HD Television Delivery Format

[Van Royko]

I'm just wondering what the new standard for delivering content to television is (or will be) for HD in the USA. Will it still be tape based?

Thanks

[GlennChan]

Probably HDCAM and HDCAM SR. Depends on what the broadcaster wants; I don't think there is really a standard.

There might be some D5, digital delivery for shorter stuff, etc. If internet connections get faster then I'd think you'd see a lot more digital delivery if it gets there faster (whereas a tape you have to courier).


Will it still be tape based?
Some broadcasters will still probably accept beta SP for a long time...

[Michael Schrengohst]

Is anyone using digital delivery??
It seems so silly to make a tape from
your digital edit bay.
Especially for spot delivery.

[M Most]

Is anyone using digital delivery??
It seems so silly to make a tape from
your digital edit bay.
Especially for spot delivery.

Spot deliveries are often done by file transfer, primarily MPEG2 and MPEG4. There are companies that specialize in this type of delivery (DG Fastchannel comes to mind) that are connected to many stations around the country. Network deliveries are all on videotape, primarily HDCam SR due to its support of both 1080i and 720p formats, and also due to its 12 audio tracks. There has been some talk, specifically from Fox, about file based deliveries in the future, but for full length show material, it doesn't make much sense at the moment.

[laguun]

Spot deliveries are often done by file transfer, primarily MPEG2 and MPEG4. There are companies that specialize in this type of delivery (DG Fastchannel comes to mind) that are connected to many stations around the country. Network deliveries are all on videotape, primarily HDCam SR due to its support of both 1080i and 720p formats, and also due to its 12 audio tracks. There has been some talk, specifically from Fox, about file based deliveries in the future, but for full length show material, it doesn't make much sense at the moment.

I think from the >100 masters which left the studio in HD here to different countries and customers, >95% have been ordered in hdcam or hdcam SR.

With over 40.000 hdcam units in the markets (4.800 SR), the ability to deliver full features with AC3/Dolby Digital in any existing relevant framerate, being realtime and compatible around the world and having record and playback in almost any larger city of the western world, together with the ability to exchange an 2.5 hour film pretty shock-proof in a compact fedex package on a medium for $$, its seems pretty probable that this will stay for quite a time.

D5HD has pretty much left he building in Europe (i resisted buying one at 18.000 last year) and file basing formats are not used for final delivery on a regular basis with any client i know. P2 is niche as you cant deliver long formats.

Broadcaster sitting on TONS of beta, beta sp, beta sx, beta imx, digital betacam beta mpeg also like the feature of the system to play all this back with ine device.

In-house its different, several stations are using less tape for their current programming (in fact at the playout almost anyone is filebasing meanwhile), the same is valid for international networked transmission basing program (sports etc).

But for exchange, masters and archival i dont see a real competition, not even at the horizon. If red ray gets a VTR-stlye control this *could* change, however still the broadcasters need something to play back the 10.000s of programmes they have on 1/2 tape.

[GlennChan]

If red ray gets a VTR-stlye control this *could* change
But then you'd want a lot of channels of audio. At least 10/12.
And 3:2 pulldown. (And probably a number of other features; insert edit would be very nice.)

As expensive as HDCAM SR is, it fills a need and some facilities will still continue to buy it. I don't see RedRay replacing that (or targeting the broadcast delivery market).

[laguun]

But then you'd want a lot of channels of audio. At least 10/12.
And 3:2 pulldown. (And probably a number of other features; insert edit would be very nice.)

i think redray wont become a recorder, only player.
but i agree. However it could become the "inexpensive" hd feeder especially for those smaller local stations, sd-broadcasters who need an hd master here and there who cant or wont invest 25, 50, 75 or 100 in hdcam gear.



As expensive as HDCAM SR is, it fills a need and some facilities will still continue to buy it. I don't see RedRay replacing that (or targeting the broadcast delivery market).
HDCAM is the sweet spot, outselling HDCAM SR 10 to 1.

i am slightly biased on this, as we decided to skip HDCAM SR as we simply dont see enough demand for it, at least in Germany. I think there are only 2 broadcasters who actually can use SR.

For broadcasters worldwide, HDCAM is the basic, and if SR i asked for, its mainly cinema here, and in this area we rather prefer to send dpx to the film recorder on encode directly from uncompressed.

[Randall Nott]

i think redray wont become a recorder, only player.

So how will RedRay discs get recorded?

[laguun]

So how will RedRay discs get recorded?

according to red: computer based encoding/authoring.

[Greg M]

In the US unfortunately we dont have a "standard"...but HDCAM SR is the preferred format for most.

[Radoslav Karapetkov]

according to red: computer based encoding/authoring.

Cool... very cool actually.

These guys are seriously getting cinema out on the street. :watsup:

[Mark Andersen]

Is anyone using digital delivery??
It seems so silly to make a tape from
your digital edit bay.
Especially for spot delivery.

We do digital delivery for stock. Quicktime files are a standard these days, I use the Photo JPG at maximum quality or between 95% and 100% This provides a very good quality file with very little compression. The Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) is also a very good codec. These codecs usually create files between 95 and 170 Mbits Per Sec.

[M Most]

I think from the >100 masters which left the studio in HD here to different countries and customers, >95% have been ordered in hdcam or hdcam SR.

Although you're offering an interesting view on this, the question that was asked specifically referred to HD delivery in the US. Hence my answer ;l-)

[Mark Crabtree]

Delivered masters to date are not necessarily an indicator of the future. TV stations are trying to get off tape formats because of hardware and service costs. Small stations that remain in the hands of independent owners have nearly been bankrupted by DTV conversion. (4 Mil for DTV tower and transmitter?) I do not see small and even medium market stations wanting to purchase a host of pricy HD VTR's. I think there will be some disk, DVD like, format which will emerge as an affordable standard.