How to get the best output from dv captured material

[Jerry Hofmann]

I dont’ think DV would be the best transcode in the first place… try ProRes instead.. at least it will maintain the original quality better I’d think.

Jerry

Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann

DVD:https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup

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[Mark Petereit]

Don’t judge the quality of your video by what you see in the Canvas. You’re viewing interlaced material (DV footage) on a progressive display (your computer monitor). The only way to see what you’re really getting is by connecting a broadcast monitor to a broadcast video board.

(But at least make sure you have your Canvas magnification set to 100%. That’ll get you as close as it’s able.)

[Paul Smith]

I understand that DV is DV, but why, when outputting the Dv timeline to uncompressed 8bit or animation codec does the image look so much sharper? For instance, I’ve outputted this dv footage from a dv timeline as an animation coded’d movie – the edges are sharper, the image is significantly less softer than when I export as current settings DV. Granted, the interlacing is more pronounced at times, but wouldn’t the image look sharper and better if I’m using maxmsp to deinterlace on the fly this sharper picture?

Also, if uncompressed or animation be the way to go – keep in mind this is for a dvi projection and NOT broadcast -how is it I get the same gamma/coloring as the source? I’ve noticed that, when outputting same as source, that the color is closer to the original DVD footage. If I export an animation codec it appears ever so slightly darker.

Thanks to everyone for their kind help

[Paul Smith]

What I’m asking, less convolutedly, is why these DV files ripped from VOBs look softer and less detailed than what I’m seeing in the final cut canvas. Is this simply an issue with my QT player? Is it not showing me the file’s true DV resolution, but Final Cut is? I can’t understand it….I export current settings DV and the image looks softer compared to 8bit uncompressed.

[Mark Petereit]

I guess you missed the point where I said Canvas can not give you an accurate depiction of your video. That fact is even more pronounced if you have the canvas sized to anything other than 100%.

[Paul Smith]

But exporting this DV timeline as 8bit uncompressed, prores, animation gives me an image that’s exactly what I’m seeing in the canvas at 100%. When I export current settings (DV Pal) I get an image identical to the source dv clips (smoother, but not as detailed). I’m wondering if this is simply Quicktimec10 not playing the footage at high resolution or if, indeed, another codec or uncompressed is giving me a sharper image.

[Paul Smith]

Thanks! It looks like QTPro is now giving me a better image.

Because my sequence is comprised of ripped DVD material (pal, NTSC, all over the place but all conformed to 25fps), I’ve had to rescale every 4:3 and letterbox image to fit a 1024×576 pal dv anamorphic canvas. I’m wondering if creating an uncompressed pal 8bit timeline and rendering/outputting from there would be more ideal than dv. Any thoughts?