Export Size / setting

Working in FCP 6.04
10.5.5 Quad

I cut in 720p 60 (mostly graphics). I am trying to export for plasma tv screens (16x9) but with Standard Def DVD player. I want to make sure that my image fits the screen properly with the best resolution.

I know this will probably be a roundabout way to get there, but the quality seems to be holding up. I exported my original timeline at current settings 720p 59.94, compression DVCPro

Re import into a SD timeline anamorphic and re export with compression at 8bit Uncompressed using the Apple Intermediate Codec 720p 30. The quality remains incredible. The question is- will that size image fill the plasma screen properly? Do I need to be exporting to the larger 1920 x 1080 size?

I will ultimately compressing to mpeg2 for DVD

I am sure I must be adding steps to this process ...

Thanks for the help!

Troy

You are, in fact, adding steps to the process. Lots of steps.

1. Export your timeline to a self-contained Quicktime movie.

2. Drop that Quicktime movie onto Compressor, and choose a DVD preset that fits the length of your show.

You're done. Compressor is smart enough to auto-detect when you're scaling an HD project down to SD and give you an anamorphic MPEG-2 file.

I have found though, that the extra steps for some reason makes the "crunch" in compressor so much faster as it doesn't have to change the HD to SD. Not sure why- but it sure seems to quicken the process believe it or not...

Also, I have yet to find software that is smart enough as I just did that test and it gave me a 4:3 version ... so I think you have to get into settings, etc....

Troy

Not really. You should check to make sure your Qmaster settings are correct to run multiple tasks at once on your system.

I use the Apple-supplied DVD presets all the time to take HD material down to anamorphic SD. Works perfectly.

Hmmmm I had better check into that ....

Thanks for the tip!

>Also, I have yet to find software that is smart enough as I just did that test and it gave
>me a 4:3 version

They are the same thing, essentially, same number of pixels, different Display Aspect Ratio. Anamorphic settings is just a flag which you can add/remove in DVDSP. DVD players will detect the flag and letterbox the video on playback.



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