PAL and NTSC HDV compatibility

Will the FX7 offer variables between PAL and NTSC? If not I would hedge bets on the Z1. The ability to switch to the client requirements is a massive bonus to any International shooter. Makes sense too not to have to worry about getting two cams.

Is the PAL/NTSC such an issue with HDV? I thought not, as the frame size is exactly the same - not the case with DV. The fame rate is different sure, but that can be fixed in post. Does mixing HDV 'PAL and HDV 'NTSC' actually have any tangible issues? eg do you lose valuable frame data going from NTSC to PAL because of the fewer frames/sec, which results in artifacting etc? If so does PAL to NTSC not suffer? I'm really interested in these questions as a group of us across the Pacific intend to share and mix clips for multi-cam type experiences.....

You can encode out a NTSC 60i m2t file from a PAL 50i HDV timeline and send back to a SONY PAL HDV Camera no problems. The PAL 50i HDV camera just kicks into NTSC mode and records it at 60i but you do get abit of studdering in the picture as it had to make up frames.

However I have done it with progressive HDV and it works rather well. Still not perfect though. I will suck in some HDV with Edius as it can convert the 50i to a 25p it seems as it converts it to the canopus HD codec in real time. The I will encode out some NTSC 60i m2t files and play to see how smooth it is.

Yes I guess the only way to find out if it affects one's own production for sure is to 'suck it and see'.

Shawn and I will exchange a few FX1 clips (he is 'NTSC', I am 'PAL') and mix them up in FCP and report back in due course

To negate too much motion disparities, you should shoot in CF25 and Shawn CF24, capture and deinterlace into 24P. Then you can cut a frame (4% loss) with little or no difference. You could do CF30 and a 3:2 pulldown to 24P but there's a lot more frame blending.

Hey guys,

This was my idea! Nah, Drew and i were just chatting about it and it seemed too obvious. We should definitely test it out. another route to to google search best practices on this. Big time prodction co's must do this all the time...then again they probably have killer hardware conversion systems!

shawn

Nah real production companies would have a Z1 so they don't have to deal with stuff like this.

You can't do anything about the color system, just try to color match and since both of you are using FCP, you may want to try using the NTSC colors filter to equalize and then color correction... shawn that precludes you since Nick has the big system.

Awesome! Nick you hear that, you are responsible for all the edits on this project:)

Yeah it's discussions like this that make me realise that I am still a rank amateur. I have a killer h/w system sure, but we are always trying to figure out work-arounds

My next camera is going to be 35mm film, or maybe Imax ?

Actually that 'RED' thingy looks pretty cool. Need to figure out whether my next quarter's commission will cover. *thinks* Blast! We're having a tough quarter

Hi Guys,

I'm using the Media Stream software to convert NTSC to PAL for daily stuff. Mind you I'm downconverting, making a master NTSC .mov file then just going with the PAL default settings. Seems to work real well with hardly any motion studdering (is that a real word)?

If any of you would like to get a .pdf that I have been sent regarding a really nice and effective way to make pro looking (read looooooooong rendering times) then I have attached that to this post. This method I keep for showreels and other short promo type stuff, screenings etc.

Sorry Wags this is for those using FCP and Compressor 2.

Cheers,

Mark.

Thanks for that Mark. Good article for DV. I needed this last year when we had NTSC and PAL multi-cam material involving whale shark encounters in Belize. I used Mediastream too, but the results were pretty awful! I got a lot of stuttering, not sure about the studdering though

I have Compressor 2 and FCP, but not sure if your posted technique is relevant for HDV. More experimentation needed together with Drew's suggestions. I just need another life at the monemt to try all this stuff!

Hi,

Until HD becomes a viable and universal viewing format all of my work is downconverted and shown in SD. Outside of the U.S and Japan there remains a very select number of people with the equipment to view HD. SO whilst its a great thing to adopt an HD format as a recording one it will be a while before we can deliver HD content to the masses as a regular viewing platform. Until then the SD quality outshines its DV counterpart and offers a better image for universal SD media.

Cheers,

Mark.

Hi all.

Nick, make sure you've got the right settings for MediaStream.

I've used it many times for NTSC DV to PAL DV, and viceversa, and it works beautifully. Nice, smooth footage either way. And, I'm very picky when it comes to conversion, as Mark in Palau will tell you.

Attached are 2 screen captures. Make sure you select the EXPORT to QUICKTIME command from the file menu when you transcode, NOT the "EXPORT as DV".

Remember to check the "Frame Blending" and the "Interlaced Scaling" boxes, will make a big difference.

Now I don't do HDV (yet, will start in a month), but I'd be willing to bet that it'll do a very good job at that also.

MediaStream has done a better job than Compressor 1or 2 at transcoding DV formats, even better than Nat's, and even better than Atlantis (http://dvfilm.com/atlantis/index.htm), which is quite good itself.

Also, it's very fast, and free! Well, we'll see for how long... :-)

my 5 cents.

Nick

I know you guys are on mac's but I have been encoding out NTSC and PAL m2t files straight out of Edius from a Pal 1440/1080 50i timline and I must say the NTSC 60i m2t files are pretty good.

I'll post a PAL and NTSC m2t clip soon. You can even send the 60i clips back to a 50i normal Pal HDV camera. Kicks the camera into 60i mode and in it goes. I have done it on both the FX1 and A1.

Thanks for the tip and screenshots Nick. Getting the right combination on these 'multiple choice' app screens is often trial and error until you get it right. Obviously having someone else do all the time consuming empirical work really helps

I had the same challenges with Compressor, but now am pretty comfortable with it. Both Compressor and MediaStream are very powerful programs in the right hands ....