Mixed media question

Opampman wrote on 11/20/2008, 5:20 PM

I know there is probably a simple answer to this, but I can't get my 65 year old brain around it. I have a show to edit, most shot in HDV on an A1U. There are a few insert shots in SD (4:3) on a 3 chip DV camera that need to be cut in. I will be editing all in Vegas Pro 8b in HDV format. I need to render to HD for a Blu-Ray but I need the SD 4:3 to be uprezed so it shows up at 16:9 (obviously with lower quality than the A1U footage). What do I need to do? Do I need to render the SD footage first to an HD format or what?

Comments

PeterWright wrote on 11/20/2008, 5:48 PM

With project settings HDV, Open Pan Crop on the SD events and right click/match output aspect ratio - you then have the choice of sliding the frame slightly up or down if desirable.

As you mentioned, there will be an inevitable loss of quality for these portions, simply because you will be effectively stretching 720 x 442.5 (if PAL) to 1440 x 1080

musicvid10 wrote on 11/20/2008, 5:50 PM

Set the Vegas project properties to match the majority of your footage.
Put all your clips on the timeline and edit as desired.
Render to the output you desire.
Checking "Stretch video to fill output frame" will not leave black bars on the sides of your rendered SD footage, but will distort the aspect. Not doing so will render a pillarboxed view as in your preview.
Another option is to use event pan/crop to enlarge and frame a portion of your SD footage (as mentioned above - we posted simultaneously), possibly with keyframing in the widescreen frame.
That's it!

TeetimeNC wrote on 11/20/2008, 5:51 PM

To do what you describe just put the SD on the timeline and use pan/crop to crop the clip so it fills the view.

Another possible solution if your situation would allow it is to create two panels with track motion and show two SD clips simultaneously, one in each panel - think Brady Bunch opening, but just two panels instead of six filling the screen. This way each SD clip can be at its standard resolution. I've done something like that where I didn't need to include the audio and they were related clips.

Jerry

Opampman wrote on 11/20/2008, 8:12 PM

Peter - It sounds like your solution is what I need (though I'm in NTSC). I don't mind cropping the footage, but will your solution stretch the video? I don't want it stretched but cropping is OK.

PeterWright wrote on 11/20/2008, 8:26 PM

No it won't stretch - it it will effectively cut off the top and bottom of the 4:3 frame, which is why you can adjust up or down if required.

Opampman wrote on 11/21/2008, 7:01 AM

Thanks - I'll give it a shot this afternoon.

Edited to correct spelling