Andrew Saliga
Forum Replies Created
-
Brecht,
That sounds like quite the challenge. I mostly use Compressor and sometimes Sorenson, but I’d recommend outputting an H.264 QuickTime file. Also, I wonder what you could do in Sorenson if you encode an FLV?
Compression is all about compromise. I’m assuming this video has audio as well. If it’s primarily speech you can lower the bitrate and sampling rate more than you could with a music video or similar content.
Also change your frame size, this will make a large difference.
How much motion is in the clip? If it’s a relatively static shot/edit drop the framerate a little.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Yeah, I understand there’s not much info to work with.
No worries. This company is apparently having similar problems with media from other production houses, so it seems like it’s an issue on their end. When I spoke on the phone with one of them he said something about their founder coded his own proprietary encoder or something. I’d say the issue is there.
I guess they want to re-encode to ensure that the content works with their presentation software. I’d rather handle in all on my end.
As for the audio data rate, I’ll check that out. I think I labeled my preset wrong in Compressor because that is very small.
Thanks for all your help Daniel. You contribute so much to the compression forum.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Brian hit the nail on the head with this one.
I use Compressor to encode most of videos that I post for client preview. A trick that I use if I’m pressed for time and need a quick and simple solution is found in QuickTime Pro.
Command+Option+S
This will compress for email. I doesn’t give you any control other than Small, Medium, or Large. As you switch you’ll see the changes QT makes in frame size, framerate, audio sampling rate, etc. Be aware of your needs and the adjustments that QT makes to get the estimated file size.
After you make the selection QT will compress and add it to an attachment in Mail. Drag this attached video the the desktop or other folder.
Not sure if this would be useful to you though. Good for quick client previews, but I doubt I’d use it for a vid that’s going to remain on a site.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Yeah, it seems like it’s often the simplest of things that causes an issue.
No worries on not responding faster. I’ve read many threads where you’ve contributed a lot. Thanks for all the time you put into them.
Haircut, haha. The worst thing is that the photo you see is about 6 months old, so it’s considerably longer now.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
-
I am asking the same questions…
Also, I have a question about Belle Nuit. If you create subtitles with it, does it allow you to export a QT file or a MPEG-2 with the subtitle info embedded?
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Just realized I forgot the link.
https://f1.creativecow.net/74/conversion-screenshots
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Sorry. I guess I was caught up in all the other details. Yes, I’ve exported the full sequence as well as shorter test segments out of FCP. What I do not understand is why it’s looking fine on my box but not boxes in other suites when I scrub through the NTSC clip in the PAL sequence – regardless of whether or not it should or should not affect the end output.
I tried to upload some screenshots, but it didn’t work. Instead, here is a ZIP of all five samples. I’ve included a screenshot of the same frame from: the NTSC master, Compressor conversion, Nattress conversion on computer with Kona LHe, Nattress conversion on computer with Kona LHe (smart deinterlace option selected), and Nattress conversion from computer with Kona 3. All images are labeled accordingly in the archive.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
I’m still looking into this, and I’ve picked up on one more bit of info.
Last night I set up two conversions with Nattress, each in different edit suites. Neither of them were able to convert NTSC to PAL without producing this “artifcating/interlacing” issue.
I believe you are correct Graeme when you say that it’s FCP causing this. I see the odd result when scrubbing through NTSC footage in the PAL sequence before the effect is even applied.
I didn’t convert in my suite because the boxes in the other suites are faster, but there is also another potentially notable difference. They have AJA Kona 3 cards and I am on a AJA Kona LHe. The only difference that I know of in the FCP setup is that last night I set the sequences to “AJA Kona 3 PAL ProRes 422HQ” and here on my box today it’s “AJA Kona LH PAL ProRes 422HQ”.
Could the hardware be handling it differently, because it looks fine here on my box with the Kona LHe today? Will this even affect the output if I am applying the filter correctly?
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com -
Thanks for the tips Hilleke. I’ve checked my process, and it matches the brief bit you quoted from Graeme.
Graeme,
Thanks for the response. Great to see someone backing and supporting what they sell.
Anyways, I am uploading some sample footage to our FTP here so you can download it. How can I contact you to give you the login info?
While this is uploading, I’ll explain my workflow in more detail. (Last night was a rush attempt at output, but luckily the client has made some last second changes.)
The content of the original clip is 2D animation. Unfortunately the trail that these clips have travelled along is quite complicated as it’s between 5 animators/editors and 3 programs.
Most scenes were created in Flash at 33fps. (Why 33? – I don’t know…) (The segment of clip I am sending you for review never touched Flash at was created in AE.) These Flash exports were brought into After Effects to add the FX and rendered out of AE in ProRes422 codec 720×480 33fps. An FCP project was created at 720×480 29.97fps ProRes422 HQ to cut together scenes and add the sound FX, etc.. The master was exported from this FCP sequence. Animation codec, 29.97fps, 720×480.
I set up the FCP project for the conversion by first choosing Easy Setup, then specifiying 25fps and ProRes as my codec. I did the nesting and other steps that you outlined in the video on your site and the PDF that came with the plugin.
As far as the specific settings I chose in the effects control panel, NTSC-PAL conversion. Source as Lower field dominant, and output as Upper. (Possibly noteworthy is the fact that the output from this conversion, and Compressor’s for that matter, had no field dominance even when selecting Upper for output.) I unchecked the NTSC DV footage checkbox.
After looking at this whole process, I do see some areas where the workflow needs to be tightened up. I think, ideally, it should all stay in Animation codec at 29.97 until the master is output from FCP. Since this is all animated content I see no need to introduce any interlacing until final output for NTSC and PAL DVD.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
http://www.steelehouse.com