HD graphics

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:46 pm

Sorry for the length of this post - I couldn't stop rambling

Firstly, let me say what a great group this is. After lurking for a while, I've been able to answer many of my own questions without bothering anybody, and get some great tips along the way. However, that's about to change

I haven't seen much on the posts referring to the HD capabilities of VS10+.

I've been playing with computers since my Sinclair ZX81 way back when. Progressed through Vic20's, Commodore 64's, edited super 8 on an Amiga in the 80's !! - up through all the 386-486 stuff to today's beasts. Over the past few years I've done quite a bit of DV stuff, using a variety of software.

Now, I've gone to the big league. Bought an HDTV, and a Sony HDR-HC7 high def camera - ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.

So that's briefly my level of experience. BUT - there are some things that I just can't get my head around.

The main one at the moment is different resolutions.

VS10+ gives me the options for setting project preferences, output preferences etc. The school of thought I've seen on this board says that you should try to maintain a constant throughout your workflow, which of course makes sense. This is where I get confubbled.

My HDV camera records and outputs at 1440x1080i.
VS10+ has an HD MPEG2 output of the same spec. - 1440x1080i.
However - the VS10+ HD Basic Backgrounds provided in the software are 1920x1080 at 72pix/inch.

My HDTV has a native resolution of 1366x768, but inputs at 1080i.

HELP!!!

To start creating my own graphics, backgrounds, animations etc. to use in VS10+ productions, what would be the best resolution to work in.

I've already made a few test graphics, played with sizes, mixed different formats (inserted 4:3 video as overlays on 16:9 projects) but I'm still not sure if what I'm doing is the best that I *could* be doing.

If this is in the wrong part of the list to ask all this then I apologise, but as I'm using VS10+ for the capture/output, I thought that maybe the graphics and backgrounds that also make up the final production could be discussed here.

Cheers ... Paul (aka Hugo)

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:04 pm

Hugo,

My HDV camera records and outputs at 1440x1080i.
VS10+ has an HD MPEG2 output of the same spec. - 1440x1080i. However - the VS10+ HD Basic Backgrounds provided in the software are 1920x1080 at 72pix/inch. My HDTV has a native resolution of 1366x768, but inputs at 1080i.

HDV is a spec with a frame size of 1440x1080i, most over the air transmissions are this format. HD is just another spec being full 1920x1080i.
I think the HDV 1440 spec was created for better backward compatibility with 4:3 HDTV's & SDTV's. Only guessing, it's double 720 & looks nice in letterbox on my 4:3 SDTV.
To me what makes playing back these newer HD formats confusing is the playback device your using to drive your HDTV set, such as a HD player. They all aren't the same and have different setup menus(normal,zoom,wide,wide_zoom), not to mention the settings for the TV. That's why I've found it's best to retain the framesize, aspect ratio & fielding information. You can change the audio type, (video_bit_rate for smaller file sizes). Changing the framesize causes the video to be completely re-rendered which takes time. Some prefer to change the video to 1920x1080i because their playback devices display the video totally full screen and they don't have to play with any settings to fill the full 16:9 screen. Matter of choice.
I've only run across this on one playback device, otherwise 1440x1080i is displayed full screen.

The native resolution of your HDTV is a performance spec. Don't confuse this with any of your source videos frame sizes, standard or highdefintion.
If your HDTV players output is set at 1280x720p you do not convert your videos to 1280x720 frame size. All this is done in the playback device your
using to drive your HDTV. Whatever playback device your using expects to see your video in it's original format. The only time this can come into play
is if your converting to a different "Format" such as HD_WMV, Divx, Mpeg4. The format itself may not support features that are in your source video,
like HD-WMV doesn't support interlaced video.
I guess a good example of this is if you create a home movie 720x480 Standard Defintion Interlaced LFF from your DV cam and create a dvd. If you have your dvd
player setup as progressive scan then the player is driving your HDTV at 480p. The video looks great because the dvd player converts the interlaced to progressive
format and drives the HDTV with this 480p signal. You didn't have to convert your original files to frame_based/progressive format. The hardware device performs this conversion.

