Converting mixed HDV/XDCam to ProRes?

1. If I have HDV and XDCam EX on the same HDV timeline ... and do a Media Manager conversion to transform both codecs to create a new timeline that is all ProRes 422 ... will the XDCam be converted from XDCam or from HDV (given it is on an HDV timeline??)
This may seem like a dumb question. I'm not sure whether the media manager takes it cue from the actual orginal media, or from the sequence settings of the timeline?
2. The HDV is 1080i and the XDCam is 1080p. I need the ProRes 422 to be 1080i ... there is a predominance of HDV in the movie, and it is headed for television anyhow. Do I have to worry about the XDCam being converted from progressive to interlaced in some way?
All ears,
Ben

Thank you Shane,
Both are the same frame rates. First thing I checked. Even though I cut my teeth in film, and still shoot as if I have film in the camera, and though I'll use 24fps if I know it's going to end up in a theatre, I have to confess I've often found 29.97 fps smoother ... and it still looks like film to me (despite the noise of the naysayers) as long as the lighting and the use of the lens is cinematic.
Seems like I'm always 'still' learning when it comes to digital processes though... which is made easier by you...
Much appreciated,
Ben

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Can FCP6 convert an HDV 1920/1080 (EX1 files) clip to a SD avi that could be edited in Premiere pro2.0/Matrox rtx100?

Yes it should but results may be potentially disappointing.
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Mixed HDV workflow

Can anyone suggest a practical workflow in FCP using new HDV footage, old 720x480 QT files, and graphic animations(yet to be created)?
Right now I am converting the HDV footage to 720x480 QT and am planning to work in a DV-NTSC enviroment but am not certain that this is the best approach as HDV seems to be quite finnicky.
It will eventually go to dvd for viewing.
advice anyone?

If you are headed to DVD, a DV-NTSC centric project seems reasonable.
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x

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Earlier this year we shot a documentary on a Sony PDW-F350L HD XDCam (great camera, stunning footage - 35Mbps). Working in FCP has been fine.
We're doing a follow up and budget and logistics dictate that we sadly can't use 350s again (where we're going, carrying 2 Z1s for example is going to be a lot easier). We're also on a fairly steep learning curve (being relatively new to FCP, Compressor etc).
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but more importantly
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Thanks Andy, Michael
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http://images.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/whitepapers/L342568A_ProResWP.pdf
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The white paper seems to suggest that converting to ProRes, because it uses I frame–only encoding "Ensures consistent quality in every frame and no artifacts from complex motion. "
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Mixing HDV with XDCam

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Wondering what my best options would be?
My first inclination would be to create a ProRes 422 HQ timeline and drop the HDV with the XDCame right into this timeline to output the show as ProRes 422 HQ. The HQ may be overkill I realise.
Just wondering if anyone else might have some ideas...?
Ben

Hi X,
How does one do the 'quote' thing, I don't even know what it is called.
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X: "Yes. But then again, I never would have editied with native HDV."
The first edit was done a long time ago. And was so close to a good edit, that when I came to finish this up it seemed like a logical thing to do (just stay with HDV). You are absolutely right, I should have converted everything before starting to finish this off.
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I haven't been doing TV for a long time; so I'm in a learning curve - some are still asking for tape, some for .mov files on a drive - whatever the codec. I'll be doing the rounds in a week ... and will get the uptodate spec sheets then.
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Only change made to ANYTHING on my iMac is: Updated iTunes on Tuesday after I had closed the project from Premiere Pro.
Sounds like a clue.
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Best "Capture" workflow for projects mixing HDV tape and XDCAM footage

I'm trying to determine the best workflow for projects that combine XDCAM and HDV footage.
I'd obviously do the editing in a project designed for XDCAM, as that's the higher quality footage,
and render the HDV clips in the XDCAM timeline...ending up with an XDCAM end product.
I'd use SONY'S XDCAM TRANSFER to get the clips into FCP.
My question concerns capturing the HDV footage in this scenario. I've never been able to get
the Log and Capture feature for HDV footage to work, unless I've created an HDV project and am capturing into that HDV project.
So, generally, I create an HDV project, open the log and capture utility which is now set to capture HDV, and then capture the footage. I then close that project and create a new project, designed for XDCAM footage. I use XDCAM Transfer to get the XDCAM footage into the project, and I import
the previously captured HDV footage into that browser and start editing, rendering the HDV in the XDCAM timeline.
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Is there something I'm missing or a more streamlined way of doing this?
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No need to jump through these hoops. Just set yourself up with a universal Easy Setup that will handle both. Choose your regular XDCAM HD Easy Setup then open the Audio / Video Settings window and change the Capture Preset to "HDV" and the Device Control Preset to "HDV Firewire" ... then click the "Create Easy Setup" button and save it for recall whenever needed.
Regarding the overall workflow, I'd seriously question the idea of creating XDCAM HD masters. No real benefit to that unless you need to export to XDCAM HD. Much better would be export your final master as Apple ProRes 422.
Best
Andy

