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Avid MC 7.0 – 25i PAL project issues
Hi guys,
I’m having some major issues with a time-sensitive project I’m working on at the moment. Hoping someone can help!
I have a 25i PAL 720×576 project that I’ve finished, and I need to output it for broadcast. The accepted formats are Quicktime H.264 or MPEG2. Scan order must be upper (odd) field first.
The project consists entirely of images which were imported with “upper field first” selected.
I’ve tried exporting a Quicktime H.264 from Avid, but for some reason Media Info tells me that the scan order is lower field first. Same goes when I export a Quicktime “same as source”.
So I tried using Sorenson Squeeze 7.5 with a Quicktime reference from Avid, and it keeps outputting in progressive no matter what codec I choose.
I managed to do a video mixdown in Avid to MPEG30 IMX which makes the scan order upper field first (finally!), but the broadcaster won’t accept that file (plus it’s a weird resolution – 720×608).
If anyone could offer any input I’d really appreciate it, I’m at a loss.
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4 Replies
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“The project consists entirely of images which were imported with “upper field first” selected. ”
This is your problem. The setting is for fixing problems with field order. If you tell it upper it will change it to lower. You want to set it to “Ordered For Current Format”. Then it will respect your project setting.
That being said, if this is for broadcast, I would not export h264 straight from Avid. Often you will get gamma shifts due to QuickTime issues.
I would export a Same as Source QuickTime and bring that into Squeeze. Not in front of a system right now, but once you choose a Preset,, you may need to double click it and check the field order setting to make sure it’s not deinterlacing. If you choose a web preset, it probably will be set for deinterlacing.
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Thanks for the reply, John.
I tried taking the images offline and reimporting with “ordered for current format” and it didn’t seem to make a difference.
Also, I’ve tried editing the Squeeze presets and making sure it’s not deinterlacing, and that didn’t change anything either.
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Problem solved, I think!
I was given this advice on the Avid forums:
I understand your question because I had also that field problem. Please follow the workflow below:
1) You import your images: upper field first :ok
2) You export: pls set lower field first
3) Using Procoder 3 to transcode your movie to mpeg 2: with incoming field: lower field first
and out coming: upper field first.
That have the result your mpeg 2 with upper field first.
Final, Pls check your movie on monitor to see happening flicker or not. If OK, you can brocasting!And it seems to have done the trick. Only issue is the output file is 8mbit and the broadcaster wants 15mbit minimum, but I’m guessing it’s due to the fact that it consists entirely of still images
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Continue using “ordered with current format”. That’s the correct way. Look at the link I posted that explains it. If you set the field order the way you are doing, it does the opposite of what you are expecting…though it may not make a visual difference if your source is progressive. Have not tested.
In Squeeze, you need to change the encoder from MainConcept, which does not support interlaced video, so it always deinterlaces.
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