HDV 60i AIC clips to SD anamorphic using compressor

[Daniel Low]

what exact compressor settings have you tried? What is the problem with the results you currently have?

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[Brendan Pyatt]

Encoder tab:
Video Settings: Apple ProRes 422, Interlaced bottom field first.

Frame controls tab:
Frame controls: On
Resize filter: Best
Output fields: Bottom first
Deinterlace: Better
Adaptive Details: unticked

Retiming Control:
Rate Conversion: Best
Set Duration to: so source frames play at 29.97

Geometry:
Dimensions:
Frame Size 720×480
Pixel Aspect: NTSC CCIR 601/DV (16:9)

Problems:
When played in QT clip looks good (no pixelation) but it is not 16:9
When imported to FCP the clip appears to have pixelation along hard edges. (the clip is of a boat at sea – the sea appears fine but the edges of the white boat aren’t exactly pixelated but they are not smooth) – this effect is not seen in QT – the edge of the boat is smooth and correct in QT.

Note – I am using a Matrox MXO connected to a Apple Cinema Display to check the footage. I know i have this setup fine as DV NTSC anamorphic clips play fine in FCP.

[Brendan Pyatt]

I have found that the clips I am producing from Compressor are not 16×9. When I add them to a SD NTSC anamorphic sequence they are not the correct size (and this backs up what I have found viewing the same clips in QT).

I don’t understand why as a selected NTSC CCIR/ DV (16:9) for the Pixel Aspect in Geometry in Compressor.

[Daniel Low]

Sounds to me like you don’t have your preview/sequence settings correct in FCP. Quicktime player won’t display your clips at the correct aspect ratio unless you set it to do so.

Your situation is very common.

__________________________________________________________________
Two years from now, spam will be solved. – Bill Gates, World Economic Forum 2004

[Daniel Low]

[Brendan Pyatt] ” When I add them to a SD NTSC anamorphic sequence they are not the correct size “

Are you checking the clips properties in the FCP Project & sequence windows?

Bottom line is that FCP and compressor are designed from the bottom up to work together, if they are not doing so then in most cases it’s because there’s been some human interference with the default settings or that correct workflow practices are not followed.

__________________________________________________________________
Two years from now, spam will be solved. – Bill Gates, World Economic Forum 2004

[Brendan Pyatt]

I bet it is operator error! If only I knew what I was doing wrong.

I think I read that Prores is square pixels? Which would explain why I can’t get a Prores 7240×480 clip to look 16:9? And why FCP (via Matrox MXO) diplays this clips badly as the display is setup to view widescreen clips..

[Brendan Pyatt]

Pretty sure i have got to the root of the problem. Prores uses square pixels so there is no way i can get 720×480 widescreen clips using Prores.
I am using DVCPRO50 anamorphic now and it seems ok.
One thing I am not 100% sure on…
I am converting HDV 60i clips to SD so i need to change the field order..
I choose Bottom First in encoder tab of Compressor, correct?