - MPEG2-HD-PAL

Click on convert!

Below are 2 screen shots. 1. is the Source preset and 2 shows the Target preset.
The PAL Target will be  MPEG2, MP @ HL  1920x1080 Mbps. 25fps

If the final picture is too dark or too light there are adjustments you can make in Procoder.

I have no idea if Sorenson Squeeze can do this. Maybe some expert on Squeeze can post some information.

As you have already Procoder, it seems like the logical way to go.

SOURCE:

 

TARGET:

 

Good Luck,

Douglas

Linchi,

I should have added:

I used the HD preset as it was.
I did not adjust anything.
However, you may have to play around with some of the settings if you are not happy with the results.

While it was transcoding I was worried about the preview image - I could see "jaggies" typical of interlaced/progressive/field order problems.
BUT playing back the converted file was perfect - no jaggies!

Regards,
Douglas

If i try to export HDV to QTref, avid gives me an error, saying that long GOP files cant be exported as QTref, they need to be export as qt movie

any idea?

Linchi:

I keep on downloading liquid, to see how it works that.

Ok, the first lady wanted to go friday shopping, broke and back at my computer, if you want to, I will guide you

 

"If i try to export HDV to QTref, avid gives me an error,"

Did you transcode to DNxHD? You must transcode first, then export as QT Ref.

it works: transcoding to dnxhd i can export as qtref and convert it to hd pal mpeg.

i didnt know this for a long time. one learns a lot from mistakes like mine.

only one more thing: i have to capture the hdv video without tc activated. why is that??

(just for curiosity: why i have to transcode to dnxhd?)

(another curiosity: i have mojo, so i unplugg it to capture hdv, and the for editing i import the captured material into a 25i roject so i can work with mojo wich is very nice. My question is: with what hardware can i work with hdv as i work normaly with mojo?? mayby mojo sdi??)

thanks everybody that is helping me

I don´t think that you really needed to transcode to DNxHD, exporting to a transport stream might have done the same thing, i suppose that canopus, as Liquid, supports m2t files created by MC.

Very good that canopus made the converting for you, if you aren´t fully satisfied with the conversion, just tell, we are doing this very often with Liquid, there are different settings for mixing fields or frames, cutting fields or frames or even to create a progressive movie out of an interlaced, the ntsc - pal thing is really easy.

Linchi:

(just for curiosity: why i have to transcode to dnxhd?)

My non-technical explanation: The HDV format is based on a long GOP (Group of Pictures) structure. With that there are some problems. As you already have seen. Another very common problem with the long GOP structure is that a sudden change in light (e.g. a flash gun going off) can cause a number of frames to be captured with pixelation.
To get round this problem you can either (as was suggested by Solopost) convert the 1080i foptage into a DNxHD format, or as I usually do - mixdown your finished 1080i sequence (see the link to a tutorial).
Both methods give the same result - with the exception that the mixdown method will give you 1 file with everything "fused" together. Whereas the transcode method will allow you to keep the individual files.
Here is the tutorial - I did it over a year ago to assist migrants from Liquid.

Link07    HDV and the Long GOP error - problem and solution

As you are finding out, using a dedicated Transcoding programme like Procoder (or Squeeze) will give you much more control over your final results as opposed to an NLE which tries to be an all-in-one solution.
One of the strengths of MC is that it is a professional NLE that relies on other professional programmes to provide many of the extra functions. Don't get me wrong - Liquid is excellent in the NLE field, but I have always felt that a programme that tried to do everything must have some weak areas. (My personal thoughts).

Linchi:

(another curiosity: i have mojo, so i unplugg it to capture hdv, and the for editing i import the captured material into a 25i roject so i can work with mojo wich is very nice. My question is: with what hardware can i work with hdv as i work normaly with mojo?? mayby mojo sdi??)

I have a MojoDX, but I still lack a deck with SDI in/outputs, so I use the computers onboard firewire. However I have no problems leaving the Mojo connected as I work with HDV import.
Maybe someone who has had more experience than me, with earlier Mojos, can answer your question.

The bottom line:  I am glad that you were able to solve your problem! 

Regards,
Douglas

has anyone tried this using Squeeze?

            - sasha