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HDV 1440×1080 clip convert to NTSC 720×480 letterboxed issue
PROBLEM: Cannot export in FCS2 a HDV 1440×1080 clip to NTSC 720×480 without some aspect ratio issues (squeezing, stretching or cropping)
DESIRED OUTPUT: Video clip (proper aspect ratio via letterboxing = no squeezing or stretching) on a 32′ LCD flatscreen (16:9) by playing a SD DVD or connecting a laptop running Windows XP Home to it (media player or Qt).
Source clip = HDV 1080i60, frame size 1440×1080, 29.97fps, pixel aspect HD (1440×1088)
Sequence settings = Matches HDV clip setting
METHODS ATTEMPTED:
1 – Exported to QT HDV movie – Best quality and perfect aspect ratio. Cannot play it on a Windows XP computer (crashes system)2 – QT HDV Clip conversion to AVI (via QT player export) – perfect aspect ratio but orrible quality and major artifacting.
3 – HDV clip from FCS2 via compressor = image is stretched vertically and squeezed horizontally
ROUND #2
New sequence = pixel aspect ratio NTSC CCIR 601 (anamorphic 16:9)
Placed the above HDV clip in this sequence so that it became letterboxed4 – HDV clip from new sequence in FCS2 via compressor = image is letterboxed, but stretched horizontally so people look smushed.
5 – Repeat #4 but remove the anamorphic 16:9 = same results as #4
6 – pounding my head against the wall in frustration.
I figure that the HDV 1440×1080 aspect ratio is messing up my conversion to 16:9 (in a NTSC 4:3) because the 1440×1080 is actually a 16:12 aspect ratio. But I cannot figure out what the fix is.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated. I have spent way too many hours today researching this issue online and testing out all kinds of different variations. Please don’t kick me out of the COW….I love it so much.
Thanks,
MartinMac Pro, dual quads
8GB RAM
FCS2 -
3 Replies
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What application are you using to authoring the DVD? That’s where you tell the DVD to display as widescreen, letterbox, or pan and scan. You can do that in DVD Studio Pro. iDVD will set the material to widescreen display and your DVD player should make that letterboxed if a widescreen display isn’t attached.
All the best,
Tom
Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP6,” “Basic Training for FCS2” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 3.5 HD Editing Workshop” -
I don’t work in HDV, but to make a DVD simply, go back to your initial HDV timeline and export straight from the timeline using Export Using Compressor. Select one of the standard 16:9 presets. The software should automatically set everything correctly. I use DVCProHD, which is also an anamorphic codec, and it works fine with the automatic settings.
Use DVD Studio PRo to make the DVD if you can. The two key settings are the “First Play” for the disk and “16:9 Letterbox” for the display mode of the track.
Best playback to the LCD would be from a standalone DVD player rather than the PC DVD software. The DVD should be 16:9 on the LCD. If played on a 4:3 display, it will be letterboxed.
If that doesn’t satisfy, there are Quicktime and Windows Media options.
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Thanks for the feedback. Here was the problem…..ME. I am so used to trying to “outsmart” the computer when it comes to working with video (blame it on my previous history working in Windows) to fix any problem. Of course now that I am in the world of Mac, I am seeing again how user friendly and logical everything is.
The solution was taking my HDV clip sequence in its original state, exporting in FCP6 via Compressor for a SD DVD, then taking that into DVD Studio Pro. Worked like it should with little input from me in DVD studio… and I feel like an idiot. But thanks to the Cow community… you all ROCK!!
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