Using HD Footage For DVD

[Steve Brame]

1080p is not a measure of quality, but simply a measure of the frame size. Data rate is the main arbiter of quality. So, you may be losing ‘quality’ on your initial transcode to MPEG, and then another transcode when Encore transcodes again to MPEG-2 to burn onto the DVD. It would be helpful to post some info such as your transcode settings in both Adobe Media Encoder as well as those in Encore. Also, what’s the runtime of your full program? If it’s long, Encore will adjust the data rate for your encode to place the most amount on a single DVD with the highest quality(data rate). That data rate will be a lot higher for a 30 minute program as compared to a 90 minute one.

Why do the initial MPEG transcode? CS5 should be able to handle NXCAM footage from what I read.

Steve Brame
creative illusions Productions

[Jeff Pulera]

If you don’t like using the native clips for whatever reason, consider a good intermediate codec like Cineform perhaps. Regarding downconversion quality, create the MPEG-2 for DVD file in Adobe Media Encoder and check the “Maximum Render Quality” button at the bottom, this should help. Note, only use Max Quality when SCALING video, it does add time to the encode but can really help HD to SD quality.

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor

[Lindsay Simpson]

This is somewhat related as I’ve been trying to find a way to optimize quality for HD footage burned to DVD as well. At this point my work flow is to export a full res QT out of PPro with an Animation or None codec then import into Encore. I generally let Encore automatically choose how to transcode the files which are normally videos 5 minutes or less, but have tried adjusting the transcode settings manually without seeing any increase in quality.

Is it recommended to go to MPEG-2 rather a QT? And if so, what’s the reasoning behind that?

Thanks,
Lindsay

[Steve Brame]

We go to neither. Save the time and possible transcode issues by importing your PPro sequence(s) directly into Encore.

Steve Brame
creative illusions Productions

[Jeff Pulera]

As Steve said, no sense adding the time and quality loss of creating an extra file in the process, you can go straight to Encore from Premiere, using File > Adobe Dynamic Link > Send to Encore.

My personal preference for my long-form projects has always been to use Adobe Media Encoder to create the “MPEG-2 for DVD” files, which results in .m2v video and .wav audio clips. I then Import these into Encore as Assets or Timeline. I guess I like this because once I lay out the menus, it takes just a very short while to have a DVD proof in hand since the video transcoding is already completed. Only the audio is transcoded to AC-3 Dolby and that is quick. It messes up my creative flow to design the DVD menus then wait hours to see if the disc works. Just me 😉

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

[Sasha Bajac]

I was banging my head for a long time over the quality of videos coming out of Adobe Premiere/Media Encoder CS5 and found a solution.

As someone said the data rate is crucial when encoding, and not only that, to get good quality you have to switch from VBR to CBR (constant bit rate). You will notice the difference straight away.

Maximum for DVD video should be 8Mbit/s (check the DVD Video on Wikipedia).

Encode your files in Premiere/media encoder and not Encore, you get much more freedom to set everything up properly. Wheter you are making a an mpg(audio embeded) or mp2 and Wav combination you can both import them to Encore and then just finish making the menus and finishing the DVD quickly. (as someone already wrote)

But in the end I always loathe when I have to use footage from DVDs for editing.

Sasha Bajac
DOP/Producer

https://nomadicproduction.com
https://ftvcrew.com