Be my hero… H.264 compression question!

[Rich Rubasch]

It is entirely possible that in a multi-pass variable bitrate encode on a 20 minute video that you could have a long encode. Not sure what your source clip was exactly….I assume the Apple Intermediary codec? What final frame size movie are you looking to create? Same as the original HDV? Just full screen?

An HD DVD is actually a high bitrate MPEG-2, and H.264 is for computer playback. Which one are you really trying to accomplish?

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Ed Dooley]

The HD DVD spec is MPEG-2, VC-1 (as in Windows Media), and AVC (as in H.264). I believe most films in HD DVD have been encoded to VC-1, with the rest to AVC (H.264). H.264 ain’t just for computers. Google “HD-DVD encoding very slow” and you’ll see lots of confirmation of that (although 29 hours seems very long). There’s a preset in Compressor for HD-DVD (H.264).

Here’s what Apple says about encoding to HD-DVD:
>>>If you want to export an H.264 format movie from Final Cut Pro HD or Motion, you must use the “HD DVD H.264” presets included with Compressor to ensure that the video works with DVD Studio Pro. Do not export the file through QuickTime.

If you want to make a custom H.264 preset in Compressor, select the Multi-pass setting and set the bit rate to 18 Mbps or less to ensure DVD compatibility.

Note: Currently, only progressive H.264 video formats are supported, including 480p (NTSC only), 576p (PAL only), and 720p (NTSC and PAL). You can add 1080i HD video to an HD DVD project by using the HD MPEG-2 encoder (either in Compressor or in DVD Studio Pro). <<< Ed [Rich Rubasch] “An HD DVD is actually a high bitrate MPEG-2, and H.264 is for computer playback. Which one are you really trying to accomplish?”

[Julie Hill]

Thanks so much for your response… but now I’m even MORE confused!!!! Here’s the deal. I have a 42″ 1080p LCD in my showroom. A mac mini is connected to it because all of the footage being shown on it is HDV. Ideally, I’d like to just copy over the QT movies and have “front row” access and play them. Problem with this is that a) there is no “play all” option in front row and b) you can only fit so much QT content on a mac mini. Therefore, my only option is to: a) encode the native HDV movies via H.264 QT files (which I don’t see as a possibility because from the looks of it, you have to compress the audio separately, OR b) encode the HDV movies via (what I thought) H.264 so I can author an HD DVD and use the mac mini’s DVD player to play from the video_Ts folder. So there you go. To make a long story short, I need to know how to convert my HDV stuff that is in a DVCPRO HD 1080i sequence, to be a smaller file yet awesome quality and be able to author w/DVDSP.

phew!! any ideas??

[Julie Hill]

sorry… I meant that my HDV footage is in an HD (1440×1080) (16:9) sequence (I just use the “easy setup HDV 1080i60) when working w/HDV. This is the sequence type it creates.

[Ed Dooley]

You can go into Compressor under Apple settings, web download, quicktime 7 download,
H.264, duplicate setting, and set an HD format and data rate. Or you can choose one of the
DVD settings, compress a separate audio and video file, then mux them with MPEG Streamclip (free)
https://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-win.html Windows
https://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html Mac

Ed

[Tom Brooks]

Start by exporting a self-contained QT movie from FCP using current settings. Compress to HD DVD format in Compressor. Warning-It’s slow.
Try the standard Compressor preset for HD DVD H.264 for DVD Studio Pro 60 Minutes (or 90 Minutes). Then use a standard AC3 preset for audio. Then import these into DVD Studio Pro and make an HD DVD. You might have to adjust prefs in DVD SP with regard to HD DVDs. I have seen a tutorial, I think from “Inside DVD Studio Pro 4”, that goes over HD DVD creation.

This way, you get all the control over your media that you get in any DVD and you can update it by revising the DVDSP project–importing new assets and adding tracks, then rebuilding it.

They look great on a fast Mac. Not sure how a Mini will play them, since it has a much less capable video display than the more powerful Macs.

Final Cut Studio, FCP 5.1.4, After Effects 6.5 Pro, Quicktime 7.1.5, G5 Quad 2.5, Kona-LHe V3.3, 4.5GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce 7800-GT, G-RAID 2x1TB FW800, Mac OS-X 10.4.9.