Unsatisfying results on final DVD output

1) setup and pipeline: G4 Powerbook / 600GB Maxtor drive (format: MAC OS extended unjournaled) / 450GB media files in DV PAL original footage - B-roll - music - photos / Firewire 800 connection / most current version FCP 5.1.
2) Editorial notes: 1/5 of the edit are 300 dpi jpeg archival images with slight zooms, simple cuts, occasional disolves, FCP subtitles. Further I applied FCP color correction effect.
3) From the timeline I exported a "Quicktime reference" file via EXPORT. I took the file and processed it in Compressor version 2.3 to convert to mpeg-2 with following settings: <FasterOutput/3.7Mbps/1-pass/filter-contrast+5> for DVD viewing copy.
4) Now the results/problems: all the color corrected shots are visibly softer, several shots but not all have heavy block-like-pixelated artefacts, audio dissolves are distorted!
What can I do to solve these problems to get expert output??? Please, email me asap.

Try bypassing Compressor. Just use a full-quality, self-contained movie file for the DVD burn. Neither DVD Studio Pro nor iDVD requires that you convert the material to MPEG-2 first.

But don't use reference movies unless you're desperately out of space. And make sure you render and perform an Audio Mixdown before exporting the self-contained movie file.


www.derekmok.com

"FasterOutput/3.7Mbps/1-pass/filter-contrast+5> for DVD viewing copy. "

That's not a particularly high bitrate and one pass is not the way to get a quality encode. How much source material do you have? If its under an hour, go ahead and crank your bitrate up to 6 or 7mbps and do dual pass cbr encode. It'll take longer but it will get you quality.

Also, do the audio mixdown and export the self-contained QT file first, unless your out of space. You could also do straight from Compressor from the timeline, i've heard of issues with this but never experienced them.

Also, is your disc formated for Pal or NTSC prior to creating the project? What program are you using to burn the dvd? Dont compress anything first if you are just going to iDVD, it will do it for you....

hey i am always using compressor to convert to m2v and aiff 48/16 then i burn the separate file as audio track and video track with dvdsp4.
am i missing/add something here that could make the quality better?

i have never gotten a good burn without the conversion.

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

studio pro will take a non-converted file if you throw it at it but will simply do the conversion there as specified by the preferences pane, compressor allows you much more detailed controls, presets, and the ability to do batch conversions....

> studio pro will take a non-converted file if you throw it at it but will simply do the conversion
> there as specified by the preferences pane, compressor allows you much more detailed
> controls, presets, and the ability to do batch conversions....

However, I've seen at least four cases where Compressor added motion and compression problems to DV and Uncompressed SD movie files which, when imported directly into DVD Studio Pro, resulted in good DVDs.

It's no reason to distrust Compressor, but it also means that skipping Compressor is a legitimate troubleshooting test.

Let's take a couple of steps back. List your Sequence Settings, the steps you take to export the movie file (tried self-contained yet?), and then the settings you use in Compressor.


www.derekmok.com

Also, don't expect high quality animation from JPEG's! You don't know where those have been!

TIFF or PSD, RGB format (no Greyscale!).

- Loren
Today's FCP 4.5 / 5 keytip:
Toggle Audio Scrub with Shift-S !

The amazing FCP KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

Dear Group, I posted the original message and I got very positive and constructive suggestions from you!!!!!!!
I will apply them to my further outputs.
Summing up: 1. Using tiff/psd for photo sources, exporting to self-
contained quicktime, taking the quicktime file straight into DVD
Studio Pro defining settings in its preferences. I will report back,
Thanks for now

<<<Also, don't expect high quality animation from JPEG's! >>>

While it's possible to use JPEGs, the odds of success aren't good. JPEG is a compression format and it can create visual damage. Any further work you do to the images takes the damage right along with it. JPEG damage in particular does not compress into DVDs very well.

There is a compression process in TIFFs that works OK. LZW compresson will make the files smaller and will not damage the image in any way.

Koz