-
NTSC (23.98) conversion to PAL via Compressor
I have a FCP project at 23.98 fps that I need to convert to a high res PAL MOV file. I made three passes at making the conversion myself via Compressor this weekend, but I was displeased with all of the results. On my first attempt, I clicked on the Settings pull-down menu and choose Advanced Format Conversions: DV PAL. I then customized these settings to Resize Filter-Best (Statistical Prediction), Output Fields-Same as Source, Deinterlace- Better (Motion Adaptive), and Rate Conversion- Better (Motion Compensated). I also set the Video Settings to Progressive. The final result (as viewed in QT viewer and a FCP Timeline) consisted of subtle crossfades between each cut in the project. So, I tried all of the above again, but I chose interlaced instead of progressive within the Video Settings. The tiny cross fades were still there.
On my last attempt, I clicked on the Settings pull-down menu and choose Advanced Format Conversions: DV PAL again. I decided to use Compressor’s default settings this time, and the crossfades did disappear. Unfortunately, the resolution was much worse than in the previous two attempts.
Any help would be most appreciated regarding a fix for this that I can achieve through FCP, Compressor or Cinema Tools. Purchasing Natress is a last resort.
-
7 Replies
-
Are you really cutting @ 23.98 or is it 23.98 material captured with pulldown and you are editing @ 29.97?
Jeremy
-
We shot on Super 16, telecined to DV, and used Cinema Tools to import the footage at 23.98fps into FCP.
-
Have you tried Nattress? You can download a demo that renders a watermark. It’s cheap and works well.
Otherwise, it’s going to be trial and error to try and figure out what setting you have to mess with to fix what you are seeing.
You can do tests on a little movie that includes a cut with different compressor settings to see which one is affecting it. SInce you are working in progressive, I’d keep all of your settings progressive and don’t interlace.
Jeremy
-
[carrcs] “We shot on Super 16, telecined to DV, and used Cinema Tools to import the footage at 23.98fps into FCP.”
Process the frame rate as a conform in cinema tools then create a 8bit PAL timeline and reframe the content into the larger frame size. Export as a PAL file then process in Compressor.
Compressor does not really get the PAL format well, and the compressor “PAL” conversion will not pass most broadcast standards due to the addition of the extra frame used to get to 25 fps instead of speeding the content up to reach the correct frame rate.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows -
Thanks for your help, guys.
-
Hey wait all you guys, no-one has mentioned the Frame Control tab in Compressor to properly resize the conversion. Its all in the manual!
It takes forever so you might want to cluster some Macs, the results are BRILLIANT, second only to AlchemistCheers
Alexander -
Let us know when you achieved success with this, because I’m trying to do the same thing with a 20 min. short (SD NTSC 23.98 FPS to SD PAL 25 FPS to burn a PAL DVD). I was going to purchase the Nattress PAL conversion tool, but was advised by Nattress himself that I don’t need it, just use Cinema Tools instead if your project is 23.98 FPS (doesn’t work as well with 30 FPS). Then use Compressor to compress for PAL DVD as usual. My problem is that Cinema Tools inserts an approx. 4 frame black at exactly the same point every time, at around 4:05? Why? I tried this repeatedly. The NTSC is clean.
My process is exporting the DVCPRO 50 timeline to an uncompressed 8bit SD NTSC (this is for archiving purposes) and then I’m using that 8bit uncompressed file in Cinema Tools to do the conform to 25 FPS. Then I would take that file and compress to MPEG2 with Compressor.
Any advice?
………………………….
Point Zero Pictures
<https://www.pointzeropictures.com>
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up