Import, Edit, Print to tape HDv 720p Natively?

Videojohn wrote on 2/5/2009, 12:33 AM

Hi All,
I am about to start a big documentary project (40 hours) of HDV (720p, 25fps) footage shot with my JVC GY-hD111E.
I already asked some questions on this forum about handling this format. (I use Vegas Pro 8.0c)

1) For capture, the advice is HDV split (capture whole + split after). Are there any other options?
2) For editing of native .m2t files it seems to be no problems. Are there?
3) For print to tape, I see in the render tab that HDV 25p can only be renderd "intermediate"; does it means that Vegas cannot make a print to tape in native HDV 720p 25fps?

In sum, my questions are:
1) Is it possible to post produce a long project in HDV 720p 25fps with Vegas Pro 8.0c, and edit and print to tape a Master in native HDV 720p 25fps?
2) Does it worth the trouble to start such a project with Vegas? Or would it be better to invest in Final Cut 6? (I am running Vegas on a MacBookPro, Dual Core 2.6Ghz, 4GB RAM; and And I am still hesitating in which platform (Mac or WIndows) to start my project and thus which software to use (Vegas Pro 8.0c or Final Cut 6).
What would be the more comfortable solution?

Any help appreciated,
Thank you,
VideoJohn

Comments

farss wrote on 2/5/2009, 1:39 AM

I think you need to do a lot of homework on this project.
To the best of my knowledge only the JVC camera and their own VCR can playout 720p25. I've had a number of frantic calls from people after one so they're not that common I'd say. That to my mind leaves you with a very basic problem. Even if you can get your edited footage back onto tape what will you do with it.

Certainly Vegas 8.0 DOES have templates for 720p25 and can render it as HDV, you need to select the mpeg-2 codec first.

Bob.

Videojohn wrote on 2/5/2009, 10:04 AM

Thanks Farss,
I have the Player Recorder JVC BR-HD50, which can play and record HDV 720p25, so I will be able to print in that format. And thanks, I saw the MPEG 2 format under "render as" and their is in fact the HDV720p format. So print to tape should not be a problem.

But the point of may post is about the whole editing process with this format AND with Vegas 8.0c.

I already had a VERY BAD experience with editing with Vegas 8 a film (only 12 hours footage) shot in HDV 720p25: audio and video streams of different lenght!!!!, constant red frames in the time line (especially when changing the scale of the timeline), constant crashes when activating the thumbnails display in the media pool.

So my point is does it worth the trouble to start such a project with Vegas, or would it be more stable to work with a program such as Final Cut Pro 6?

And I need to figure this out before starting the capturing process. That's why I would like to share experience with similar projects.

Thank you,
VideoJohn

Videojohn wrote on 2/5/2009, 11:53 PM

Hi!, any suggestion for such project?
Thanks

Videojohn wrote on 2/8/2009, 9:15 AM

Nobody has experience with editing HDV 720p25 with Vegas 8.0c?