how do I setup for FCP for TV? what output format?

[Mike Nicholas]

Simple reason it’s low res: you’re not taking it in/outputting it uncompressed to tape, are you? Unless you’re using a breakout box and a capture card (blackmagic card, AJA card, etc.), it’s compressed. The reason they sell those cards is to get uncompressed, high resolution output from your system. Unless you’re using those cards, and are using them properly, you’re always going low res.

“Roto is not a skill, it’s a job.”

[Malcolm]

I am using a g5 and have no extra hardware. Do I actually need more hardware. i’m unaware of this, but what about outputting to dvd. Obviously not the format for ads but I should still be able to output at a better rez. I cant seem to make anything look crisp when played back on TV.
thanks for the help so far.

[Shane Ross]

Malcolm…in order to deliver a show for broadcast TV, you’ll need to either invest in the hardware needed (capture card) or take your project to a post facility that can output it for you. A DVD is simply NOT an acceptable delivery format, except for maybe Cable Access. AJA I/O LA, Matrox MXO, Decklink Extreme…some sort of device that allows you to output to a tape format that the station will accept.

But this isn’t all. As mentioned before, you need knowledge on how to properly color correct a show and bring it into TV specs, how to format a show so that you have bars, tone and a slate (starting at 58;30;00), and the show starting at 1;00;00;00. You need to know what are the appropriate audio levels for TV, how to connect the computer to a professional deck, knowledge of how to operate that deck and get your project onto tape.

This isn’t as simple as cutting a show and burning it to DVD…this requires technical know how in terms of what TV networks require. If you are not prepared for this, then you need to take it to someone who is…someone who can finish the spot and format it properly and output it to tape. Just because you know how to edit and can tell a story and have nice concepts, doesn’t mean that you are ready to edit for TV. TV takes a lot of technical know how…

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Malcolm]

Hi Shane
thanks I understand this.I accept I will not be able to complete this on my own setup.
But for now, I am really just trying to find out if I can fix the low rez graphics i’ll get in a home movie for example. Surely the graphics can look crisper that I am getting currently.

[Mike Nicholas]

What are you burning with? DVD studio pro? iDVD? Depends on how you’re exporting…

[Malcolm]

I have been creating self contained files and burning with idvd, but knowing very well that idvd may not be the best option I have created many different versions of quicktime .mov files and played them on a media player through the tv. they too had the same outcome.

[Mike Nicholas]

yikes, sorry it I took so long to reply, but I was out of town for a bit…anyways, if you’re using iDVD it will always compress the QT, no matter what you do to it. So you might have a pretty high res movie in your project, but it will be compressed once iDVD encodes it. Studio Pro gets better quality, hands down….

“Roto is not a skill, it’s a job.”