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Highest Quality Video to DVD
I have a 20 minute documentary that I have edited in FCP in a 16:9 timeline. I have a few questions and have been scouring the web getting mixed results so I thought I’d post here with my specific questions and see if you all could help me.
1. In order to play the 16:9 footage on any tv, I’ve transfered the 16:9 sequence to a normal (4:3?) sequence which adds letterboxes. Is this the best way? I thought I had read in the FCP manual that this was the best way (or at least how I understood it).
2. With this new sequence (either the way I’m doing it or the best way) what’s the best way to get the highest quality material to put on a DVD? I understand the good in = good out, but I’m wondering if it’s best to export to a QT file or use compressor right out of FCP.
3. What are the best compressor settings to use?
4. I’ve done some testing with my current settings and have exported the footage through compressor right out of FCP. After bringing this footage into DVDSP, I keep getting a bitrate too high error (my bitrates are set at 7.2 when I export through compressor.)
I realize I got long winded here, but any help would be greatly appreciated!
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10 Replies
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[David Slifka] “In order to play the 16:9 footage on any tv, I’ve transfered the 16:9 sequence to a normal (4:3?) sequence which adds letterboxes. Is this the best way?”
No DVD players will automatically, letter box 16:9 video when played on a 4:3 TV if the DVD is set up as a 16:9 DVD. This way the DVD will also play full screen on a 16:9 TV.
[David Slifka] “What are the best compressor settings to use? “
Compressor has some presets for DVD compression, that will work fine.
Don’t let technology get in the way of your creativity!
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First thing:
DO NOT letterbox your video!!This is my work flow:
1. Export your timeline from FCP: file – export – QuickTime Movie, then in the Save box
Settings: Current Settings
Include: Audio and Video
and also set cros to Make movie Self-contained
2. Open this moviefile in Compressor. Check the inspector box that there is corrrect field dominance, many times if the file is progressive, Compressor thinks it is interlaced and destroys the quality.
Then choose DVD: Best Quality 90 min. Pick the mpeg codec and and for soud pick formats – audio – aiff 48:16. Then chance from ispector your settings for GOP to IP and GOP size to 6. Hit Submit.
3. Open DVD Studio Pro. Open Preferences, and chance from the Generals – SD DVD Menus, Trascks, and Slideshows to 16:9. Open new project. Thats because those setings come to use only in a new project. Then import your movie and audio file. Create menus and stuff. Before hitting “Burn”, on the top of the screen go to Window and chooseGraphical view. In the Graphical view click your movie. Go to Inspector and chance display mode to 16:9 Letterrbox. Now DVD players wil show your documentary in correct way.
4. BURN!Sorry about my english…
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Petteri,
You’re obviously not using the latest version of Compressor, as there is no option to use Aif audio any longer in the DVD presets, on AC3. That’s actually a good thing as using AC3 lowers the amount of information (or overhead) that DVD players need to output without significantly affecting audio quality, thus allowing for smmother playback. YOu should be choosing AC3 (Dolby digital) in your earlier version of Compressor as well. No professional DVDs use Aif or PCM audio for this reason.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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I would say DVD Studio Pro 4 is the latest. And what I ment in my previous post was that user should manually pic this aiff from audio formats.
But I see your point in lowering data but I´m always so suspicious about packing the audio… -
[Petteri Evilampi] “I would say DVD Studio Pro 4 is the latest.”
You’re right DVDSP was not changed from FCS1 to FCS2, but Compressor has, and that’s the one I mentioned. It no longer offers AIF among the presets.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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So just to test this I used one of my older versions that I had exported through FCP to the m2v format.
I changed all of the settings to what you have above and burned the DVD. However, when I try to play it back in a DVD player, it says error and will not play.
What might the problem be there?
I appreciate your help on this. I realize that I’m getting off track of the FCP topic, but I’m contiunally stuck on this.
Thanks.
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David,
What company’s blank media are you using? How old is your DVD player? Have you tried the DVD in another player?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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I’m using Maxell DVD-R.
It doesn’t work in any DVD players, computers, etc. The only drive it works in is the G5s in the editing labs…
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That’s scary David… Could be that your burner is over the hill or misaligned. Is everyone at your school having the same issue? What school do you go to?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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I think I figured out that problem. I originally had it set to HD DVDs which is why there were errors the whole time, ie non HD DVD players trying to play HD DVDs.
So while that’s fixed, I am getting a bitrate too high when I try to burn using DVDSP. When I compressed through compressor I had it set at 7.2. Does this mean that there’s a spike somewhere along the line? Will exporting as CBR solve this?
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