pixelated graphics from motion in FCP 6

Hi guys
I have a problem in FCP that I haven't seen before. My graphics are showing up slightly pixelated and blurry in FCP and then in encoding.

Here's a link.
http://www.65smile.co.uk/oeb.html

Its encoded into wmv but looks almost exactly the same in FCP.

On my monitor they look sharp and crisp but imported into FCP from Motion - sometimes via Automotion sometimes not - they look like this.

I'm on FCP 6.0.5 and using Quicktime 7.6.0 and I'm on an older G5 - 2.5g (Non Intel). I'm using Motion 3.0.2

Any help would be gratefully recieved

Chandos

Need Sequence Settings (codec specifically)

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Hi Joey
Thanks.
Settings are:
DV Pal. 720 by 576 CCIR 601DV Pal 5:4

The reason you are getting it is because you are using Red - high saturation Red - and using the DV CODEC.

Reds are especially bad on DV.

They might look ok(ish) on a TV screen but on a computer monitor you'll see them without chroma smoothing in all their ugliness.

Use a less saturated red or better still don't use it for fine graphics such as text.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Hi Ben
You may be right but I have been on this system for a long time and done all of this before on other projects which don't appear perfect in the canvas but look good after encode or on DVD. I have used red plenty of times without problems.
But, I will follow your advice and try other colours/ fonts. I just wondered whether there was a recent issue with QT and FCP/ Motion that may be playing up. Even the white graphics look off as do the image graphics.
Thanks anyway
Chandos

Try changing the sequence codec to ProRes. DV hates red & will give you that steppy look.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Hey Chandos

If you could upload a DV clip - say 1 or 2 seconds as a ZIP file somewhere we might be able to see the pixelation - however I can only see the Chroma 4:2:0 issues on the size of file you uploaded.

Red is a funny one on 4:2:2 and 4:1:1 and especially 4:2:0 PAL you get all kinds of funny artifacts and blocking with all YUV CODECs even ProRes!

The main thing is that your Reds are not broadcast safe and this is obvious to me from the webclip.

You have to remember that fine edged colour graphics in DV can often look ropey - adding a 0.3% to 0.6% Gaussian Blur to hard edged graphics can help aliasing and flicker and even Chroma issues such as Reds - but not totally as Red is just simply that problematic.

It is the same for DVD as MPEG-2 for DVD is encoded 4:2:0 - essentially the Colour Space has 4 times LESS encoded detail than the Luma (Black and White).

Have a look at this if you want to understand why this is:

[www.larryjordan.biz]

[www.adamwilt.com]

[en.wikipedia.org]



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

One other thing - make sure you have an actual background on the motion project - sometimes I've encountered render issues on edges if I didn't have an "object, footage or shape" as a background.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Hi Ben/ Joey
I appreciate your help on this. I have replaced the vid on the link above with a DV file. Its only a small black box bt if you right click and save as a QT file you can see it. Its 4 secs long and 15mb.
Let me know what you think but the whites look perfect and the red is crappy as per your advice. This is a lesson I have taken a long time to learn, obviously. its interesting that the QT file in DV looks a whole lot nicer than in does in FCP

Chandos

Thats ok Chandos

However whatever you used to embed the QT in the webpage didn't work.

It is sufficient to just put a direct link to the QT as QT plugin on Safari and Firefox will play it fine in a Greay window.

Here is the link: [www.65smile.co.uk]


It is as I said DV Colour Subsampling... your best bet is to make the Text larger, less Saturated and add a very slight Gaussian Bur.

Also I notice that the text is not in TV Safe - if this is played back on a TV you might find the Text off screen!

A minimum of 10% border for action safe and usually about 20% for Titles... you can show Title Safe on your Canvas Window as a guide and also in Motion.

Quote

its interesting that the QT file in DV looks a whole lot nicer than in does in FCP

In FCP - make sure your canvas window is set to 100% not fit or any other size as you will not see a high quality image otherwise.

Hope this helps



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Hi Ben
The link now has a link.
I am coming round to your way of seeing things. TV safe and broadcast safe don't apply. This is a strictly internet film and the colour, font, graphic are all client proposed. This is probably why I am getting into difficulties as I don't normally use reds in graphics or use serif fonts like Times.
This is actually my last film as director/ editor/ cameraman etc. I'm going to concentrate on directing from now but it irritates me that I am falling down at the last fence!
Thanks for your help. I love this site and have been reading your threads and posts for nearly five years
Chandos

Ah well firstly you are welcome!

Secondly.

If you are doing them for the web ignore my safe area rant!

Thirdly - change the CODEC on the Timeline to DVCPRO50-PAL and your Reds will be much clearer or better still use ProRes. Yes even in SD!

DV50 or DVCpro50 is basically 4:2:2 and so your colour subsampling will only be half that of the Luma - ala Digibeta, DVCproHD, et al.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]