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AE -> AVID – crappy picture !
Hello!
I am having a big problem after I finally have finished my AE project.
Now I need to output it to BETA tape. Going through AVID seemed to be a naturall sollution. But the end result looks crappy.My working process looked like this:
-I have captured my files in AVID using codec MPEG-50 OMF.
-Exported from AVID as Quicktime
-Worked in AE, and exported as 1:1 OMF
-Imported in AVID, and the picture looks very crappy, especially on the places I used blur effect.Can anyone please help me on this one, cause it is really driving me mad.
Hope this is not OT.Thanks a lot in advance
Yours Sandra -
9 Replies
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Hmmm…I am not familiar with AVID codecs at all, and our Avid suites are used for offline editing only. I DO know that when I work on an effect during the offline process I have the Avid editor export an UNCOMPRESSED file for me to work with in AE (I prefer SGI or Targa frames,…not Qtimes). I work with the data in AE and then export Targa files back out for the Avid editor to import. This works fine,…ofcourse if he aquired using too much compression, then what he gets back has compressiona artifacting, but no more than what he gave me to begin with…..
You are losing quality somewhere in the chain of import/export using a codec.
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Hi. I usually export from Avid using QTime Reference, do my work in AE, then export using the Avid Meridian Uncompressed codec.
HTH
Jim -
Thanks a lot Jeff and Jim for your replies.
I have been playing a little bit in AE, and i noticed a quality change if I use square pixels.
Here is my scenario:
-I have captured my files from XD cam
-When i started working in AE the size of composition was 1024 x 576.
-Cause I needed the 16:9 TV format (PAL) I have drop this big composition into new one with settings 720 x 576. (PAL D1/DV Widescreen)And I think that this new composition is losing a lof of picture quality.
Could that be a problem and if it is, then what should I do to get a “normal” PAL 16:9 format out of the big composition.
Thanks a lot once more.
Sandra -
Hy,
I usually go for the quicktime-solution too, and it should work like a charm.
Just to be sure: is your videoquality set at max in the avidsoftware (that little green/green-yellow/yellow box at te bottom of your timeline)? -
Thanx for your answer.
Green/green-yellow/yellow box seems to be fine.Problem seems to be in AE. Square pixels and non-square.
Big composition (1024×576) has good quality (square pixels), 720×576 compositon has bad quality (and non square pixels)🙁
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I assume you are working with Frames and not fielded vid…..
Have you DEFINATELY tried it with uncompressed footage? And you get the same result?
I took a huge image file, scaled it to 1024×576, imported it and put in a comp (square pix)…..I then took that comp and dropped it in an 720×576 (rec pix) comp…..scaled it on the X to fit, and aside from looking ‘squeezed’, it looked absolutely fine.
AE handles pix aspect conversions just fine,…as well as interpolation when scaling….the only thing I can think of is if you have fields which are getting shifted somehow, (which I doubt u do) OR if it has something to do with the codec.
Why would you work with compressed footage in AE in the first place? Aquire compressed, output uncompressed -> manipulate till your hearts content -> re-import into NLE…… ?
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“…..scaled it on the X to fit,”
When I drop 1024×576 into 720×576, I dont have to scale it in any direction cause it automatically fit. Could that be the problem?
Cause as I understood it, when you drop it, it is too big for the comp in width so you need to rescale it?Thanks a lot for trying me to help on this problem.
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Sandra,….you now have me replying to you on 2 seperate boards (check mograph)…
Good,…sorry, there was some confusion,…..you ARE using the correct 1.42 pix aspect ratio,….which is good,…if you used rectangular (.9) then you ‘would’ have to scale it……
Confirm the posed test on mograph,….until this Avid export format issue is explained further, I am out of ideas………..
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I generally export from AVID in Quicktime Reference, then once I complete my work in AE, export from AE as either Quicktime (.MOV) using animation or uncompressed OR export using a png sequence. I’m wondering if part of the problem is a quicktime rather than quicktime reference from AVID AND exporting from AE in OMF. What happens if you export from AE in QT .MOV using Uncompressed? The file will be huge, but I think the quality will hold up. You might try exporting just a small 10 second section just to test the quality. Hope this helps.
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