Trying to process 4KHD 29.97 on i7 CPU

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Recently upgraded to the new i7 CPU and took a job that requires me to
do a primary grade and output via SDI to DigiBeta.

Client required 29.97 at 4K for origination, they are used to 35mm neg
work and want to use Optimos, short DOF, etc.

Camera is running Build 17 v3.4.1. We are shooting 4KHD 29.97 with 2
audio tracks.

Play back speeds are very close to 29.97 on the gauge, varying from 27
up to a few running seconds holding at 30.

Dropped frames happen at least every few seconds which I assume will
ruin the sound sync.

Output is to SD DigiBeta so I tried half res medium and even quarter
res high but still no luck.

Content is interviews, well lit, some with exterior backgrounds with
leaves/grass - but short DOF.

Primary grade applied and scaling to 16:9 image, letterboxed into 4:3
which apeared to be adding black and scaling .9.

If I did need to write out a rendered version from which playback
could be achieved is there any other option than 2K DPXs? It is an SD
deliverable after all.

I am time crunched, desperate for workarounds, ideas welcome. Thanks.

Blair S. Paulsen, 4K Ninja

[Scott Brown]

Hi Blair

I'm not 100% clear on what you are trying to do but you'll need to convert/render your 4K Red footage to SD (uncompressed) prior to attempting to output via SDI to Digibeta. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but we output to digi all the time and this is our route.

Scott

[Ian Karr]

Blair,

Are you working on a REDBOXX II? If so, please check out this link...

http://www.boxxtech.com/products/redBOXX/redBOXX_performance.asp

It shows which formats and builds will play back in real time. The 4KHD pixel dimensions (as opposed to 16 X 9 or ANA) aren't very SCRATCH friendly at 29.97....It sounds like you may have RED files that aren't supported for realtime playback.

Sorry to be the bearer of disappointing news....

[Dan Hudgins]

I'm not sure exactly how your software is working, but with my software I have been getting much better results on playback using FLASH drives than SATA. SATA glitch too often on playback.

To handle 4K my system makes playback frames small enough for any simple PC to handle, the 4K frames are used for static grading of keyframes, and then processed in non-real time to make the output frames. So computer speed has no effect on the final outcome.