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Best Export settings for DVD Video
I have a video sequence that I would like to export from Premiere Pro so that I can create a DVD (PAL) with the highest quality possible. Every time I try the quality doesn’t seem to be as good as it should be for a DVD.
What settings should I use to get the best quality output? The video is only 10 mins long. The video in Premiere is 16:9, 1920 by 1080, 24fps.
Many Thanks
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6 Replies
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I would suggest that you output from PPro at the full resolution, then use Adobe Media Encoder to create your output encoding for DVD. If this is a standard DVD and not Blu-Ray, you’re going to need to create a 720 x 480 master file (I think it’s 720 x 576 for PAL – but check that).
Here’s a good discussion of the issues – your task will be to get the highest possible bitrate, since your program duration is pretty short. Somewhere around 8mbps for the video side will get you very good quality, and leave room for your audio encoding quality to be high as well:
https://forums.adobe.com/message/4557654
The discussion raises as many questions as it answers, but is a very good overview of the issue of making HD work on a playback format originally created for SD.
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com -
The solution to DVD encode problem – CinemaCraft MP encoder plug-in for Apple’s Compressor.
It’s dongle protected and not cheap, but it is incredible.
Output your edit at the highest quality. Don’t change the frame size.
The plugin completely takes over the encode job from Compressor.
Most encoders allow a 2 pass encode – but that means it is only doing one corrective pass.
The CC-MP allows up to to 99 corrective passes – though I have got great results from 10-20 depending on how many dark scenes there are.
And of course you let CC-MP do the frame resizing. It accepts both interlaced and progressive footage and outputs the DVD encode to either. Adobe’s Encore recognises the files as having been encoded and does not re-encode so you get a very fast DVD build.
This is the software version of the hardware encoder with which most of the Hollywood movies are DVD’d.I used to be Jon Hiseman but I’m feeling better now.
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Thanks Joe. I will give this a go. I’ve read through that post also which suggests some settings for exporting so i will try those too.
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Thanks Jon. This sounds great – wish it wasn’t so expensive.
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If outputting from Premiere Pro at full resolution, what format and settings would you use?
Thanks
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The simple answer for an existing workflow is render out in whatever is the editing frame size and editing codec assuming the original footage has not been down-resed to make editing easier. If Compressor will work happily with your codec, try CC MP and assess the result. If you are still unhappy, convert your final export from PPro to Prores (see below) which, of course, compressor loves.
The complicated answer:
In my experience you need to let the CC MP plug do as much of the lifting as possible.
The more you change settings away from your original footage as captured by the cam, the worse things will look, particularly if you are working with lower-end cam-compressed formats. However, you have to finish the project in a codec that compressor and thus the CC MP will feel comfortable with. In my experience Apple’s Prores is a fantastic codec that absorbs the qualities of your original footage and makes the best of any subsequent effects or grading work (check out Synthetic Aperture’s Color Finesse). It,s important to remember that each flavour of Prores only supports up to a certain data rate(Mbps) at any given frame size and frame rate. See this Apple doc and read all about it:So, choose the Prores codec best suited to your original footage and stick with it throughout.
If your original footage and final render are interlaced, there are settings in CC MP to note that, but the resultant mpeg-2 file viewed on a computer display (which is progressive) in say, Encore, will look a bit jagged. This is because the mpeg-2 file cannot be de-interlaced on the fly by the cpu, but a flag has been set in the file by CC MP so that any DVD player will de-interlace as it plays out. This is normal behaviour.
I try only to work now with cam-progressive footage but if my footage is interlaced, I import each complete file into FCP 7 and de-interlace using the Nattress Smart de-interlacer, then batch render out converting to Prores at the same time before importing the result into PPro. Although it’s time-consuming I do it on a ‘previous’ MacPro while getting on with something else. Running the workflow quickly on a short clip will help you determine what result suits you best.
I hope this helps.I used to be Jon Hiseman but I’m feeling better now.
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