Compressor vs QT Conversion?

I've got dozens of P2 clips in DVC Pro HD (720 60p) that I am converting to DV, in order to work with other DV footage. (program is for the web and maybe in-house DVD.) I'm leaving the HD clips as anamorphic so they're letterboxed in the DV timeline.

When converting the HD clips, is there a noteable difference in quality between Compressor and using Quicktime Conversion? I've done a few tests and I don't see much difference.

Also related, when I bring the converted HD clips into my standard DV timeline, the timeline shows a light blue bar and the clips apparently need a render. I've checked the sequence and clip settings and can't find any difference, except the clips are anamorphic. Is this the reason for the render? I'm assuming it is.

Thanks for any help,

Paul

My opinion is the clips should not be anamorphic. They should be letterboxed and then they should drop right in to your standard DV timeline.

Anamorphic clips, when viewed on an external monitor, look tall and skinny until you push the monitor's "16:9" button. They are not standard video.

Koz

Hi -- pardon some slight confusion here. Maybe I shouldn't have said I left the HD clips anamorphic.
When I convert the HD to SD, in the settings I select 16:9 rather than 4:3. When I import the converted clips into the DV timeline, they come in as letterboxed, as I would expect. If I convert them and select 4:3 aspect ratio, they come into DV timeline squished.

The only place it says anamorphic is when I look at the converted HD's clips item properties, it's got 720 x 480, 29.97 etc. but the anamorphic box is ticked.

When you say "they should be letterboxed", at what stage in the conversion process do you mean?

And as far as Compressor vs. Quicktime conversion, any difference in quality there?

thanks...

Quote
Paul
When converting the HD clips, is there a noteable difference in quality between Compressor and using Quicktime Conversion? I've done a few tests and I don't see much difference

the biggest difference, procedurally, is that Quicktime conversion is a one-by-one affair that ties up FCP for ages.

Compressor is a batch-conversion that can run in the background.

i think we need to straighten out if your DV is 16/9 or 4/3
and whether it's anamorphic or letter-boxed.

best situation is 16/9 anamorphic.
then you'd tell Compressor to make DV anamorphic files.

if your DV is letter-boxed (4/3 with black top& bottom) then you'd STILL tell Compressor to make anamorphic files,
then you'd get what you described.
Clips that set themselves as letter-boxed when cut into a 4/3 sequence


nick

Many thanks -- I think I've got this figured out.
I did use Compressor exactly for the batch capabilities -- and Shane R. says Compressor does a better job than QT conversion.

I didnt make my DV sequence 16:9 because I've got 4:3 footage going in as well, and I wanted to avoid overuse of the pillarbox. I figure I can always put a widescreen filter on the 4:3 footage if portions need to blend in with the letterboxed stuff.

Paul

Quote
Paul
I didnt make my DV sequence 16:9 because I've got 4:3 footage going in as well

and hence...

Quote

the timeline shows a light blue bar and the clips apparently need a render

no biggie, except that light blue sounds like the so-called "Full" render ,
where FCP thinks it;s good enough to play the effect back at "Full" quality, and therefor you don't need to render.
don't believe it!
i've seen many so called "Full" quality shots in DV timelines that just aren't.

under your Sequence Menu > Render All, TICK the Full setting,
and render those shots!

of course if you are just going to export for DVD, you could argue that the clips will be rendered as part of the export,
but i could argue that the export will take longer.
every time
so rendering does pay off.


nick