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HDV Project out to SD DVD via ProRes 422: Frozen frames–ack!
I’m working on a 30 minute piece, shot HDV 1080/30p (Canon XH-A1), in an HDV timeline. I need to deliver on SD DVD, and I’ve been trying to get a good encode by exporting using Quicktime Conversion, with ProRes 422 (HQ) codec.
Machine is a G5 dual 2GHz, with 4GB RAM, running 10.4.11, FCP 6.0.4, Quicktime 7.5.
I’ve rendered the project on the timeline (once using ProRes for renders, under Render Control tab, and once using HDV), and exported using Quicktime conversion, using ProRes 422(HQ) and ‘current’ size. Both times the six or seven hour encode netted me a great looking, huge file (~40GB). Sweet. Except for this problem:
In one file, the whole thing is perfect, except this one spot, where the image is replace for several seconds by a freeze frame from like 10 seconds before the error. The second file does the same thing, in a different spot, only it does it three times instead of one.
I am pretty desperate, with a film festival waiting for this piece. If I can avoid it, I’d rather not tie up the computer with another encode, unless I have some idea it’s not going to give me the same (or worse) result. I’d like advice on what to do…
At this point, I’m wondering what if maybe it makes more sense to encode my QT file from HDV instead of ProRes… or maybe scrap that and try to build a frankenmovie by patching together the good bits from the two huge Quicktime files in DVD Studio Pro?
What troubleshooting should I be doing before the next step: Disk Repair, Permissions Repair, Prefs Trashing, etc.?
Anybody seen this problem? What is my next step? Thanks for looking!
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5 Replies
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Scott,
I’m in a hurry so I didn’t get to read your whole post, but I use the same camera and settings, here’s your first mistake:
In you FCP sequence, go to Sequence>settings and change the compressor to ProRes. You will have to render the timeline, but then you export with QT, NOT QT Conversion. Put that in compressor and choose 90 minute best quality, in DVDSP you will have to set your track to 16×9, but it will work great.
Have a wonderful day.
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Thanks Chris. I’ve done these things and am awaiting the render/encode now. I’ll post results here. Is there somewhere I can read about the differences between export as Quicktime Movie and export using Quicktime conversion?
Thanks again,
Scott -
I’m absolutely delighted (and not a little relieved!) to say that Chris’s suggestion worked just like it should.
I set all the render controls on the HDV timeline to ProRes422 (HQ), rendered, and exported to a QuickTime Movie using ‘current settings’. Made me an utterly lovely 42GB file, which with a bit of judicious compression markering, has now been burnt onto DVDs.
I love when a workflow finally comes together! Thanks Chris; thanks Cow.
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Scott,
Sorry on not following up,was sick all weekend. Glad it worked out!
Have a wonderful day.
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Scott,
There is info on QT vs. QT Conversion in the archives and in the manual. But basically, QT export is a completely lossless, digital pass, whereas, QT Conversion requires re-rendering and a generation loss. 99% of the time you want QT export.
Have a wonderful day.
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