Best TV codec/file extension

Weldon wrote on 3/29/2011, 11:59 AM
Hi folks,
I did a series of 30 sec spots that are going to run on a local TV station. I shot everything in AVCHD 1080. The first spot is set to run soon and I need some help. They want the first on in Standard Def formatted for square TV (I used the pan and crop 4.3 standard TV format). I did the original projects as HD –1080 60i. The TV station asked for AVI or MPEG2 formats. I rendered the project as Windows for Media avi/NTSC SD YUV and upload to their FTP site. The avi file was over 1/2 Gig. They emailed me this morning and said the avi file was not compatible with their editing system and to try MPEG2. I have rendered again to MainConcept MPEG2 as DVD NTSC which made a much smaller file. I have uploaded it to their FTP site and have not heard back yet. Hopefully that worked.
My question is, what is the best codec for TV? I would like to know for both Stander Def and High Def. I am sure there is some thread on this here though I was unable to find it.
As always, thank you very much for the feedback.
Weldon

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 3/29/2011, 12:31 PM
First of all, your local station is 'way behind the technology curve.
So give them what they want or will be happy with.
Second, each station or group wants something a little different for HD broadcast.
You need to remain flexible, and it doesn't hurt to have a friend with Final Cut either.
Weldon wrote on 3/29/2011, 3:45 PM
Thanks for the comments...
I still need to know what is the best render settings for SD and HD TV broadcast.
Former user wrote on 3/29/2011, 4:33 PM
Each TV station has its own requirements. You need to adhere to what they want.

Dave T2
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/29/2011, 4:44 PM
As others have said, there is no "best" format. Each TV station will tell you what they want and it's up to you to decide the best way to give it to them.

I would have given them a DV AVI file i.e., Video for Windows (*.avi) using the NTSC DV template. This is abouts as standard as SD gets and it would have been much higher quality than the MPEG2 file you gave them. You threw them for a loop using the Sony YUV codec.

When they tell you how they want the HD version delivered, just post back here with the specs they give you and we'll try and help you figure it out. It's mostly a guessing game with TV stations. They are primarily equipped to handle tapes, and file formats seem to confuse them.

~jr
Weldon wrote on 3/29/2011, 5:22 PM
JR
That's what I needed to hear. Thank you guys again!
TheHappyFriar wrote on 3/29/2011, 6:43 PM
Odds are if they want a digital format they are using a digital playing device. The BEST thing you could do is ask for something that they already have set to go (another commercial), then you can get the settings from that. There should (hopefully) be someone there that knows the file format though.

When I was at a TV station we would always print the commercials to tape & then go to the control room to capture & transfer them to the mpeg-2 broadcast device. Once I got them to get Vegas 4 I got the exact specs needed, setup regions & used batch render to render a whole day's worth of work in a couple hours. :D
rs170a wrote on 3/29/2011, 7:18 PM
I give a lot of stuff to our local cable company.
With the old playback server, I'd give them an MPEG-2 stream with embedded audio at 8 MB. CBR.
Then they got a new one :(
After much experimenting (AVI didn't work even though it was supposed to) and eventually correspondence with the server manufacturer, I now give them an MXF file.
I could still give them a tape but a file on a hard drive is SO much more convenient for all concerned.
On a side note, they edit on FCP and still can't figure out a file format from it that works.
Very short (1 min.) MOVs work but full length ones (30 min.) don't.
Go figure.

Mike
rrrrob wrote on 3/29/2011, 11:03 PM
why would you need to have a friend with Final Cut?
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/30/2011, 5:47 AM
> "why would you need to have a friend with Final Cut?"

Because there is a disturbing trend in the industry for post houses to request submissions as ProRes422 as if it were an industry standard when, in fact, it is a proprietary Apple only format. We even had one post house tell us that we needed to sell our PC and buy a Mac if we expected to work in the industry. It is amazing how strong the "Kool-aid" is at the Apple camp. ;-)

~jr
Former user wrote on 3/30/2011, 5:52 AM
JR is right. In our market, Final Cut has taken over and ProRes is becoming the defacto codec standard.

Dave T2
TheHappyFriar wrote on 3/30/2011, 7:09 AM
Very short (1 min.) MOVs work but full length ones (30 min.) don't.

Odds are it's a file size/name thing. The device I used was in fat 16 I think, everything had to conform to fat 16 specs (size, name length, etc). If they're uploading something that truncates the filename or is compatible with the drive but not compatible with the device (IE no "~" supported) it won't work.
Guy Bruner wrote on 3/30/2011, 11:12 AM
I provided some HD footage to a Knoxville TV station in Sony MXF format and they were very pleased.