How should I export/compress this HD Footage for optimal broadcast use?

[treehorn]

I was given footage with which to create a Broll that is intended to be given to various stations across the U.S. for promotional materials. As I don't have much experience with what a 'universal HD' codex/setting would be, I would love some help (especially since the footage is not at all matching other Broadcast-ready HD clips I have been given by other companies).

The footage, according to FCP, is DVCPRO HD 720p, 960X720, 29.97fps, with HD (960X720) pixel aspect.

As all the HD footage I'm given for Broadcast usage is 1920X1080 h.264 square pixel, and as I've had issues with TV stations in the hinterlands wanting things in a variety of formats/compressions (such as photo JPG versus DVCPro as they work on Sony Vega systems), and since the HD compressor settings really don't shed too much light on this, I am wondering what would be the best all-around, go-to setting to use in Compressor for this footage.

Many thanks!

 

[madaspy]

I was given footage with which to create a Broll that is intended to be given to various stations across the U.S. for promotional materials. As I don't have much experience with what a 'universal HD' codex/setting would be, I would love some help (especially since the footage is not at all matching other Broadcast-ready HD clips I have been given by other companies).

The footage, according to FCP, is DVCPRO HD 720p, 960X720, 29.97fps, with HD (960X720) pixel aspect.

As all the HD footage I'm given for Broadcast usage is 1920X1080 h.264 square pixel, and as I've had issues with TV stations in the hinterlands wanting things in a variety of formats/compressions (such as photo JPG versus DVCPro as they work on Sony Vega systems), and since the HD compressor settings really don't shed too much light on this, I am wondering what would be the best all-around, go-to setting to use in Compressor for this footage.

Many thanks!

Whenever we have a spot that needs to go to broadcast we get specifications about what format it needs to be in.

Since it sounds like B-roll is what you're delivering, it would be best to ask what format your client needs, and discuss if you're able to deliver that. For instance if you're all file based and you need digi beta then you will have to send that off and discuss cost of transferring.

But all in all, there is no STANDARD.

 

[treehorn]

Whenever we have a spot that needs to go to broadcast we get specifications about what format it needs to be in.

Since it sounds like B-roll is what you're delivering, it would be best to ask what format your client needs, and discuss if you're able to deliver that. For instance if you're all file based and you need digi beta then you will have to send that off and discuss cost of transferring.

But all in all, there is no STANDARD.

Oh silly person...client has no clue! Didn't even know how to view the footage she provided me (heck, she didn't even know that the hard drive contained two different shows on it)

And unfortunately this is going to be a touring production where the footage is going to be given out across the country so there is no way to ask...it's more a case of getting an emergency email/phone call saying "such and such a station in Podunkville can't figure out how to use the footage in that format and we need you to change it ASAP but we have no idea what they mean or what they want"

I know that I've had problems with people not being able to use DVCPro in the past, but that was with SD footage. And I know that when I'm given HD footage to use on various TV shows/spots i need to edit it is given to me in the aforementioned h.264 format.

They aren't wanting Betas. They aren't wanting tapes. The total amount of footage is too large for a single DVD as data delivery system.

They are ideally wanting to upload the clips and have stations download them.

If I provide them with

A) a downcoverted SD DVD (which they requested)
B) individual clips exported in the footage's native format (DVCPRO HD 720p, 960X720, 29.97fps, with HD (960X720) pixel aspect)
C) individual clips exported using the QuickTime H.264 setting in Compressor

Would that cover as many bases as possible and be usable by most stations?

 

[LethalWolfe]

If I provide them with

A) a downcoverted SD DVD (which they requested)
B) individual clips exported in the footage's native format (DVCPRO HD 720p, 960X720, 29.97fps, with HD (960X720) pixel aspect)
C) individual clips exported using the QuickTime H.264 setting in Compressor

Would that cover as many bases as possible and be usable by most stations?

Apple's DVCProHD codec is only available if you have FCP installed so it's not good for distribution unless you know everyone on the receiving end has FCP. H.264 is so compressed and so few NLEs can work with it natively that I wouldn't use it unless space is your largest concern.

Other options would be to use ProRes (or ProRes LT for a smaller file size) because a read-only version of ProRes comes with QT.

Photo-JPEG at 75% (3/4) quality setting. This is an older codec but it's cross platform and high quality (you want to use 75% because that will be 4:2:2 where as if you use it at 100% it's 4:4:4 which is overkill).

Avid's DNX codecs are another option as they are free downloads from Avid's site.


Lethal

 

[treehorn]

Apple's DVCProHD codec is only available if you have FCP installed so it's not good for distribution unless you know everyone on the receiving end has FCP. H.264 is so compressed and so few NLEs can work with it natively that I wouldn't use it unless space is your largest concern.

Other options would be to use ProRes (or ProRes LT for a smaller file size) because a read-only version of ProRes comes with QT.

Photo-JPEG at 75% (3/4) quality setting. This is an older codec but it's cross platform and high quality (you want to use 75% because that will be 4:2:2 where as if you use it at 100% it's 4:4:4 which is overkill).

Avid's DNX codecs are another option as they are free downloads from Avid's site.


Lethal

That's what I always thought about h.264 yet that's what we keep getting from various publicists as b-roll for their shows.

I think I'll give them Photo-jpg as a number of stations seem to use the Sony Vegas system and that is what plays nice with them.

And thanks for the 411 on DVCProHD - as this footage was given to me w/o any knowledge of how it was shot and with what...and as I don't do too much HD work, still feeling my way around that universe.

 

[LethalWolfe]

That's what I always thought about h.264 yet that's what we keep getting from various publicists as b-roll for their shows.

We get it a lot too but it's mainly from people that don't know any better.


Lethal