Aspect Ratio confusion

[Jeff Greenberg]

Jeff,

I’ll give these a shot.

1. To adjust for this issue, should I be changing the sequence dimensions, pixel aspect, or both?

Neither, all the data is there. In QuickTime it’s reading the data in the file.

2. Complicating the issue somewhat, many of my sequences are within other sequences. Do ALL the sequences need to adjusted accordingly, or only the final combined sequence?

It’s the exported sequence which dictates how the other clips will display.

3. Does how the footage was initially imported matter?

Shouldn’t.

4. When Exporting Using Quicktime Conversion what compressor should I be using. In the timeline, the footage doesn’t look interlaced, but after exporting using H.264 (without checking “deinterlace source video”) I get those jaggy lines in the final product. If I do check “deinterlace source video” the final product appears blurry.

Ok, don’t use QuickTime conversion. Use Compressor. You should deinterlace everything that goes to a computer – it’s blurry because you’ve just thrown out 1/2 the information (or blended fields 1 and 2 together.)

Most of this? Can I please suggest using the “Send to Compressor” rather than QuickTime conversion?

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

[Jeff Cunningham]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks a ton for the response. I’ve been reading it over and considering my exact issue. I can’t use Compressor; when I try to it closes automatically with a message that I don’t have an AGP Graphics Card. This problem is driving me nuts.

For the sake of thoroughness, here is my full situation.

I am shooting 24p on a DVX-100. I imported it at 29.97 WITHOUT checking “remove advance pulldown”, and edited it at 29.97. (I learned after the fact – https://www.larryjordan.biz/articles/lj_dvx_capture.html – that if you want to edit at 23.98 this has to be done.)

My sequence settings are:

Frame Size: 720×480 (NTSC DV 3:2)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: NTSC CCIR 601
Field Dominance: Lower (Even)
Editing Timebase: 29.97
Compressor: DV/DVCPRO – NTSC

When I Export Quicktime Movie, I use Current Settings and check “Make Movie Self-Contained”.

The final product is 720×480, but now looks stretched to my eye. If I change the sequence settings to 640×480 and then export, it’s as if the aspect hasn’t changed, the edges have just been lopped off.

So:

1. I am assuming that if you shoot 24p, ideally you want to edit 23.98. Given that the footage was already ingested and edited without being prepared for this, is there any way to go back now, or am I stuck editing at 29.97?

2. Given the settings described above, how should I be exporting? For DVD versus for Web? (The film is about 25 minutes long so a huge export won’t fit on DVD, and I will definitely need to compress for web.) What type of compression should I be using?

Any suggestions would be so much appreciated. Thanks again.

[Jeff Greenberg]

Jeff,

Graphics card: You by any chance aren’t using FCP 4.5 and compressor 2?
https://kb.ucla.edu/articles/final-cut-pro-fcp-45-and-compressor-agp-error

Now, more important stuff:

[Jeff Cunningham] “When I Export Quicktime Movie, I use Current Settings and check “Make Movie Self-Contained”.

The final product is 720×480, but now looks stretched to my eye. If I change the sequence settings to 640×480 and then export, it’s as if the aspect hasn’t changed, the edges have just been lopped off.
“

You’re worried about how QuickTime is displaying your pixels. DV files are 720×480, nonsquare pixels. When it comes out of the DVD, it’ll be fine. Don’t change the sequence settings – you’re mucking with the way FCP is handling your data.

[Jeff Cunningham] “1. I am assuming that if you shoot 24p, ideally you want to edit 23.98. Given that the footage was already ingested and edited without being prepared for this, is there any way to go back now, or am I stuck editing at 29.97?
“
Not that I know of. I do know there’s a way for you to remove the pulldown, but you have to do it before you edit, and only if you’ve correctly shot with the Advanced Pulldown.

[Jeff Cunningham] “2. Given the settings described above, how should I be exporting? For DVD versus for Web? (The film is about 25 minutes long so a huge export won’t fit on DVD, and I will definitely need to compress for web.) What type of compression should I be using?
“

DVDs cannot have QuickTime files on them for playback on conventional DVD players – we’re not talking about a DVD as storage mechanism, right? We’re talking about a DVD that you want to playback on a TV.
DVDs must be authored -that’s where we use DVD Studio Pro (or iDVD), the resulting video will be a multiplexed MPEG-2 stream as a Video Object (or VOB).

Look, basically, you edit in FCP, give the video to compressor – make MPEG-2 Video and AC3 audio (yes, there will be two separate files – and then give those files to DVD Studio Pro, which will author the DVD for you.

Let me know if any that helps…

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

Posts by filmgeek

[Jeff Cunningham]

Thanks again for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

I am still figuring out my Compressor situation (I’m using FCP 5.0.2 and Compressor 1.2 on an iMac) and so will get back to you regarding that.

In the meantime, I think I see what you’re saying about QT exports for DVD (and, for the record, I was talking about a DVD for DVD players – to date I have just been dropping the .mov file into DVD Studio Pro, which converts it before it burns). Keep it at 720×480 and Export; burn it despite the stretched .mov; and it will play fine on a TV set to 4:3 – right?

What about for computers, and for online streaming (Youtube, etc)? What type of compression/codec should I be using? Should I be changing the sequence settings to 640×480 in FCP?

[Jeff Greenberg]

When you’re dropping it into DVDSP – depending on the version, it’s using compressor underneath.

Yes, despite the way it looks, it should be fine on a 4:30 tv.

You can actually ‘build’ a DVD to your local hard drive (no wasted disc) and use apple’s dvd player software to test the ACTUAL VIDEO TS/Vob structure.

For computers and online streaming?
It’s time to update your tools – but for the record, don’t monkey with your video in FCP; keep everything pristine and let compression software do it’s job.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

[Jeff Cunningham]

Got it, thanks.

Updated Compressor and I see what you were getting at.

Only question now is what settings I should be using for compression for web. Any suggestions?

Jeff

[Jeff Cunningham]

Ah, looks like Compressor has presets for web. I’ll see how these go.

Thanks so much for your patience Jeff Greenberg. Just having someone to provide some guidance has really made things easier.