Final Cut Pro edit to tape question

MLM

Hello, I've just finished editing a music video and I am about to clear my system for a new project. I am about to use the "edit to tape" function to playout the finished piece to a DVCAM tape. I have a number of questions about the process. Firstly, there is a horizontal line at the top and bottom of the frame outside of the action safe area. Should I cover this with a mask or is it something important? I usually mask this when I produce a DVD. Also at a later date if I copy from DVCAM to Digibeta will it be suitable for brodcast? The playout includes colour bars, 1khz tone at -18db, 30 sec countdown. Programme begins at 10:00:00:00. Chroma and Luminance are within legal levels. Audio peaks at -11db. System is Final Cut Pro 5.1. Music video was shot in HDV 1080i and down-converted and edited in DV-PAL. Thanks in advance, MLM

decob

MLM wrote:

Firstly, there is a horizontal line at the top and bottom of the frame outside of the action safe area. Should I cover this with a mask or is it something important? I usually mask this when I produce a DVD.

if it's outside action safe, i wouldn't worry about it too much. as it's not seen on a normal tv screen... well that is if the tv station it's being shown on don't letterbox it.. Channel 6 seem to do some mad $hit with the music video's they show.

MLM wrote:

Also at a later date if I copy from DVCAM to Digibeta will it be suitable for brodcast? The playout includes colour bars, 1khz tone at -18db, 30 sec countdown. Programme begins at 10:00:00:00. Chroma and Luminance are within legal levels. Audio peaks at -11db. System is Final Cut Pro 5.1. Music video was shot in HDV 1080i and down-converted and edited in DV-PAL. Thanks in advance, MLM

Given the standard of alot of the stuff broadcast nowadays you'd get away with. Most normal people wouldn't even notice the difference between dvcam and digi.

Lump

Unless it's tech reviewed by the tv company.

John

MLM

Lump wrote:

Unless it's tech reviewed by the tv company.


Would a DVCAM tape copied to Digibeta fail a tech review? I know most TV stations are reluctant to broadcast footage that originates on HDV, DVCAM or mini-DV without prior permission. But I was also told that as long as its copied to digibeta and the production is of a half decent standard some stations will broadcast it.

decob

MLM wrote:

Would a DVCAM tape copied to Digibeta fail a tech review? I know most TV stations are reluctant to broadcast footage that originates on HDV, DVCAM or mini-DV without prior permission. But I was also told that as long as its copied to digibeta and the production is of a half decent standard some stations will broadcast it.

It's not that they are reluctant, but more a case they will only accept copy on digi for broadcast. So if something originated on dvcam, is not really of concern to them. so long as the levels are legal and it doesn't have artifacts/macroblocking or video dropout all over the place.

Lump

What he said So much stuff is shot on DV these days. Once you deliver on the standard they want you'll be fine. Unless of course there are DV artifacts or compression errors, check for blanking errors too, they appear a lot on DV originated footage, due to a miss timed camera.

John

DerekP11

Hate to say it guys, but as recently as 2001, I got 2 S-VHS originated productions on Beta-SP through both RTE and TV3. Ultimately its about production values.

Me reckons I could still do it on Digi-beta.

For the record, both productions were edited the old fashioned way to Hi-Band u-matic then transferred.

What they don't know, never hurts them. Sorry for scaring the sh**e out of you decent people.:)

MLM

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. To be honest I preferred the look of S-VHS to DV. It's just that DV was so easy to work with.

Lump

Well I was talking about Tech reviews for the BBC, I don't know the system that RTE use. So it doesn't suprise me that you got S-VHS footage to air.

John

DerekP11

Panasonic supercam delivers a great picture to S-VHS. (domestic s-vhs cameras can't cut it.) You just have to hope you get no dropout and then dump it to something solid.

Lump

..... S-VHS is shít

DerekP11

In Post Production add a tiny bit of strobe (actually makes it look like DV) and a filter. I'll try and upload some stuff to demonstrate.

Its far from ****. It suffers from the typical vhs problems. But pro cameras using the format deliver very good pictures. Non-linear gave it a life extension. Once you've digitised the footage, your safe.

But Im not advocating it as an alternative to DV etc. However if you have it, you can make it work.

MLM

DerekP11 wrote:

In Post Production add a tiny bit of strobe (actually makes it look like DV) and a filter. I'll try and upload some stuff to demonstrate.

Its far from ****. It suffers from the typical vhs problems. But pro cameras using the format deliver very good pictures. Non-linear gave it a life extension. Once you've digitised the footage, your safe.

But Im not advocating it as an alternative to DV etc. However if you have it, you can make it work.

When DV first came on the scene I did a comparison test between an S-VHS and a DV camera. Any landscape footage that I shot looked far better on S-VHS than on DV, even though the DV camera's lense was far superior. I've always found DV to be harsh and clinical. I'm Very glad that HDV has come on the scene.