• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  Help! Workflow for a SD DVD created from HDV content needed

  Posted by Zack Hill on September 19, 2007 at 4:02 am

  Hello, I am having a difficult time finding a workflow from FCP to DVD SP to make a SD DVD that letterboxes on a 4:3 tv, and plays 16:9 on a widescreen TV.

  Here is what I have done: (with advice both given and read)
  Export timeline to full res HDV compressed QT movie.
  Open in compressor
  Export VIA compressor to Mpeg 2, standard 90 min. best quality preset for 16 by 9
  Import to DVD SP
  Burn Disc that is set to 16 by 9 letterbox in Display.
  (preview in simulator looks perfect for 4:3 TV)

  When I watch the DVD, looks great on widescreen, but when I put it on a standard TV, it grows in height to fit, distorting video. I tried this on three different DVD players (read in the DVDSP manual that some DVD players won’t read this mode correctly) and same thing on all TVs.

  The only way I have been able to achieve letterbox on a standard 4:3 TV is to “pad” the footage in compressor, which I read in the manual is not neseccary…

  Help!! This can’t be that hard, what am I missing??

  Thanks in advance.
  Jesus
  http://www.vayacongringos.com
  g5 quad 4 gigs FCP6

  Zack Hill replied 18 years, 8 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Don Greening

  September 19, 2007 at 5:02 am

  Any consumer DVD player has to know what kind of television you’re hooking it up to. There’s always a preference in each DVD player’s menu that can be toggled between 4:3 and 16:9. Obviously, if you’ve got a 4:3 TV hooked up you set the DVD player to 4:3. This way a wide screen movie will be letterboxed and the full screen picture will display at the correct aspect ratio using the whole screen.

  The reverse is true for a wide screen TV. Set the DVD player for 16:9. The widescreen movie will use the whole screen. but when you play a 4:3 movie the picture will be pillarboxed on the sides, maintaining the correct aspect ratio.

  I’ve been doing the same workflow as yourself for FCP, Compressor and DVDSP and have never had a problem with my DVDs displaying improperly, no matter what DVD player or television they’ve been used with.

  – Don
• 

  Zack Hill

  September 20, 2007 at 2:30 pm

  Don, that was my problem, thanks for helping me sort that one out. It was driving me mad!
  cheers,
  jesus

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