Down-conversion of HD to SD using 2nd Casablanca editor
On the Cassie Tips List, Ron Brookman (Casablanca Expert Gold Member) shared the following suggestion/tutorial for down-converting from HD in a Bogart editor to SD (using a 2nd Casablanca). I believe his suggestion is worthy of consideration for folks with this need. This is an alternative to using a camcorder/deck to perform the down-conversion from HD to SD).
"Well, after a lot of experimenting, I found the very best way, in my opinion, to convert HD to SD, using Justin Philpott's suggestion.
You must have two Casablanca machines to do this (dealers will like that!).
That's if you want to do it in real-time with absolutely no transfer rendering and no generational loss.
And you need Presentation Options software on your Gen3 Machine #1 so that you don't have any Play Counter showing on the Storyboard's playback screen. A Gen2 machine is very adequate for this machine #2 task. Machine#2 would only need an OS, Arabesk and an SD burner. You may even have a Gen2 Casablanca sitting on the shelf not being used.
Simply PLAY your HD project from the Storyboard (NO rendering at all) via machine #1's S-Video output into another Casablanca with an SD 16:9 project via machine #2's S-Video input. Don't forget your red/white audio cable to also capture the audio. You are NOT playing from the Finish window (which would require rendering).
A one-hour HD project takes one hour to transfer to SD with no rendering on either machine, as far as transfer (conversion) is concerned! This is real-time HD to SD "conversion". On machine #2, author, render and burn your SD DVD-R as usual for an SD project.
So, with this method, HD becomes SD -- quickly and simply. It doesn't matter what resolutions you've used. You should get pretty good results. For HD-edited projects, I found it to be equal or slightly better than camcorder down-conversion and MUCH faster. This also eliminates the variable of using a camcorder's down-conversion -- some are better, some are worse. This doesn't use it at all.
Another advantage is that you easily record Frame #1 -- no extra black "leader" required. And no special cuing problems because you can even start the recorder machine before you begin playing the HD SB. Machine #1's Edit window shows on machines #1 and #2 until you hit PLAY on machine #1. Then just Trim that off in machine #2. So machine #2 has a constant video signal to start recording, even before Frame #1 starts.
Slick!!
Note: If you need an HD archive, you will eventually have to either burn a Blu-ray on machine #1 or archive to HDV tape. But that can be done long after you've delivered your SD DVD-R project to your client. They will probably get your product at least a day earlier. And you'll already be a day into your next project.
There is no need for folks to comment on the downside of having two Casablanca machines. That is obvious. But having a second machine could have some big payback advantages for multi-tasking and using machine #2 for on-site LIVE capturing using no tape. Make it pay for itself. As I said before, a Gen2 machine is adequate for these machine #2 tasks."
Ron Brookman
Tips & Tutorials by the Casablanca Expert, Chet Davis
www.CasablancaExpert.com
