Edit Review — DVFilm Maker version 1.06

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Sidebar: Additional DVFilm MakerFunctions

Thisarticle contains tables only available in PDF format.To view it, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded forfree.

This software is a great multipurpose format- conversion tool ata bargain price.

DVFilm Digital Transfers, long known for low-cost transfer of SD andHD video to film, has released version 1.06 of its DVFilm Maker utilityfor Windows-based (95, 98, 98SE, Me, NT, 2000, and XP) systems and Macs(OS 9 and OS X). Although DVFilm Maker offers many video productiontools. I'll focus this review on Maker's ability to remove 2:3:3:2pulldown independently of any Apple software.

Over the last several years, digital cinematography has evolved froman experiment to a well-accepted production option. During theevolution, many video formats have been used for acquisition. Thosewith large budgets can acquire with any HD format. The rest of us canacquire with SD formats. Table 1 summarizes the SD shooting optionscurrently available (see Table 1, page 52).

Note that only progressively scanned video can provide verticalresolution equal to the resolution of a camera's CCD chips. Second,progressively scanned video offers the highest vertical resolution withstatic images. Third, progressively scanned video does not loseresolution when motion (specifically, vertical motion) is introducedinto the image. Lastly, note that progressively scanned (24p) NTSCoffers greater vertical resolution (with static images) and muchgreater vertical resolution (with dynamic images) than does interlacedscanned PAL video. However, progressively scanned (25p) PAL provideseven greater vertical resolution than 24p NTSC and offers inherent 1:1frame correspondence since no pulldown is utilized. (For moreinformation, see “Progressive: What You Need to Know” inthe August 2002 Video Systems.)

Because 24p and 25p offer both maximum vertical resolution and anabsence of interlace artifacts, they are ideal for digital videoacquisition where the destination is 35mm film. With Panasonic'sAG-DVX100, you'll want to select 24p(ADV) operation and enableThin mode. (Enabling Thick mode will decrease effectivevertical resolution.)

Apple's Final Cut Pro 4 is expected to support FireWire capture ofthe 2:3:3:2 pulldown source material recorded in the 24p (ADV) setting.This cadence contains a single judder frame (shown in red in Table 2,page 52). During transfer, the judder frame will be dropped and the48kHz audio samples “re-mapped” from 1601 to 2002 samplesper frame. Table 2 shows a 2:3:3:2 cadence sequence output by theAG-DVX100 and how it will be transformed to progressive frames duringcapture.

All NTSC video has a frame rate of 29.97fps. Therefore, when 24pprogressive images are “carried” within NTSC video, theirframe rate is 23.98fps — not 24fps. FCP versions 3.0 and highersupport 23.98fps.

Using the DVFilm Maker utility is simplicity itself. First, captureusing any application you prefer. (For this review, I captured viaFireWire using Final Cut Pro.) When all material has been captured,open the DVFilm utility by double-clicking its icon. Then useFile>Open to select a captured file. Now use theProcess>View Options to obtain a menu and click the 24pOptions button. You now have a choice of two pre-edit options:Convert 2:3:3:2 pulldown to 24p (with a 48,048Hz audio) orConvert 2:3:3:2 pulldown to 23.976 (with 48,000Hz audio). Toedit the converted clip(s) with FCP, select the latter option. Nowclick the OK button and go to Process>Start Process.The file contents will be converted without being decompressed. Aclip's starting (A Frame) timecode is preserved by the conversion.Converted source material timecode reflects the dropping of every fifthframe. Version 1.06c, which I tested, supports batch conversion.

Your FCP project should be defined as 23.98fps with 48kHz audio.After a project has been defined, reload the converted clip(s) and editas usual.

When you have finished editing your production, you'll need to moveit to a film lab. Here, you have several options: You can ship yourdisk drives to the lab, or you can record the timeline to tape and sendit to the lab. To record a timeline to NTSC tape, it must have a29.97fps frame rate.

Here again, DVFilm Maker can be used. After exporting a 23.98fpsmovie, open Maker. Now go to File>Open to select your movieand select the Process>View Option. After selecting theConvert 24p/23.976p to 3:2 NTSC option, clickProcess>Start Process to convert your movie to a 29.97fpsmovie. During conversion, the B and C frames must be decompressed andrecompressed in order to generate frames 3 and 4. To keep qualityconsistent, all frames are decompressed and recompressed. The processworks as shown in Table 3 with the created judder frames noted inred.

The 29.97fps movie generated can, after being imported into FCP, beoutput to any camcorder or deck. Your film lab will then remove thejudder frames added by DVFilm Maker while converting your production to24fps.

DVFilm Maker 1.06c, at $95, is a fantastic multipurpose tool at abargain price. The only downside is that during conversion, yourcomputer must have disk storage to hold all copies. Version 1.06c underWindows supports Open DML DV-AVI files, and 1.06d will supportuncompressed AVI files. Uncompressed QuickTime is alreadysupported.

Additional DVFilm MakerFunctions

DVFilm Maker offers many additional functions. You can use thepost-edit “Convert 24p/23.976p to 2:3:3:2 NTSC” function toconvert an exported 23.98fps or 24fps timeline to the same format asthe Panasonic AG-DVX100 records.

DVFilm Maker includes a deinterlace function that can be used if youshot and edited 29.97fps (60i) or 25fps (50i) video. You may have shotthis video with any NTSC or PAL camcorder, or with the AG-DVX100 set to60i.

After exporting a PAL or NTSC movie, open the DVFilm utility. Nowclick File > Open to select your exported movie. Then obtain a menuof options via Process > View Options. Check the “Deinterlacewhere motion is present” box. There are several ways for hardwareor software to remove interlace artifacts. The simplest method, whichreduces effective vertical resolution by one-half, is to select thelower DV field, copy it, replace the upper field with it, and outputthe resulting frame.

The second technique is to measure the difference between the twofields in a frame. If there is little difference - hence, no motion -the frame is passed without change. However, when there is adifference, the lower field is copied and replaces the upper field tocreate a new frame. When this technique is used, effective verticalresolution varies with the amount of motion. If there is motion in theimage, resolution can be halved for the entire frame.

DVFilm uses an intelligent deinterlace process. Motion is detectedon a line-by-line basis. Areas with no motion will carry forward alllines. Areas with movement, however, will carry forward onlyinformation from one field. The result is a frame that has maximumvertical resolution without interlace artifacts.

The DVFilm utility can perform additional functions either with orwithout intelligent deinterlacing. These functions include: Squeeze16:9 anamorphic to 4:3 letterbox; Crop 4:3 to 16:9 letterbox; Noletterbox; Add red boost; and Add grain. (Click the Advanced Optionsbutton to specify the amount of red boost and grain to add.) Thesefunctions can be used with NTSC or PAL video.

The latter two functions, as you might guess, can be used to createa film look. They can also be used with 2:3:2:3 cadence video shot byan AG-DVX100 in 24p (Thick) mode.

Company: DVFilm Digital Transfers Austin, Texas; (512)252-2343
http://www.dvfilm.com/

Product: DVFilm Maker version 1.06

Assets: Various format conversions, including conversion of2:3:3:2 pulldown to 24p or 23.976, and various other production tools.Mac or PC version.

Demographic: Anyone who needs to perform footage formatconversions.

Price: $95

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