Shooting In HD

[IntenseCash.com]

I have two questions. If I shoot in HD can I still downgrade that to normal formats. How would that work for HD because it is 16x9 can I convert it down to a 4:3 standard? Thanks a bunch.

Mark

[curiousbunny]

I dont see why not :twink:
you should b able to just save it in a diff format.

[curiousbunny]

I dont see why not :twink:
you should b able to just save it in a diff format.

i meant export

[Slade]

I have two questions. If I shoot in HD can I still downgrade that to normal formats. How would that work for HD because it is 16x9 can I convert it down to a 4:3 standard? Thanks a bunch.

Mark

Sure you can. When you export it to your computer for example, any program you use will allow you the option to convert to raw format or to any of the other many different formats out there.

Kinda nice to have it in HD, because you never know when they may start making HD monitors (that you can afford) and you'll already be well equipped for that!

[JustBryce]

At the phoneix forum they spent quite a bit of time talking about filming in HD in one of the sessions. At the time, Playboy was the main company doing it. Supposedly if you ever want your stuff to appear on PPV they will only accept it now if it is in HD format. I think the HD format for computers is a very loose idea and the term tossed about too freely.

There are hardly even any mainstream HD videos for computers. I watch all the stuff in the Quicktime HD gallery.. but there sure isn't very much of it...

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/hdgallery/

[IntenseCash.com]

Thanks for the input, what about the 16x9 image, how would you scale that down to the normal 4x3?

Mark

[Slade]

Thanks for the input, what about the 16x9 image, how would you scale that down to the normal 4x3?

Mark

The same way..most of your encoding programs allows you to set your own scale. I've been using Vegas Video for eons..and you can do it there..but stumbled upon ProCoder about a month ago..and love it too! (Much faster than Vegas in encoding) and it too allows you to set your frame size etc.

Those 2 are the best, imho, encoding programs out there right now.

[gaybucks_chip]

mmmm

I'm not sure that Mark's question is being adequately addressed. The issue as I hear him asking it is if you have footage that you've shot natively in HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio, how can you convert it to 4:3.

Unless I'm missing something, it isn't just an issue of scaling... basically, to get 16:9 to display on 4:3, you have to choose one of three options: either pan-and-scan (essentially allowing the 4:3 monitor to be a "window" viewing part of the 16:9 image, panning back and forth on the action, letterbox (leaving the top and bottom of the 4:3 screen blank to allow the full image to be viewed) or "squashing" the image, which results in distortion of the video since the vertical aspect is being elongated while the horizontal is truncated.

As far as I know, if you're shooting 16:9, regardless of whether it's HD or regular, there is no way to convert it to 4:3 except using one of the above means, each of which has its problems. I would probably choose letterbox as the least objectionable.

I do know that the forthcoming Panasonic HDX-200 supports both full-blown HD 16:9 and regular NTSC DV 4:3. I don't know if it can put out a simultaneous HD and regular SD image simultaneously, but if it can, you coudl use the built-in DV tape mechanism to record standard def and use the HD storage media to record hi-def. But even that will have it's problems as you have to shoot and frame your image for one format or the other.

Long answer, not sure if it helps or not.

[Slade]

Unless I'm missing something, it isn't just an issue of scaling... basically, to get 16:9 to display on 4:3, you have to choose one of three options: either pan-and-scan (essentially allowing the 4:3 monitor to be a "window" viewing part of the 16:9 image, panning back and forth on the action, letterbox (leaving the top and bottom of the 4:3 screen blank to allow the full image to be viewed) or "squashing" the image, which results in distortion of the video since the vertical aspect is being elongated while the horizontal is truncated.

In Vegas for example, you can choose to "push" the video to full screen from a 16:9 source and it looks fine without loosing anything. I know that's what you are referring to but that's the only way you're ever going to be able to get 16:9 to 4:3. Been doing that for 3 years now, and I honestly can say I see next to no difference/distortion or loss of picture info/display doing it that way.

[IntenseCash.com]

In Vegas for example, you can choose to "push" the video to full screen from a 16:9 source and it looks fine without loosing anything. I know that's what you are referring to but that's the only way you're ever going to be able to get 16:9 to 4:3. Been doing that for 3 years now, and I honestly can say I see next to no difference/distortion or loss of picture info/display doing it that way.

Question how do you push in Vegas?

Thanks,
Mark

[Slade]

Question how do you push in Vegas?

Thanks,
Mark

There are 2 ways actually..

1)When you go to render, you can check the box at the lower left hand bottom part of the page where it says "stretch video to fill output frame size"

and

2)Under "properties", if you load your video up in ntsc digital video, widescreen, or video cd, you can choose "1.0000" square" under the video tab which will fill out the whole screen.

Sometimes you have to play with both..but usually one of them does the trick (I usually keep the box checkmarked under option 1 and properties set at 1.0000 sqaure).

[IntenseCash.com]

Awesome thanks curiousbunny, Slade, JustBryce, and BoyFunk for your help. I really appreciate it. See ya in Florida.

Hugs,
Mark