Keith Troester
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Yes, REGEN is proper, versus PRESET, which will give you unlocked (and probably wrong) timecode. The sub-category of REGEN (EXT, INT, etc.) is dependent on your setup–if you’re using an external TCG, etc.
https://keithtroester.blogspot.com
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The packets of CC are sent prior to their appearance on the screen (about 1-2 seconds), and doing an insert edit as you say (with CC locked to timecode) could very well corrupt CC, and disturb the timing of it. I would recommend an entire output, and to double check all the timing and accuracy prior to laying to tape. Otherwise, you could very well end up with garbled CC.
-Keith
https://www.keithtroester.com
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Also, it may partially be due to the different color spaces (601 vs. 709)–SD versions of HD footage can look green due to differences (relatively less green in 709, more red and blue–chroma noise often occurs as magenta, or in that area of the spectrum).
https://www.keithtroester.com
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We use the DL-860 with a Symphony Nitris, and it does a decent job. It won’t always catch all your color peaks, especially if if they are as small as a frame or two (or, as I’ve seen, even a field). It’s roughly the equivalent of Avid’s safe limiter (I can’t remember what the exact name is), but in hardware form. It deals with luminance well. Also, the advantage of SD and HD is always nice.
Hope this helps.
-Keith
https://www.keithtroester.com
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Try killing the Preferences for Compressor and Batch Monitor (User>Library>Preferences>com.apple.compressor.Compressor.plist, com.apple.Compressor.CompressorSharedService.plist, and com.apple.BatchMonitor.plist). It’s also good to reset the database in Compressor, and clear the history.
I would quit out, trash the preferences, go back in, reset the background processing (in the Compressor menu) and clear the history.
Make sure no jobs are still running in the background by going into Batch Monitor and expanding all the clusters.
https://www.keithtroester.com
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If you export a Quicktime same as source from FCP (reference QT), you should experience no loss in quality because you aren’t changing the file–it’s ultimately accessing the media that you are using in FCP. You just need to have access to the media when using a ref. QT.
However, you may need to kill the Preferences for Compressor (also reset database and clear history) to reset the log of files. I’ve had instances where Compressor just waits and never does anything because there’s some old job processing in the background, or it just gets confused. Ordinarily, FCP should be busy when running directly into Compressor (you’ll see frames being processed in the progress bar).
https://www.keithtroester.com
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VITC is the “more accurate” form of timecode, in that you can play down to frames/fields when jogging, for instance, on a DigiBeta. VITC is part of the vertical interval, and thus cannot be read at very high rates of deck speed, just like picture can’t be vividly read at high speeds. If you’re sitting on a frame, VITC can still be read.
VITC complements LTC, which is typically part of the audio channel/bandwidth of the tape, and is only so accurate. The tape stops, and so does the audio and the LTC. Your timecode reader on the deck can show you both, and you can also see the VITC/LTC lights on the deck when they are active.
You control VITC placement in the deck menu, and make sure VITC is on. PAL is typically lines 19,21 for VITC, NTSC 16,18. You obviously don’t want VITC creeping into active picture. Ideally, VITC is set with a space between, and not consecutive lines.
https://www.keithtroester.com
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I’ve certainly seen red lag in Studio Pro, but only in the preview/simulating in DVD Player. Red, in general, is an awful color to use in video–looks good in print, but not in video, especially when it’s saturated. And because it already is such a high-visibility color, shifts are exaggerated.
Are you seeing these red shifts even when it’s on a DVD? Reducing the saturation of the red, if that’s relevant/possible, could reduce the lag, but it’s hard to say.
When I had this red issue before, I realized that it looked fine once on a DVD, and I was looking at it on a TV. Have you tried multiple TVs/monitors/DVD players?
-Keith
My Weekly Comic for TV Techs: https://fpscomic.blogspot.com
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You can try “Clear History” in the history window to get rid of completed jobs, etc. I’m working with people who are also using Compressor, and at one point, it would just say “Unknown Time Remaining” and never do anything. I realized someone had started a job several days prior, and never canceled properly, so it would just wait forever. I found out because I went into the history and found it working away on some other job.
Sometimes it’s good to kill the Preferences for Compressor/Batch Monitor to really clean out the cache. It’s obviously best to do this when you’re not in the middle of work. It’s good to do a preference dump, and then Reset Background Processing once you’re back in. If I’m not mistaken, you’ll find Preferences in the user > Library > Preferences > here you’ll find lots of Preferences, including Compressor and Batch Monitor. It will rebuild the files after you have trashed them, and have gone back in/worked.
I hope this helps. When I hit the “X”, it usually takes a couple seconds, and then cancels, depending on how many jobs are going at once. The more jobs, the longer it will take, in general.
-Keith
My Weekly Comic for TV Techs: https://fpscomic.blogspot.com
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I guess I wonder a number of things:
– Are you going directly from FCP to Compressor?
– Is the footage progressive/interlaced?
– Are there any corresponding renders at any of the flash frames?
– Most importantly: what is the difference between the DVD player that works and the one that doesn’t? Are they viewed on the same monitor?Personally, I find the 90-min preset to be garbage, especially with interlace issues. I put all motion estimation, etc. on better, and bottom field first (for interlace, anyway). I edited it to my liking. With rapid cuts and motion (gfx, etc.), I’ve had better results with normal 2-pass VBR, with my total bit rate ceiling sitting at 10 (assuming compressed audio as well). It also depends on the TV. I’ve watched the same material on two TVs, and see more interlacing issues in one than the other, so I see where you’re coming from.
Sometimes, if the bit rate is set too high, some set-top DVD players will lag, which might cause a flash frame, I’m thinking, but it doesn’t sound like yours are too high–what’s your average and maximum bit rate?
-Keith
My Weekly Comic for TV Techs: https://fpscomic.blogspot.com