Rendering to AVID DV Codec…problem

[Erik Pontius]

You might do some experiments. Most application specific codecs are extremely picky about how they are encoded.
At least on my AE workstation with the Avid codecs installed. AE will cough up a QT error if the comp size is 720×480 when using the Avid DV codec, but will render if the comp is 720×486 (which seems backwards). Also, you may need to set the field renderer to lower field first, and lower the quality setting of the QT compression to “high” rather than “best” in order for it to import properly into Avid.

In most cases for titles and such that are created entirely in AE, I skip the Avid codecs and export a lower field first, QT using the Animation codec set to best quality. Takes a little longer to import, but the quality is good.

Like I said, do some experiments using some short clips and see what works for your workflow.

Erik

[Jason Brown]

Thanks Erik,

I have tried a lot of *trial and error*. I haven’t tried the “high” rather than “best” idea…but I’ll try that now. I was under the impression that the quality slider doesn’t matter. In the *options* button where you select 2:1 , DV25, DV50…etc. I’ve been told that that setting overrides the high, good, best quality slider.

I’m trying to figure it out…because I really like the “quick import” that AVID does…and the smaller file size it creates vs. the Animation codec!

While we’re on the subject…Let me ask you this…

When you have footage exported from AVID (with fields…lower first). Do you interpret the footage in AFX as lower field first, then render out with that setting? Or do you not seperate fields and then render out as progressive? It seems that AFX does a good job removing the interlacing…but I’ve always wondered that if you have footage at full screen that is interlaced and you scale it down, then that interlacing is smaller than the final rendered fields…and it wouldn’t look right. Right?

Do you have any ideas?

-Jason

[Erik Pontius]

I received some errors from Avid when trying to import Avid DV codec files when the were encoded using the “best” quality setting. Doing the same export again using the “high” setting I didn’t have any errors and it imported properly.

For some Avid codecs like Avid’s 1:1, I usually have to force AE using interpret footage to use lower fields first, otherwise there are interlacing artifacts. I have heard of folks doing separate fields and comps at 60i but I’ve never done it. Avid’s Dv codec is usually interpreted properly.
I render out lower field first. I commonly use AE to build animated lower thirds (name keys and such) and animated titles with text. I’ve found that by exporting out interlaced lower field first, and importing lower field first into avid, the edges of the text is much crisper and not jagged.

Erik