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Footage from DVD – upper or lower field?
I’m exporting footage from DVDs with MPEG Streamclip using a DVC50 Quicktime setting, thanks to all the advice I got on this forum. It’s because I have limited storage space, and wanted a step above the DV setting, which I had used in the past.
Now, I analyzed the stream and it’s some kind of MPEG and it’s upper field (like most DVDs probably are). My question is about fields. Do I check Upper Field because the footage is originally in upper field? Or should I check Lower Field because my project is going to be all Lower Field? If I export it with Upper Field, does FCP change it to Lower Field? Or should I just rip it Lower Field first to begin with? I’m just worrying about loss of quality. Thanks.
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8 Replies
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I believe DVDs are lower field first. A quick check at the compression settings in compressor for DVD would acknowledge. In any case you should export any DV25 or 50 footage as lower field first.
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DVDs can actually be upper or lower field first, however SD NTSC codecs are all lower field first.
Streamclip for some unknown reason says to leave it set at “upper” for all codecs except DV. I’ve always found that a bit odd.
Sorry to confuse the issue, but Streamclip is actually rather confounding in this regard. Typically, just use the defaults and see if you have a problem when you look at the material in FCP.
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But when I do “Analyze Stream”, it says it’s upper field. My understanding is that that analyzes the DVD. Is that wrong?
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MPEG-2 has no the flagging problems of some QT files.
If MPGStreamclip says is Upper, THEN IS UPPER.Rip it as it is.
In FC you will need to shift fields, if you are going LOWER first.
rafael -
Thanks. Now, I heard FCP shifts fields automatically. Does it do that?
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[zeke meginsky] “Thanks. Now, I heard FCP shifts fields automatically. Does it do that?”
Yes if FC interprets the footage properly .Make sure that the footage shows up in FC Browser with the correct field order.
In this case is very possible that FC misinterprets the footage. FC won’t expect any NTSC SD Upper First.
Probably will check it as Lower. In this case you have to set it manually.
rafael -
Oh, that makes it confusing. If it says “Lower” (which must not be true), then I STILL have to do a field order switch to Lower? How do I do that?
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[zeke meginsky] “If it says “Lower” (which must not be true), then I STILL have to do a field order switch to Lower? “
If its says LOWER, you have to check the clips as UPPER (Browser); then when you lay them on a Lower sequence, FC will automatically add the Shift Fields filter.
rafael
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