Riddle me this Batman...

Hi all -

I am editing DV footage with FCP HD 5.0.1 on G5 PowerBook 1.5 GHz (1 gig RAM) Footage was shot "anamorphic" on PD150 and Canon XL1. XL1 footage is shot 30P (Frame mode), PD150 is shot 60i Sequence is set to 720 X 480 NTSC CCIR 601/DV with lower field dominance. (anamorphic, 29.97 DV/DVCPRO NTSC)

Edits great - looks great (on computer screen) and inspector window shows all footage is lower field dominant. I export the footage using "Quicktime Movie" using Animation compression / current FPS / millions of colors (no way to assign field dominance) self contained QT movie.

When I bring this into compressor, field dominance now says "Upper" in the inspector window. Even if I change this to "Lower" in Compressor's inspector and transcode out, I get reversed fields in the MPEG encode - and thus jittery video for the DVD. Same if I leave it as "upper"

I've exported using QT, QT Conversion, etc. Also tried exporting just a small bit of it. When I do that, exports properly and inspector in Compressor says "lower" - then I select entire sequence, export using "most recent settings" and it goes back to "upper" (it's like working for the government!!)

I've tried cutting and pasting into new sequence too. Thing is I have 5 of these sequences at about 20 minutes each - 2 worked beautifully - the other 3 are taking years off my life! I'm at my wits end! Help me Obi Won... You're my only hope...

paul

<<<PD150 is shot 60i Sequence is set to 720 X 480 NTSC CCIR 601/DV with lower field dominance. (anamorphic, 29.97 DV/DVCPRO NTSC) >>>

I predict (pressing fingers to forehead) that all the messy video can be traced to these scenes?

I further predict that the problem has been there all along and you couldn't see it because the FCP Canvas Window is field-only. You never see field two in motion, ever, and you can't see it in still either unless you perform that 100% size trick.

Do you have an external television monitor you can view while you're editing? That may show you troubles much earlier in the process.

We do Uncompressed DigiBeta captures on a slightly older machine and occasionally get this problem. No idea why.


Now I'll get fluffy on you. I've seen a Field Reversal clicky. I don't remember where. I don't use Compressor, so it wasn't in there, so it had to be either QuickTime or Final Cut 5.0.something.

Koz

Koz!

Thanks for your infinite wisdom (and I don't mean that in an Eddie Hascall sort of way)

:-)

Apparently you've encountered this too? Actually I'm revisiting a project done nearly 3 years earlier. Now authoring to the "enhanced" format. This is driving me bats as all the sequences have the mixed footage of 60i and 30p (for lack of a better description) I've completed a second project using the exact same workflow and never encountered this issue. I'm certainly no novice to the process and understand the field / rasterization / LCD vs NTSC monitor thing. But like tech support, you always have to ask "is the computer plugged in?"

:-)

In a nutshell its an intermittent problem. I've already successfully exported 2 X 20 minute sequences with beautiful results for this project. Dropped the self contained QT movies into Compressor - set some forced "I" frames on high motion areas and "Shazam"'! Beautiful DVD stuff that plays back well on both interlaced and non interlaced TVs (LCD/Flat panel). ...The other three sequences are draining years from my life. Sequence settings are identical on each. The reversed field order is coming from the export from FCP 5.0.1 to a self contained QT Movie. Tired using "Export to QT Movie" and "QT Conversion" When I drop the self contained movie into Compressor - the inspector window shows "UPPER" for field dominance. I'm now attempting different codecs (Uncompressed 10 bit). Also tried doing this as reference movie with similar results... Reason I'm using a higher end codec is to get a better result for the graphics / AE motion graphic elements with alpha - that appear throughout the video.

I've used this workflow in the past with amazing results. We lit the 30P well and I've even had 20 year vets ask me what film stock was used! (I consider that the ultimate compliment)

I'm considering a "preferences" error - and my next step will be to create a new user account and do the FCP export from that account... Perhaps that will fix it.

Again - thanks for the continued expertise on this forum. I always learn a great deal when I encounter glitches like this... Anyone else care to chime in?...

paul

<<<In a nutshell its an intermittent problem. >>>

Yes. That's what makes it so darn much fun.

<<<The reversed field order is coming from the export from FCP 5.0.1 to a self contained QT Movie.>>>

That's not exactly what I said. I wanted to know if the error was coming from **only** that one camera.

I also want to know if you viewed the TimeLine on a glass monitor. I think the problem exists on the TimeLine and you can export your brains out and not fix it. I'll bet a lot of chocolate that this is an upstream Import error, not Export.

Koz

Hmmmm.... me thinks you may have an excellent point. At one point I considered that but never followed through as the project had been thoroughly looked over on glass when i did the color correction. The problem never manifested itself then - thought I did the color correction earlier this year on a calibrated NTSC monitor (composite out via FW through a PD 150)

Perhaps something got corrupted or changed. I'll try that tomorrow and look it over on a glass monitor...

BTW- tried the new user thing / clean settings. No go.

Thanks again for the input...


paul

Hi all -

Just an update since the original post. I continue to get the improper field order when exporting QT movies out of FCP 5.0.X. and bringing into Compressor. I've done significantly more work since the original post and wish to update for your eyes.

First, did look at the original sequences on glass NTSC monitor. (FW out via PD150 / Composite in to NTSC monitor) Field order looked good / video was really nice! In the last week, I've exported from a Dual 500MHz G4 running OSX 10.4.4 / 512 RAM using FCP 5.0.2. I?ve tried batch export, export using QuickTime and export using QuickTime conversion. Tried as Uncompressed 10 bit (4:2:2) and Animation codec. Nothing seems to work properly on a consistent basis. Also tried exporting small sections (about 3 minutes) and most times that exports properly (other times it does not) When it did work, I?d just set the In and Out points ? export the entire thing and nothing worked! I even took one of the exported self contained files, imported to FCP, applied the "Shift Fields" filter in FCP - exported out the self contained movie and STILL came in wrong on DVDSP!

Also completely wiped my 1.5 GHz laptop - reinstalled Mac OS X 10.4.X with all updates - reinstalled the software (FCP Studio HD 5.0.4) and did all internet upgrades during the process. Also fixed permissions throughout - and all the fun things that go along with a clean install. For those who might be concerned I did something wrong, I've been using/upgrading Macs for the better part of 14 years, so I'm certainly no novice.

:-)

Exporting to cleanly wiped 250 Gig HDs. Connecting PowerBook via FW 800 / using a DAT Optics 4 disk FW enclosure set up as JBOD. Connected the Dual G4 with completely different FW 400 cable. Everything seems to be reading / writing OK and playing clean...

That loud sound of wailing and gnashing of teeth emanating from the Greater Portland metro area is just me?

Bueller? Bueller?<br><br><span class=otherinfo>PowerBook FW800 1.5 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8)