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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy Compressor encoding for DGFastchannel

  • Compressor encoding for DGFastchannel

    Posted by Mark Arenz on September 19, 2008 at 7:42 pm

    I’ve been using Compressor to make material for DGFastchannel with a setup based on their specs:

    File Extension: mpeg
    Estimated file size: 6.75 GB/hour of source
    Type: MPEG-2 program stream
    Video Encoder
    Format: M2V
    Width: 720
    Height: 480
    Pixel aspect ratio: NTSC CCIR 601/DV
    Crop: None
    Padding: None
    Frame rate: 29.97
    Frame Controls: Automatically selected: Off
    Start timecode from source
    Aspect ratio: 4:3
    Field dominance: Bottom first
    Average data rate: 15 (Mbps)
    2 Pass VBR enabled
    Maximum data rate: 18 (Mbps)
    High quality
    Best motion estimation
    Closed GOP Size: 15, Structure: IBBP
    DVD Studio Pro meta-data enabled
    Audio Encoder
    Format: MPEG
    Sample Rate: 48.000kHz
    Channels: 2
    Bits Per Sample: 16

    This has worked just fine so far, but now I’m hearing that what hey really want is a 720×512 file. Using “padding” does not seem to make a difference, either. The final result is still 720×480 (according to MPGStreamclip). I could shell out a grand for Episode Pro, including all sorts of capabilities we already have with other aps, but I want to find a way to make Compressor work. Any ideas?

    Mark Arenz replied 17 years, 7 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Tony Corapi

    September 20, 2008 at 1:48 pm

    I use a program called Main Concept v 1.5. I have delivered over 150 commercials this way to DGFC and have never had an issue. All my spots have been 720×480 and never a rejection. I was told by DGFC that compressor only did mpeg2 4:2:0 and would not work. Main Concept is around $300. I export a self contained movie out of FCP and then encode that in Main concept and then view the encoded file in VLC which is a mpeg2 viewer for mpeg2 4:2:2.

  • Mark Arenz

    September 22, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    It’s very strange. I’ve been sending them 720×480 stuff for a while now, but suddenly I hear that what they really want is 720×512. I think that has to do with closed-captioning, but still it seems strange that we have to invest a further $1k in software that does a million things we already do with compressor. Seems like a waste.

  • Chris Borjis

    September 22, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    720×512 is not a valid size for that. You might call them on it
    and confirm.

  • Mark Arenz

    September 23, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Unfortunately, they’re the only game in town and they say it is.

    So, now I need an MPG2 4:2:2 encoder that can pad the top and bottom (of course, half the engineers sad add 13 to the top & bottom, and the other half say add 26 to the top) or just pass through the raster without scaling. Is there any choice other than paying $1k for software that’s about 99.9% redundant?

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