Advice on creating SD DVDs and ProRes version from HDV 1080i video

I have shot an HDV video with a Sony HC5 camera in 1080i HDV. My video was selected to screen at a film festival and I want to make the best quality DVD's to send to the judges and for screening at the event, they have also asked for an Apple ProRes 422 version for projection. I'm editing in FCP 6.0.6 on a MacBook Pro. I have been trying various ways to export the video, used compressor and dvd studio pro but the video and text looks jagged and a little fuzzy. Does anyone know the settings I need to use in the various stages of the work flow to make the best DVD's and a ProRes version? Do I need to check anamorphic? Do I need to de-interlace the video at some stage? Thanks for your help!

> I have been trying various ways to export the video, used compressor and dvd studio pro but the video and text looks
> jagged and a little fuzzy.

We actually have to go back to the very beginning for this. What Sequence Settings did you edit in?

The DVD and the ProRes file are two related but separate processes. In my opinion, you should conform your project to ProRes, making sure your frame size is maximum (1920x1080), and then go to DVD from that.


www.derekmok.com

HI Derek,

I'm using the "sequence preset": HDV 1080i 60
Frame Size: 1440x1080 (16:9)
DO I CHECK ANAMORPHIC HERE?
Field Dominance: Odd
Compressor: HDV 1080i60
Audio: 49 kHz

I tried making a new sequence in the Apple Pro Res (HQ) preset and rendered it, now many clips are the wrong size.

No. Don't check anamorphic. You can change compressor to Prores HQ.



www.strypesinpost.com

When I do what you suggested, the QT movie comes out in a square, with the video stretched upwards. Any other advice, now what I really need to do is just burn an SD DVD from my HDV 1080i sequence.

It's meant to be like that. That's what 'anamorphic' is. It's the device that it's played on that detects the anamorphic flag and stretches the pixels to display it correctly. What you're seeing is how it actually is.

And the system is no different from adding SD material to a DVD, just do what you normally do - either go through Compressor or let DVDSP do the encoding for you.

Oh wait, its not supposed to be anamorphic. It sounds like you stuffed it up in an earlier timeline. Select everything in your new timeline and go to Edit > Remove attributes > Check the 'distort' button.

Then export, then go to compressor or DVDSP. Don't worry that it's HD.

> Oh wait, its not supposed to be anamorphic. It sounds like you stuffed it up in an earlier timeline. Select everything in
> your new timeline and go to Edit > Remove attributes > Check the 'distort' button.

Jude, I might be missing something, but I thought the original poster was originally working with HDV? So not only is it anamorphic (1440x1080 rather than 1920x1080 -- although "Anamorphic" in Sequence Settings should be unchecked because pixel aspect ratio takes care of this), but the resulting SD DVD version would also need to be anamorphic 16:9, or it would have to be 4:3 letterboxed.


www.derekmok.com

But if your sequence settings are 1440x1080 and your footage is the same, then you don't need or use anamorphic, and your exports won't be anamorphic, and you just drop them into DVDSP as 16:9 and make sure all your settings are 16:9, yes?

HI Guys,

Thanks for the help, it does not look like I need to deal with anamorphic, the video is the right size in the windows in DVD Studio Pro. BUT back to the real issue, I need to get my video to play without the jaggedy lines on the edges of things like straight lines and text in the video. My Original setting is HDV 1080i, I now have tried all these options with a short clip:

1)
sequence setting: 1440x1080 60i
Field dominance: none
Quicktime video settings: Apple ProRes 422
Compression: Advanced: checked interlace (top field first)
import to DVD Studio Pro

=resulting video looks jaggedy

2)
sequence setting: 1440x1080 60i
Field dominance: none
Quicktime video settings: Apple ProRes 422
Compression, Advanced: UN-CHECKED INTERLACE
import to DVD Studio Pro

=Looks jaggedy

(Should I try either field dominance change or change interlace to 'bottom field first'?)


3) sequence setting: Apple Pro Res NTSC
import to DVD studio pro

=looks jaggedy

4)
Export sequence: Quicktime Conversion
ProRes 422
Deinterlace source video checked
import to DVD STudio pro and

=looks jaggedy

5) Export Sequence: HDV 1080i
Field Dominance: None
Import to Compressor
90 minute DVD setting
Frame Controls on:
Resize: fast
Output: same
De-interlace: fast
Import Mpeg to DVD Studio Pro

=Looks super Jaggedy!

Any other ideas for me? Other options of de-interlacing? Should I set to Progressive? Different field dominance setting?

Thanks!!

I found the answer, it is a complicated process but gives great results!

Exporting HDV Video from the Timeline to SD DVD:
[www.kenstone.net]