Native 720 Progressive Transfers Using the Data Transfer Method — Or, How I Learned to Avoid Interlace and Love the Supercomputer

When ABC chose to broadcast HDTV in the 1280/720/60 progressive format, it was quickly decided to demonstrate the quality achievable with that scanning format using both video acquisition and film-to-tape transfer. An obstacle to achieving the best quality film-to-video transfers at that time was the lack of telecine facilities capable of generating a 720P video output. Consequently, the only 720P material readily available from film sources had been transferred as interlace and subsequently converted to progressive using a method that “printed” the interlace footprint into the progressive video. With the help of several parties, we were able to scan film generating not video but data files, and to use a supercomputer to create 60 fps progressive video from those data files. As in any trailblazing effort, some rough terrain was encountered. This paper describes that project and the results it produced.

Published

1998-10

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/M00282

ISBN

978-1-61482-929-4