Artifacts in my Quicktime Movie

Hi Everyone:

I recently purchased a MacPro and am training on FCP6 -- and (true to my newbie status) I've got a problem that I'm hoping someone here can help me solve. The forum guidlines say to give as much info as possible -- and since I take such directions seriously, here goes...

My Problem: I?ve just completed editing my first project and have exported the file as a Quicktime movie, with the ultimate goal of burning to DVD using iDVD. (During export, I specified "current settings" and "self-contained movie." The Quicktime movie plays fine in FCP but is filled with artifacts (digital breakup every few seconds) when I playback in Quicktime, iDVD or iMovie. I've repeated the exporting process a few times, always with the same results.

My System:
MacPro 8C/2.8/2x1G/320/2800XT/BT
Processor: 2x2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
HD2: Hitachi 1TB Sata 0A34915
Memory: 4GB (2x2GB)
Graphics: NVIDA Gefource 8800 GT 512MB
Operating System: OS X (v.10.5.2)
External Drive: LaCie 1TB

My Project
I shot the video myself with a Sony FX7 in HDV 1080i (16:9). I captured via firewire using the Easy Setup options. The resulting sequence has the following settings?

General
Frame: HD (1440x1080) 16:9
Pixel Aspect Ratio: HD (1440x1080)
Field Dominance: Upper (odd)
Editing Timebase: 29.97

Quicktime Video Settings
Compressor: HDV 1080i60
Quality: 100%

Audio Settings
Rate: 48kHz
Depth: 16-bit
Config: channel grouped

Video Processing
Render: 8-bit YUV
Process maximum white as: white
Motion filtering quality: normal

Timeline Options
Timecode: dropframe

Render Control
Filters: On
Frame Blending for speed: On
Frame Rate: 100%
Resolution: 100%
Codec: Same as sequence codec

Master Templates and Motion Projects
Quality: Best

I stored the media & project files on my LaCie drive. FCP software is stored on my primary internal hard drive. TRT of the project is approximately 8:30.

Any idea what could be causing my problem? I?d really appreciate any help you can give to me.

Best Wishes,
PERRY

> Codec: Same as sequence codec

Duplicate the sequence and try it with the render codec set to ProResHQ.



www.strypesinpost.com

Will do -- thanks! I'll let you know!

Thanks for your help on my FinalCutPro-blem...

I followed your advice -- switching my render codec from "Same Codec as Sequence" to "ProRes 422 (HQ)". That cleared up the artifacting. Not sure WHY that worked, but it did.

However, I'm still having trouble with the project -- and it seems to be associated with Quicktime... The sequence and media files play fine in FCP -- but both are afflicted with a strange anomaly when I play them back in Quicktime... the image periodically jumps or holds for a frame or two. (I don't know how else to describe it.) It's not drop frames: I ran the sequence through the Longframe tool and got a clean bill of health. The anomaly is not terribly noticeable but definitely there -- and, again, appears with both the media files and edited sequence in Quicktime but not FCP.

Any ideas?

Does it look like this : [members.iinet.net.au] ?

After more experimenting and manual reading, I've finally determined that my trouble was no more than a little system lag. I burned the project to DVD and it plays fine now. Thanks for your support!