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HD to SD Best Quality workflow
Obviously there are problems with all NLE programs (not just Final Cut or Premiere) with converting HD projects to an SD DVD. Even with the best settings, there is still horrible aliasing especially noticeable on titles.
Many of you FCP users may not even notice the problem since you’ve been used to it for so many years, and probably attribute the poor quality to it “just being SD”. But once you see what it could look like, you will wonder how you ever settled for what you are doing now.
A couple months ago I wrote an article, complete with image comparisons and all, on achieving professional quality down-conversion results using completely free software. This article was geared towards the PC user, since the programs used were designed for the PC. Many hours of research and two months later, I am still unable to find a solution on the Mac that even comes close to the quality of the method discussed in my article for the PC.
I recently wrote another article which describes how to use the method for the PC using files from Final Cut:
https://www.precomposed.com/blog/2009/09/hd-to-sd-final-cut-pro/
I’m curious as to what methods everyone else is using for their down-conversions. All the methods that are commonly used, such as exporting straight out of FCP as m2v, using compressor with best settings and best resize under frame controls, using DVDSP to downconvert, creating an SD sequence in FCP and nesting your HD sequence inside of it, or using MPEG Streamclip, all produce very poor results compared to the method I describe for the PC.
If you have any other methods or programs to produce a high quality down-conversion, please explain. If you have Windows (have not tested, but you can probably use Parallels or Boot Camp), then you are welcome to read my articles and use the method I describe. You will see the amazing difference in quality.
Jon Geddes
http://www.precomposed.com -
27 Replies
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Hi Jon,
I’m using VideoPurifier (Innobits) for resizing.
Some times i downscale in FC, setting “Render in High Precision” and “Render Motion Effects: BEST”.
Motion have a “Lanczos” filter that should be very good for downscaling.
I’ll try to have a look to the workflow you propose for PCs.
Best,
rafael -
My workflow involves a real time down conversion to tape through my Kona 3 card. Than I recapture the video to an SD timeline and follow the usual steps for DVDSP.
Jim
Jim Carswell
Spyhop Productions, Inc.
Savannah, GA
http://www.spyhopproductions.com -
The articles you linked to don’t specifically say what your settings were precisely to do the downconvert.
One of the photos showing aliased graphics appears to be the result of incorrect field dominance being introduced. I usually do not see anything that severe on font sizes that large. I have had good results exporting to Compressor without aliasing issues…the settings need to be correct though.
It is always good practice to make separate SD and HD graphics whenever possible. Fonts that look good in HD can be very difficult in an SD environment. Even with high quality hardware based downconversion, you can get softness or aliasing in graphics. -
Yes, you would think the poor quality was the result of incorrect field dominance, but I assure you it was not. There was no deinterlacing or reversal of fields. Footage is kept at Upper Field First throughout the process. Quality is at 7 Mbit CBR or VBR 2-pass (same aliasing problems).
The images in the article were cropped so you can see what it looks like at 100%.
If you’d like, I can process a 5 second sample clip of yours using the method in the article and you can compare. You can even send me a clip that has difficult titles (script fonts with thin lines) and I can show you what SD footage is capable of looking like.
Jon Geddes
http://www.precomposed.com -
[Jim Carswell] “My workflow involves a real time down conversion to tape through my Kona 3 card. Than I recapture the video to an SD timeline and follow the usual steps for DVDSP. “
That is the absolute cleanest method and then I use BitVice from Innobits if I need the absolute best quality MPEG-2 for DVD or Episode Pro from Telestream.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Owner, Biscardi Creative Media featuring HD Post
Biscardi Creative Media“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” now in Post.
Creative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
I’m with you Jon.
Almost every day on this forum I see a post from someone asking “how do I get my HD footage to look good on an SD-DVD.” and there is usually a response from someone saying “this question gets asked all the time, but here’s a link with instructions.”
I gotta tell you that I think have tried everything that has been posted on these forums but STILL cannot get my HD footage to look decent on an SD-DVD. It ALWAYS has weird “interlacing” or “field order” artifacts. My associates tell me I am being too picky and that nobody but me will ever notice it, but it drives me crazy.
I bought Innobits Bitvice software and it dramatically reduces the amount of artifacts – but it is STILL present. I also own Video Purifier but have not yet tested it for scaling HD to SD.
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After Effects down-conversions are hands down the best I’ve seen around, aside from hardware conversion.
Vince Becquiot
Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area -
I haven’t played the files, but I don’t think a MPEG-2 compression is the way to judge a downscaling.
The artifacts/aliasing is introduced on the downscaling or in the MPEG-2 compression?
You don’t know.
I think the downscaling should be tested in a uncompress to uncompress workflow.
rafael -
The mpeg compression is not the issue. It is definitely the downscaling. Straight SD to SD does not show the aliasing. Only HD to SD.
Jon Geddes
http://www.precomposed.com -
But how do you know is the downscaling and not MPEG-2 compression which is degrading the picture?
I trust Compressor for resizing, but I don’t use it for MPEG-2 compression. For that I use BitVice too.
As I said before I think a fair resizing test should be done just resizing: No transcoding, no field-order managing, no time-base changes. Going from Uncompress to Uncompress would eliminate any element that could taint the test.
Cheers,
rafael
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