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Heavy-duty Mpeg export – DESPERATE for help!
I’m looking to go tapeless for my spot delivery to cable. They’ve sent me the requirements to use their FTP system, and I’ve gotta admit that I’m stumped on some of the requirements.
Here’s what they’re asking for:Video Codec
– Standard MPEG2 Codec
– ML@MP
– Constant Bit Rate
– GOP Sequence = IBBPBBPBBPBB
– Video Profile = 720×480
– 29.97 Fps
– 6.4Mbs
– Enable Interlacing
– Upper/ Lower Field First= Auto Detect
– Motion Estimation Factor= 100
– Enable GOP= Closed
– Field Conversion= Frame Line Shift Up
– Frame Mode= Interlaced Lower Field First
– Video levels not to exceed 100ire and blacks (setup) at 7.5ire
Audio:– MPEG1 Layer 2
– Gain= +12
– Audio mixed MONO or STEREO on both channels 1 and 2
– Peak audio levels not to exceed 0dBvuI’m using an Avid Newscutter Adrenaline FX, which also came with Sorenson Squeeze. I haven’t found an export option from Avid itself that lets me even get to MPEG2 export. So I sent the spot uncompressed to Sorenson Squeeze. It has options for MPEG2, and gets close to what they’re asking for, but doesn’t give options for GOP sequence, Motion estimation, ire Video levels or ML@MP.
Does anyone know of a way to get to what they’re asking for? Or of another encoding program that will deliver this? Somebody has to be able to deliver these specs if this is the standard that cable is asking for.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated – I’ve gotta find the answer by Tuesday. Thanks!
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9 Replies
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Export a QT reference file and pop that into squeeze. Squeeze shold have all those options.
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Listen, you’re nearly there. All those specs are pretty standard in an MPEG2 video stream. Don’t worry about the GOPs or MP@ML or even the motion estimation. Just let Sorensen make you a basic MPEG2 file at 6.4 Megabits per sec (read that 6400 bits per sec). Just don’t let sorensen INTERLEAVE the audio. You want two files here not one mixed file. See if the avid will let you export audio in MPEG 1 Layer 2. That’s a pretty common flavor. If the avid wont do it see if sorensen will. Good Luck and hang in there!
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I disagree. Stick to their GOP structure. There is probably a very specific reason (such as the hardware of subscribers being able to decode). If the client give you specific specs, adhere to them.
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This looks like the specs for TWC Houston. If that is true, I know for a FACT you can ignore the GOP structure (not that I recomend that) I would certainly use a SIMILAR GOP structure if not that exact one. I have accidentaly submitted in another GOP and they didn’t catch it. What they WILL look at is your white and black levels along with chroma gain. Check EVERYTHING on scopes because they are very strict on this. Also, their Audio requirement is a little vague to me. If you set peaks at 12 DB below max they will say your audio is too soft. I shoot for approx 6dB below max and they seem to like that.
Using the best approximations of these settings I can, My :30s are about 24 meg in size.
The server upload system also seems to work better if you use a real FTP client rather then uploading via your web browser. I was getting time outs and problems with file being truncated using both IE and FireFox. I switched to FTP Voyager and have had no problems. Same is likely true for ANY FTP program.
If this isn’t TWC Houston, then sorry, all bets are off.
MB
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One more thing, after reading other posts, I wanted to comment that I submit ONE interleaved file to them not two seperate (video and audio) files. This seems to be what they are expecting since I have not had any complaints about it.
Again, this info is good for Houston only. (and I checked this is the EXACT spec I got from them)
Good luck, contact me if things dont (didn’t) work out.
MB
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You are correct, sir… you win the grand prize. This is for Houston Time Warner.
Glad to hear my file sizes are matching up correctly – just couldn’t believe the files could be broadcast quality and be that small.
Just heard back from the TW folks and (just like you said) they said that my IRE levels are 10 to 20 too high. I’m assuming just adjusting my “safe colors” setting will affect the output that I send to Sorenson (as the video input and output tools just deal with what I’m doing to my various in’s and out’s on the Avid Adrenaline).
Or is there another way you use to shift your IRE levels that I’ve missed?btw, thanks for your help!
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MPEG is amazing!!!
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Sorry, I don’t read the cow much, so I didn’t get back to you sooner. For rapid responce, use my work e-mail: mark.baird1@jsc.nasa.gov. I’ll be happy to help where I can.
First, your problem isn’t necessarily going to be solve by a “leagalize Color” process. Stricly speaking if you IREs are too hot it could be purly a lumanance issue. You need to look for a method on AVID for viewing and correcting your white and black levels.
I read this forum occasionaly because we use AVIDs at work. But I never use them personaly so I can’t really tell you how to adjust your output levels on an avid.
The work I do that is shown on TWC Houston is done freelance, at home, and on a Sony Video Vegas system where such adjustment take about 30 seconds using the video levels tool. (or something like that.) I just render a final file, (in DV-25 because that is my source format) then I take it to a new time line, scroll through it, view the built in waveform, and use the levels tool to adjust the output levels until they fit in the broadcast leagal range.
Sorry, I can’t be of more help with the “how to” on the avid.
MB
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BrowncowTX,
I’ll bet that the -6 db audio guideline means that your digital peaks average at -6 db… So you can hit certainly hit levels above that, as long as you don’t go over the 0 db ceiling, which would cause digital distortion.
As far as colors go…if your warnings are set where you want them, and you are getting clips that are flagged, here
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