Help! - Linear Television Advertising Delivery Requirements - DirecTV

This was posted in "FCPX How-To Tutorials" and "FCPX Reference Material" maybe not the correct places for it.

I'm experienced in producing media for online platforms. I have a new client who wants to place their ad on DirecTV. I need some help in understanding DirecTV's requirements and knowing if FCPX can produce what is needed. I received DirecTV's requirements which I've attached to this post. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
https://filebin.net/b76fdf9guql6akfv/Xandr_DeliveryRequirements2019.png?t=9628xsjc
filebin.net/b76fdf9guql6akfv/Xandr_Deliv...s2019.png?t=9628xsjc

I work in broadcast TV and this looks more daunting than it really is. You'd use Compressor, create a custom preset to these specs. Then in FCPX, create a Custom Destination using that preset from Compressor. Or make it a Droplet. I regularly use both methods, as I have different workflows for different project sources.

While the final output is 1080i upper fields first you can drop 30P and 60P clips into a 1080i timeline. Your best bet is to use external broadcast compliant hardware for over the shoulder editing or even editing by yourself. Having said that FCPX does not work well with 3rd party hardware. The video link below might be of some interest.

I've tried to set this up with Apple Pro Support and we can't get the 50 Mbps as Compressor will only go up to 40. In addition, there is no option for AC-3 audio encoding for an MPEG 2 stream.

Wow, so I need to use third party equipment? FCPX editors can't output directly to their spec? I wonder what their workflows are. I'll check out the video later, thank you.

Gave my 2 cents on the audio in the other post of this subject.

NTSC_TV wrote: Wow, so I need to use third party equipment? FCPX editors can't output directly to their spec? I wonder what their workflows are. I'll check out the video later, thank you.

Using 3rd party hardware would allow you more accurate color correction, smother motion graphics and a correct composition (over-scan vs under scan). Having said that you don't have to use 3rd party hardware. FCPX can output standard definition interlaced video just fine using the Intensity Shuttle but 1080i video does not look all that great when using FCPX. I don't know why. Motion graphic will look smother using 1080i as opposed to 30P. Interlaced timelines never look that great on the computer screen. If you are going to be editing interlaced video the Intensity Shuttle might be a good investment even if it does not work all that well with FCPX as seen in my video.

Hi Arc,

I'm not sure how the video is applicable to what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm trying to meet a media delivery requirement set by DirecTV. But thank you for your response.

Telestream has software solutions that will do this type of encoding...I had to fire up my old MacBook pro17" which was resting since 2010 . EPISODE PRO , now VANTAGE can do this type of encoding on the mac , maybe SWITCH plus or pro could do it as well.
Anyway an old EPISODE PRO can do this special transcoding standard. the only thing odd in these specs is the fact that they have "mpg" suffix on a transport stream instead of a ".ts"

Telestream software is expensive and they charge for about all updates but they also have a very expensive cloud service ...

What is a Droplet?

Droplets are simple compressor settings that can be executed.

SWITCH PLUS can do your encode :

www.telestream.net/switch/tech-specs.htm#encode

I've been in talks with Extreme Reach, I believe they do the same thing as Telestream. They charge $75 per destination of delivered content which all you have to do is meet their spec and they transcode it for that specific platform. But I want to be able to provide that in-house. I only need to deliver on two platforms, DirecTV and Spectrum. Spectrum's spec is not as detailed as DirecTV's by far. See the links below for reference.

Extreme Reach: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/ExtremeReac...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy
Spectrum: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/Spectrum_De...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy

spectrum specs you can do with compressor or direct from FCPX , I believe HANDBREAK will do X264
Extreme Reach do not show the correct specs for Direct TV ...

NTSC_TV wrote: Hi Arc,

I'm not sure how the video is applicable to what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm trying to meet a media delivery requirement set by DirecTV. But thank you for your response.

You are outputting for broadcast compliant hardware. That is why you were given guidelines. There are certain aspect ratios, resolutions and frame rates for broadcasting. 1920 X 1080i is one of them and probably the most widely used. In 1998 no one would confuse an SD TV with computer monitor. In 2019 people think an HD TV and computer monitor are the same things but they are not. Your iMac will not display interlaced video correctly nor will it have the same color space and composition. In a nut shell what you see while editing is not what the viewer will see on their TV but it will be close enough for most editing situations. You don't need to make use of broadcast compliant equipment but it helps. As I stated FCPX does not make good use of broadcast compliant hardware but it would probably be better than using your computer screen. Simply using title safe area does not allow you to see the composition as it will appear when broadcast. It is a question of wanting your editing process to be 100% faithful from start to finish.

Francois wrote: spectrum specs you can do with compressor or direct from FCPX , I believe HANDBREAK will do X264
Extreme Reach do not show the correct specs for Direct TV ...

Extreme Reach will do the transcoding for you. All you have to do is meet their spec and they do the rest.

arc wrote:

NTSC_TV wrote: Hi Arc,

I'm not sure how the video is applicable to what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm trying to meet a media delivery requirement set by DirecTV. But thank you for your response.

You are outputting for broadcast compliant hardware. That is why you were given guidelines. There are certain aspect ratios, resolutions and frame rates for broadcasting. 1920 X 1080i is one of them and probably the most widely used. In 1998 no one would confuse an SD TV with computer monitor. In 2019 people think an HD TV and computer monitor are the same things but they are not. Your iMac will not display interlaced video correctly nor will it have the same color space and composition. In a nut shell what you see while editing is not what the viewer will see on their TV but it will be close enough for most editing situations. You don't need to make use of broadcast compliant equipment but it helps. As I stated FCPX does not make good use of broadcast compliant hardware but it would probably be better than using your computer screen. Simply using title safe area does not allow you to see the composition as it will appear when broadcast. It is a question of wanting your editing process to be 100% faithful from start to finish.

Correct, I understand what you mean. Thank you.

NTSC_TV wrote: I've been in talks with Extreme Reach, I believe they do the same thing as Telestream. They charge $75 per destination of delivered content which all you have to do is meet their spec and they transcode it for that specific platform. But I want to be able to provide that in-house. I only need to deliver on two platforms, DirecTV and Spectrum. Spectrum's spec is not as detailed as DirecTV's by far. See the links below for reference.

Extreme Reach: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/ExtremeReac...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy
Spectrum: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/Spectrum_De...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy

I deliver to extreme reach every week with nothing but Compressor.

FCPX.guru wrote:

NTSC_TV wrote: I've been in talks with Extreme Reach, I believe they do the same thing as Telestream. They charge $75 per destination of delivered content which all you have to do is meet their spec and they transcode it for that specific platform. But I want to be able to provide that in-house. I only need to deliver on two platforms, DirecTV and Spectrum. Spectrum's spec is not as detailed as DirecTV's by far. See the links below for reference.

Extreme Reach: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/ExtremeReac...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy
Spectrum: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/Spectrum_De...s2019.png?t=mwaunzdy

I deliver to extreme reach every week with nothing but Compressor.

How do you deliver it them?

Extreme Reach has several formats you can deliver in. If they give you just one, call their tech support, ask. I'll have to wait until I back at the studio Monday, but I'll look at our ER spec sheet and tell you how I deliver to them.

FCPX.guru wrote: Extreme Reach has several formats you can deliver in. If they give you just one, call their tech support, ask. I'll have to wait until I back at the studio Monday, but I'll look at our ER spec sheet and tell you how I deliver to them.

Excellent, please let me know. This is the sheet they provided me: filebin.net/lzhozas07vwdgmo4/ExtremeReac...s2019.png?t=po4444ry