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If you have to mix the footage, you might try adding pulldown to the 24P footage to make it run at 30. I believe Graeme's Standards converter will add pulldown - or Shake. Then you can cut the 30fps footage into a 60i timeline...
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I've been making a movie, shot in HDV 25p. In the timeline, everything plays fine, but when converted to ProRes422 via 'export to Quicktime Movie', I get black (dropped?) frames every now and then, on an irregular basis. Can be every 40 frames or every 90, but they're all over the movie. Worse still: the last 10 seconds of the movie are 'lost' in the QT-version, it comes to a freeze frame while the sound runs on.
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Concertpix wrote:
...Now render before exporting to QT, I suppose?
You don't really have to. Exporting is kinda the same as rendering. Only thing is that if you do not render before export, FCP does not 'remember' this rendering.
If you think you'll needs parts of the render files later, you might render first.
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XDCam HD/Prores/DigiBeta and my head hurts!

I have been doing research and have drawn some of my own conclusions but some input from those more experienced than myself would be gratefully received.
I have a interview shot on XD Cam Disc 1080/25p winging its way to me, usually we Shoot in Digi Beta and HDV is the only HD format we have had the pleasure?!? of using thus far.
I will be hiring a XDCam reader (probably D1) so I can transfer the files.
Q1/ Do I/Can I transcode straight to Prores using Log and Transfer or do I have to do this using Compressor afterwards?
Q2/ Is it worth transcoding to Prores as this is a stand alone interview and shouldn't need to be mixed with any other footage?
Q3/ We are going to have the situation more and more where crews say "sorry no Digibeta" or "that'll cost you more". I can see my HD footage coming to be in all flavors (but hopefully 1080/25p).
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Opinions on best workflow going forwards would be gratefully received, my head hurts.
Thanks
John E

Hey John
XDCAM HD is a fully supported FCP native camera codec, no need to fear it at all ... if you like you can edit it directly in to a ProRes timeline and get full quality realtime previews, or you can edit it native and set rendering to ProRes for faster results with better potential quality if doing a lot of effects work, or you can just edit and render native ... its all very easy and has been since around FCP 5.1.2. When you've locked edit you can export as Uncompressed, ProRes or whatever other delivery codec you prefer (including XDCAM HD although that would be an odd choice).
I will be hiring a XDCam reader (probably D1) so I can transfer the files.
Not a good idea as the D1 is SD only I think ... get a U1 if you can, or rent a player "deck" like the PDW-F30 or better.
Q1/ Do I/Can I transcode straight to Prores using Log and Transfer or do I have to do this using Compressor afterwards?
No need whatsoever to do it all (see above). But if you did want to do it anyway then you would have to do it post import ... no direct to ProRes transcode on ingest with XDCAM HD (XDCAM EX yes, XDCAM HD no).
Q2/ Is it worth transcoding to Prores as this is a stand alone interview and shouldn't need to be mixed with any other footage?
Not worth it at all unless your goal is to hoover up disc space and man hours unnecessarily.
Q3/ We are going to have the situation more and more where crews say "sorry no Digibeta" or "that'll cost you more". I can see my HD footage coming to be in all flavors (but hopefully 1080/25p).
Due to this I see Prores as our most likely way forward ...
ProRes as intermediate is fine. As for hiring decks, if you are imagining your future needs then you should really be assuming tapeless ingest/workflows rather than anything tape based, that said an AJA Io HD (not AJA Io) would be a great device to have on hand as would Matrox MXO2 and other I/O devices ... and no, I think you have misinterpreted that frame rate restriction, its not the case at all.
Hope it helps
Andy

Which is better: XDCAM or ProRes for editing and upload?

I am trying to determine if I'm better of staying with my native XDCAM files or instead converting them to one of the Pro Res codecs? One of my main issues is that the files that I upload to YouTube never look as good as I feel they ought to, nor as good as other HD files that I've seen online.

Well, neither would be good to upload. YouTube wants H.264.
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