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Is 1280 1248…?
Researched but not confident I understand it all. My two questions are about size and quality, and come to think of it, what two questions in this forum aren’t? Well, there’s also speed. Anyway:
Finished project master is DVCPRO HD 720 23.98.
Film fest in Europe asked for a 1280×720 H.264 which they will project (somehow, from something).
My task now: convert and send them a file.With a same-settings QT exported from the master timeline, tried three Compressor outputs as below, viewed in QT player (likely how fest will play out to projector).
1) Apple TV gave me format/actual size of 1280×720, with fair-looking quality of 5.1 Mbit/s
2) QT H.264 with all settings to Best, etc. at current size=960×270 gave me great quality at 19 Mbit/s. But the size is “not” 1280×720.
3) QT H.264 with all settings to Best, etc. but with handy Frame Size drop-down of 1280×720. Gave me great quality at 22.5Mbit/s, yet rendered out format= 1280×720 and actual size=1248×702.
SIZE: I know there is a comfy relationship between a QT movie’s dimensions and how QT Player can display it… but what should I do to deliver the actual size they spec’d at a better quality than Apple TV, which has a bitrate max of 5Mbit/s on the slider?
QUALITY: I cannot confirm the fest’s projection/Mac/PC system specs until the Producer gets there days before– so I figured on sending ahead three quality levels with request to use the highest, about 22Mbit/s. That make sense?
If you got this far, thanks for reading through it all!
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8 Replies
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Use compressor for sure. 22mbits is a great data rate – probably higher than you need, but what the heck.
in Dimensions set it to 1280×720. Make sure Frame Controls are set to ON and that you have Best set on Resize Filter (since you’re working in DVCPRO-HD, your files are actually 960×720. Need to get stretched out)
Don’t pay attention to QT player’s odd pixel display. Frankly I don’t know what it is actually referring to, but it’s awfully misleading.
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Yeah, that high data rate looks great. If I can ever get the size right, I’ll be sending them choices including that topmost 22Mbit/s beauty.
I set the Resize to 1280, and the result was 1248. Meanwhile, Compressor’s setting for Apple TV yielded an actual 1280, albeit a low data rate.
If I can’t check the “actual” frame dimensions in QT, where in the world could I check it?
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MPEG Streamclip isn’t bad about reporting sizes. There’s also a program called Videospec that is useful at tims.
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Thanks, didn’t think of Streamclip. And I’ll get VideoSpec too, it’s on the Apple Downloads site.
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FCP. Just bring the clips back in and get Item Properties on them.
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Oh, right!
The clip Compressor converted to 1280 has been brought into FCP and its Item Properties tell me it’s 1280×720, at 2.7MB/sec with square pixels.
QT Player says this same clip’s “Actual Size” is 1248×702 at 22.49Mbits/sec.I’m going with FCP on this one. It’s 1280×720 and that’s that.
Is it? -
did some quick research. As usual, Quicktime is trying to “help you out.” Which it’s not.
https://www.decklink.com/support/detail.asp?techID=189
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How about that! The instructions in the Decklink settings page describe how to disable Clean Aperture, but now we have Quicktime X, where the Show Properties tab is nowhere in sight.
I did a post recently when I discovered the new QT X in my MacPro, even after installing a new FCS, had no professional Export function. The solution was to install QT Pro 7 from the OS disk to get back the functionality. I guess they assume Compressor can do whatever QT Pro did (does).
The issue seems to be that the movie file is in fact 1280, but if it’s played out from QT Player, it may not get to the projector the same size. Another bridge to cross…
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