[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, Eric.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, Eric.

Do you think it would make a difference in visual quality if we reduced the total extras and feature to 2 and 1/2 hours? This would mean about 70 minutes of extras. (We have a lot of fantastic extras to include in the film to interest audiences, and I want to include as much as possible).

Michael also mentioned AC3 over AIFF…

What would be the circumstance that you would use AIFF audio? If the audio or soundtreack is important to the film?

I appreciate the suggestion regarding the encoder. We have not decided how it will be encoded. Compressor is the default choice unless we have a better option that we can afford.

Thanks again for your feedback,

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you for your informed advice, Michael.

So, it seems that AC3 is preferred rather than AIFF, although I would like to have the very best sound possible, since the soundtrack to the film is top notch, and subtle.

Would keeping the extras and feature under 2:30 hours increase the image quality?

Thanks again,

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your thoughts and feedback.

Yes, I’m aware that there are many factors involved.

I am considering a DVD-9 (rather than a DVD-5), because I definitely could include over an hour of extra material.

The documentary film was mastered in HD, and we plan on creating the DVD files of the main feature from a DigiBeta dub of the HD master, which we will have a lab create a 10 bit uncompressed Quicktime File.

The extras (interviews, etc.), originated in miniDV.

We plan on using AIFF audio (which I understand is higher quality than Dolby).

If you are saying that 82 minutes can easily fit into a DVD-5, then I assume that twice that much (including extras) can easily fit onto a DVD-9?

With the highest “safe” bitrate, can we fit 3 hours of total material onto a DVD-9?

I am just trying to get an initial idea of approximately how many minutes of extras that we should select (in addition to the 82 minute feature).

Thanks again for your thoughts and feedback,

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thanks, Michael.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hi Michael,

I just checked with Lightening Media in Los Angeles, and they said that the charge to make a 10 bit uncompressed Quicktime file from an 81 minute DigiBetaSP tape would be $350…

So, I think that this will be the best way of creating the DVD, if the colors on the final DVD will look noticeably better.

I will have the 10 bit uncompressed QT made, create a new FCP project and sequence, and then use Compressor to create the DVD encoded files.

If I do plan on adding about 30 to 40 minutes of extras on the DVD (for a total of 1:50 or 2 hours of total footage on the DVD), do what settings would you recommend for Compressor?

(I hope that this will help others who have similar questions).

Again, I appreciate your time and help.

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you again, Michael.

Yes, the film was professionally color graded in HD (after the footage was upconverted from SD), and then mastered on HDCAM.

If digitizing the DigitalBeta downconversion will produce a noticeably better image quality on the DVD, then it is worth $200-$300 to create a Quicktime file from DigitalBeta.

Thank you for your suggestions for compressor settings. (I have used Compressor several times before from FCP, but your recommendations for the settings are helpful).

Actually, the film is 81 minutes long, as I was planning on adding about 30-40 minutes of extras.

I will look into how much it will cost to create a Quicktime from a DigiBeta tape.

Would it matter much if the Quicktime was made from BetaSP or DigitalBeta?

Thanks,

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thanks Michael…

So, creating the DVD codec with SD 10 bit (from the DigiBeta with 4:2:2 color space) would create better and richer color than creating the DVD codec from DVCAM (with 4:1:1:)?

Do you think that the difference in color depth will be noticable to the average person watching the DVD (on a 46 inch LCD TV, for example)?

If the difference will be noticeable, then I will accept the expense and have a Quicktime file made from the DigiBeta dub (that was made from the HDCAM master).

Thanks Michael.

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hello Everyone,

I just read this comparison of 4:1:1 (DVCAM color space) and 4:2:0 (DVD color space), which I’ve included below.

From what I am reading below, it does seem that there is some color depth loss when going from 4:1:1 to 4:2:0, and that going from HDCAM (4:4:4) to DVD (4:2:0) would result in less color depth loss than going from DVCAM (4:1:1) to DVD (4:2:0).

Thank you for any more thoughts that you might have about this.

Khashyar

************

“4:1:1 encoded to a DVD becomes 4:1:0 which is disgusting chroma. This is because with 4:1:1 every line has a new sample 4 pixels wide. Every line however does have a new value of chroma. 4:2:0 on the other hand alternates every other line. So when you encode 4:1:1 video to a 4:2:0 DVD every other line throws out the chroma information making it a 4:1:0.

It is true however that interlace does not do as well with 4:2:0. It is hard to have an interlaced source use a block that is 2×2 pixels in size since every other line is actually a new moment in time. With progressive video 4:2:0 is far superior.

If you do not plan on rendering multiple generations of your 4:2:0 source then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If you do need to do some heavy effects work use a different format such as uncompressed. You will not gain any chroma detail but you also will not loose any with multiple generations of 4:2:0.

If second generation means encoding to DVD then the slight loss from 4:2:0 will be much much less then the loss of dropping down to 4:1:0.

This is yet another reason why 4:2:2 is better and not just for keying. 4:2:2 allows you to go in any direction in terms of format or compression without any loss beyond the limits of that format.

Besides 4:1:1 is kind of a dead format if you think about it. Really the only thing in the world that uses 4:1:1 is NTSC DV. PAL DV, digital broadcasts, both flavors of HDV, DVD and pretty much every internet format all use 4:2:0.”

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your feedback and help.

So, is the color space of DVD (which I believe is 4:2:0) noticeably and visibly richer and deeper than the color space for DVCAM (4:1:1)?

If the DVD and DVCAM color space is about the same, would there be that much quality loss to use the DVCAM tape to create the DVD files?

I am using Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro…. I have a DVCAM deck, but not a DigiBeta or HDCAM deck (so I would need to use a lab to digitize a DigiBeta or HDCAM tape).

Would it make sense for me to ask the Lab to burn a SD DVD from the HDCAM master, and then import the DVD files to DVD Studio Pro?

(I believe that I cannot directly import DVD files into DVD Studio Pro), but there must be some way to bring in the MPEG files).

Perhaps I could ask the lab to make a Quicktime file from the HDCAM tape, and then import that into a Final Cut Pro project?

Thank you again for your thoughts and help.

Khashyar