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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy Trying to master 1920×1080 sequence to SD DVD using a SONY Tape Deck as an intermediary

  • Trying to master 1920×1080 sequence to SD DVD using a SONY Tape Deck as an intermediary

    Posted by Bijoyini Chatterjee on December 8, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    Hello,
    Any help on this issue will be greatly appreciated!

    I have a 1920×1080 30p (Compressor: XDCAM EX) sequence that I need to convert into a SD DVD! Exporting the sequence using Apple ProRes 422 1920×1080 30p and using compressor to compress into DVD format makes the video look worse than if it were shot in SD DV.

    Someone suggested that I copy the 1920×1080 timeline to a 720×480 anamorphic 16:9 timeline. Render. Export. Compress. It works well but takes a huge amount of time for a 47 min video and an enormous amount of disk space.

    Another editor suggested that I use my SONY HDV/DVCAM 1080i deck to convert the footage to HDV (1440 x 1080 60i) and then recapture into a 720×480 anamorphic timeline (to save time and disk space). However, I can’t get to “Print to Tape”. It gives me the error that “Sequence is not compatible with Print to Video”. “Edit to Tape” also gives a sequence not compatible error.

    I am on:
    Mac OX 10.6.8
    3.06 Intel Dual Core
    4GB RAM
    Final Cut Studio 2.0 (FCP Version 7.0)

    Here are my FCP A/V settings:

    http://www.oniricaproductions.com

    Miriam Lefkowitz replied 14 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Steve Eisen

    December 8, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    So many people with very different suggestions. Some workflows work and others don’t. To create an SD DVD, use this workflow.

    Export your timeline using Export QuickTime Movie. You will have the option to create a self contained movie in it’s native format. If not, you will be creating a reference movie.

    Drop that file into Compressor and find a DVD 60 min. MPEG-2 preset. You will also want to create an AC3 file for audio. For exact instructions on settings look in the manual (HELP tab).

    Hit submit. When finished, open DVDSP and create your DVD.

    Steve Eisen
    Eisen Video Productions
    Vice President
    Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

  • Bijoyini Chatterjee

    December 8, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Hi,
    The workflow that Steve mentioned is causing a serious degradation in quality (worse than if I were to shoot in DV). I learned, from another post on CreativeCow, that FCP and COMPRESSOR has serious problems in downgrading from 1920×1080 to 720×480.

    The steps I mentioned make a big difference in quality but takes so much of time.

    Thanks,
    –Bijoyini

    http://www.oniricaproductions.com

  • Bijoyini Chatterjee

    December 8, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    The exported file from the 1920 X 1080 30p timeline? It looks great on my video monitor!
    The downgrade happens when I use COMPRESSOR!

    http://www.oniricaproductions.com

  • Bijoyini Chatterjee

    December 8, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    I have been told by several professionals from studio houses in Boston that they don’t use COMPRESSER (the program that comes with the Final Cut Suite).
    They use hardware/software options that are very expensive. Anyways, thanks for your input — another editor on another forum has a solution.

    http://www.oniricaproductions.com

  • Miriam Lefkowitz

    December 20, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    I printed a FCP XDCAM sequence to a sony HDV DVCAM deck and then created a SD DVD using our Pioneer PRV-LXI. I also brought the XDCAM movie directly into Compressor – used the DVD settings – and then created a DVD in DVDSP using the internal DVD drive in our Mac Pro. Last but not least, I brought the XDCAM mov file directly into DVDSP, by-passing Compressor, and authorized the DVD again in our internal DVD drive.

    The HD movie looks better on Vimeo than any of the DVD’s I created. Unfortunately I have clients who demand DVD’s. The best looking DVD so far came from using Compressor’s DVD settings and then authorizing in DVDSP (change settings to two-pass VBR in DVDSP). The piece looks pretty fair.

    I still have to experiment printing from the Mac Pro to the PRV-LX1 directly. I am just pessimistic and annoyed about this whole process. Our exquisite HD XDCAM footage will never look decent on a SD DVD. The footage from our SD Sony Camera looks spectacular on a DVD. Much much better than the dumbed down HD footage.

  • Miriam Lefkowitz

    December 20, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    [Dave LaRonde] “You can’t make a DVD look like HD video because it’s SD video.”

    I know. Hence the pessimism and annoyance.

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