Delivering HD spots to local station?

[Matthew Rogers]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if you've had to yet... but I was wondering how you deliver HD spots to local stations? Is anyone currently doing so, and if so, how? If not, does anyone know how most stations are going to take HD spots? Beta was the standard, but what's the standard going to be for HD?!

Matthew

[Keith Neff]

Matthew; totally depends on the market. Here in Detroit only two stations will take HD and they both take D5-HD. Problem is, some stations are 720/60P and some are 1080/60i and so you may need two masters. The same is true of the networks but even worse since they all have their own audio specs.

[Michael Schrengohst]

Putting spots on tape is ancient technology.

http://www.dgfastchannel.com/network.htm

[Greg M]

Unfortunately, because of the various standards there is no simple answer.

Every station will have a different requirements and need a different format. As a post house we will be required to maintain D5, HDCAM SR, HDCAM, etc, etc. to keep up. There is no standard (like Betacam).

DG is fine, but not everyone supports this and it also means your project is encoded twice in most cases...not ideal if you care about quality.

[laguun]

Every station will have a different requirements and need a different format. As a post house we will be required to maintain D5, HDCAM SR, HDCAM, etc, etc. to keep up. There is no standard (like Betacam).

In Europe, we delivered 100s of HD master, all in HDCAM (sr). Never got one back.
I think its pretty sure to say that the huge majority of larger broadcast networks will take HDCAM. In Europe, this is the case for ARD/ZDF (germany), arte/canal (france), bbc (uk).

[Frank Weeks]

Our local stations are yet to accept HD but that will be changing in the near future.

This may be a stupid question but is there anyway to send HD content (30 sec spots) on hard drive or cf. Buying assorted HD machines is a bit expensive.

[laguun]

Putting spots on tape is ancient technology.

i think it is pretty important to understand that tape is still by far the most important media exchange.

No matter if LTO3, HDCAM (sr), Digital Betacam and yes, BetacamSP, 1/2 inch tape is -the- common format on -all- continents and -all- broadcasters.

Some broadcaster do accept MPEG2 files, others XDCAM or P2, but you wont find almost -any- larger network complaining about 1/2 tape.

Its compatible, the industry has billions of investments in -running- tape sytems, and while to-air and in house tapeless are (finally) gaining marketshare, exchange and archival is >90% tape.

Our SD and HD-VTRs are rented out almost daily, from fullfeature cinema (hdcam), festival (hdcam/digi/sp), to delivery to japan or usa (29.97), distribution copies for dozens of countries etc.

harddisk with files, or networked exchange, as much i would prefer it, are sadly still missing the widespread implementation, interconnectivity and first and foremost - standards which are accepted worldwide.

[laguun]

Our local stations are yet to accept HD but that will be changing in the near future.

This may be a stupid question but is there anyway to send HD content (30 sec spots) on hard drive or cf. Buying assorted HD machines is a bit expensive.

small stations (as local) often use MPEG2-servers - i would recommend a talk with their techs.

[Ralph N Madison]

Unfortunately, because of the various standards there is no simple answer.

Every station will have a different requirements and need a different format. As a post house we will be required to maintain D5, HDCAM SR, HDCAM, etc, etc. to keep up. There is no standard (like Betacam).

DG is fine, but not everyone supports this and it also means your project is encoded twice in most cases...not ideal if you care about quality.

Greg,

Do you have a HDCAM SR machine? If you do I might come to see you to print to tape.

[Greg M]

Greg,

Do you have a HDCAM SR machine? If you do I might come to see you to print to tape.


Hi Ralph,
I do have one, but unfortunately its on an extended rental. I am buying a second deck in April though.