• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  Quality Issues with video footage

  Posted by Arohaj on September 14, 2007 at 1:54 am

  Hello all

  I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to post this question

  I’m having trouble with the quality of my footage on export to DVD and I’m wondering if this is due to my settings in FCP or my workflow.

  The proplem is that I am getting gradient separations in my footage. It looks like the Posterize effect in Adobe Photoshop.

  I have 2 samples here….

  https://www.arohajourney.com.au/Sample/sample%201.jpg
  https://www.arohajourney.com.au/Sample/sample%202.jpg

  When I start editing the problem in minimal when viewing in my output monitor but by the time I get my project to my DVD player it is very noticeable. Especially in disolves to black.

  *This is my workflow*
  Shoot on Sony Z1 in HDV format

  Capture to FCP 5.1.4 using Decklink HD Extreme.
  Connections are via the camera’s component connections directly to the Decklink card via BNC
  Codecs are Blackmagic DVCPRO HD 1080i50 or AIC

  Edit

  Render

  Export via Quicktime Conversion > 10 Bit Uncompressed resized to 720 x 576 Pal 16:9

  Compress for DVD via Compressor 2.3
  Settings: MPEG 2 – CBR 6.2 Motion Est=Better

  Import to DVD Studio Pro 4.1.2

  Then I cry

  *My Mac*
  PowerPC G5 Dual Core 2.0
  2.5 Memory
  GeForce 6600LE 128mb
  2 X 500Gb sata drives
  Sonnets Fusion 500p external inclosure with 4 x 500gb SATAII Drives
  OSX 10.4.10

  I can’t seem to figure this out so if anyone knows this problem or can point me in the right direction I will be very greatfull

  Cheers

  Arohaj replied 18 years, 7 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Tom Brooks

  September 14, 2007 at 7:41 pm

  I see a couple of problems with your workflow. You should stay away from Quicktime Conversion. Try this. Make a copy of your sequence, change the compressor to uncompressed 10-bit, and then export Quicktime Movie, using Current Settings. Bring that movie into Compressor and choose the 16:9 setting of your choice.

  Quicktime Conversion is recompressing your footage. Export Quicktime Movie does not require this and it should not be necessary. Not only that, if your render settings are set for 8-bit YUV, I think your QT conversion is rendering only at that quality instead of the full 10 bits. This will cause the banding you are seeing.

  Try a short sample with this method of changing your compression settings for the sequence and then exporting QT Movie (not Conversion).

  I believe Mr. Nattress has described how to change the HDV sequence settings in previous posts in one of the forums. Example:
  https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/162/864975
• 

  Arohaj

  September 25, 2007 at 10:05 am

  Hi Tom

  Thanks for that I really appreciate it. I’ll give it ago and let you know my findings

  Cheers

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