The HC5 records these specs:
FrameSize = 1440x1080
Frame_Rate = 29.97fps
Compression = Mpeg2 @25Mbs Constant
AspectRatio 16:9 / PAR(1.3333)(Pixel Aspect Ratio)
Fielding = UFF (Upper_Field_First) Interlaced Video.
Audio = Mpeg Audio @ 384kbs

You use these parameters as your "Project Settings", under "Preferences" set the Quality=Best for the best rendering at final conversion.
Then in the share stage select "Same As Project Settings" when creating a new hd-mpeg2 file of the project.
As far as pictures are concerned VS will resample them to 1440 (the project settings), they should look nice. The HC5 takes nice 16:9 Photos.
Next Post Playback Devices.

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:09 pm

Hugo,
Playback software/hardware and computer editing can be quite difficult if one doesn't know what the true source video really looks like. Forget that LCD screen.
The first thing one should do is learn their cam's capabilities by shooting outdoor video of cars driving by, panning across a fence or deck with veritcal uprights both handheld and also on a tripod. Then connect the cam to your HDTv using first the HDMI connector and viewing the tape. Take notice while viewing the tape whether the motion is smooth & acceptable, use the slow motion feature for playback to view fine detail. Then connect the cam to the HDTV using the Component Connectors to see and learn the difference between the 2 connections. The HDMI connection has more bandwidth and gives a better picture. Depending on your footage you may not be able to see any difference.

The HC1/3/5/7 units should look excellent using either connection (my opinion). It's this nice HD-Video you now need to transfer to the computer, edit, and play it back as good as possible as the camcorder does. Computer playback requires a video card with HD accelleration along with the correct video playback software. When I first started with HD, this nice fellow (HTChein)

advised me on the certified devices and the accellerated HD videos cards. I was having trouble using the computer playing back, it certainly wasn't as good as viewing what was on the original tape. So now I use a ATI-1650 AGP with either Windvd8 or Powerdvd7 Deluxe/ultra(not sure). The ATI cards use AVIVO for accelleration. NVidia uses "PureVision".
My setup has the DVI connector from the video card to the hdmi input on a HDTV (using a dvi to hdmi adapter).
Other consumer based hardware playback devices can be Sony PlayStation_3, LinkPlayer_2, HD-DVD players etc.
My opinion, don't use windows media player to judge the quality of your HD unless you buy the plugin for it and set it up properly.
I would use a certified HD-Software Player.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:27 pm

Hi folks ..

thank you so much for your detailed and thorough responses.

I'll print them off and put them in my "Look Here First" file

At this stage I don't have a HD DVD player, so I think I have 3 playback choices.

1. Record the completed movie back to HDV tape and connect the camera directly to the HDTV using HDMI.

2. Copy the completed file to my wife's shiny new laptop, which also has HDMI output, and use that to play the movie.

3. Create an SD version DVD for general distribution amongst family and friends.

I have an Oppo set-top dvd player which upscales to 720p, so that will at least make an SD version look reasonable.

Once again, many thanks for your quick and helpful responses. Now, if only ULead would include some more HD stuff in their "Free Goodies" section, I'd be a happy camper.

cheers .. Paul

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:05 pm

2. Copy the completed file to my wife's shiny new laptop, which also has HDMI output, and use that to play the movie.

Provided the laptop has HD video accelleration along with the HD software player.
Otherwise the video may choke,... or it may be her choking YOU for using her laptop

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:33 pm

Hi etech

it could be the latter - in fact, if she reads this and finds out I connected her lappy to the telly to try it in the first place, I could be in the proverbial canine abode

By the way, I didn't realise at first that you had provided both replies to my query - so a double thanks.

Cheers .. Paul