[Malcolm Neakl]

really? in the above post I pasted a read out of where I get my confusion issues, it’s information is contradictory to yours, I’m not sure which is correct.
I thought PAR was stretching the pixels into a square or rectangle shape respectively to make the image signal fit the resolution. So If the above text was correct and the XL2 does have 920×576 Square pixels on the CCD chip (and 720×576 for 4:3 mode), then trying to fit 1.4 aspect pixels in anything but a super wide resolution will always make the image look squashed. (which my settings has done).

-The RAW AVI footage is 720×576 but on win media player it looks nice, and includes letterboxing.
view settings on premiere dont effect the outcome of the video signal, but the export settings will.
-720×576 1.422 PAR (16×9) exports as a very squashed file horizontally.
-720×576 1.0 PAR (5:4) exports as a replica of the RAW footage as seen in wmp
-1024×576 1.0 PAR (16×9) exports as the raw footage but without letterboxing.

the only conclusion I can draw is that Adobe captures the footage off DV as 720×576 1.0 PAR.
I wonder if capture settings can be altered?

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[Malcolm Neakl]

“For the PAL system XL2 sold in Europe, Australia and the U.K., the CCD’s are the same physical size, but the pixel counts are different. The total area of each CCD is composed of 800,000 pixels. The 16:9 target area is 960 x 576 (550,000 pixels) and the 4:3 area is 720 x 576 (410,000 pixels). For those who may be unfamiliar with DV camcorders recording in the PAL system, be advised that it’s still a DV25 format, with the same data rate as a DV camcorder using the NTSC system, at 25 megabits per second. Therefore, the higher resolution of PAL video is offset by a slower frame rate: on the PAL XL2, you have a choice of 50i (fifty interlaced fields per second) or 25p (twentyfive progressive frames per second). Whether you shoot with an NTSC or PAL system camera, the data written to the DV cassette is the same, at 25mbps.”

dvinfo.net/canonxl2/articles/article06.php

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[Malcolm Neakl]

record something that is square with measurements on it (a5 paper with rules). check the raw captured file. measure it. do it 5 second clip for all your versions.
I have a similar issue with my Canon xl2.
if i export as DV widescreen PAR it is squished, and if I export with 1.0 PAR it has black bars (interestingly so does the raw captured file).
However at 1024×576 1.0 PAR it looks bang on. even if the raw file is 720×576, wish I knew what the PAR was on the raw file.

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[Malcolm Neakl]

well the raw AVI footage once captured is 720×576. However if my PAR is 1.0 I have horizontal black bars, and 1.4 is squashed image.
1024×576 is 16:9 with PAR 1.0.

Its a resolution Premiere Pro doesnt have a built-in preset for, but After Effects does.

looking at the raw file it does appear to naturally have bars. would 1024 stretch my pixels?
Since though 720×576 1.0 looks like my raw image, its only 5:4 aspect ratio. Canon XL2, unlike most cameras, naturally shoots in 16:9 and Shuts down CCD space for 4:3.

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[Malcolm Neakl]

https://www.youtube.com/user/SevenhillsProduction#p/u

Thats my footage. and believe me, on DVD the quality is much the same.

I export from Premiere pro
1024×576 1.0 PAR
I’m just teaching myself Encore.
I learnt the wonders of PPI on photoshop things (giving me a resolution I could never get with text https://www.rivieraaccess.com/community-links/member-gallery/?g2_itemId=2529), does that come into account in video?

How often is my video signal being compressed once it goes onto dv tape? and how can I keep that signal as good as possible whilst still taking it into editing?

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[Malcolm Neakl]

cheers paul, I’ll send her them links.

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[Malcolm Neakl]

also. at youtube HD frame size? does 720×576 SD not look as crisp as HD? or am I not understanding the concept behind pixels?

effectively is a XL2 as crisp as id ever need when its intended for PC screens?

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[Malcolm Neakl]

Cheers for all the replies Brian its been usefull.

After much deliberation Ive noticed this.
The raw file is 720×576 (either recorded on tape or direct to disc both the same res and the same 25mbs) but it looks like (when I view it on nero showtime) it has recorded black bars. I thought this was a feature that only inherent 4:3 cameras needed to do.

This is what I’ve just discovered through practice.
To view it correctly on premier I have to use 720 1.422 or perhaps 1024 1.0. But for rendering time purposes I just use 720.
However trying to export using those settings (720 1.422) my video gets squashed. Any variation of 720 PAR or height, results in poor picture quality. only when I export in 1024×576 1.0 do I see a similar quality to the raw file.

What settings do I need to be exporting in to get my image as perfect as my raw file?

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[Malcolm Neakl]

What would be the point in Canon popping in a 960 wide CCD?
Basically am I to understand the image recorded live from firewire is the exact same image quality as recorded DV tape. That though the CCD is 960×576, any output I use will have converted those pixels information to 720×576?
(nit picking really since I never watch my stuff on any size larger than a youtube video at the moment)
Is the reason for this line effect, then, because I’m looking at my work on an LCD screen?
So for example a straight edge of a table is nice, turn it a bit and it becomes two straight edges, seperated by one pixel depth. (like an etch-a-sketh.)

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[Malcolm Neakl]

Well, mines a Euro one so Pal then? If I was recording direct from to disk, could I use its natural resolution, or will it still be Pal 16:9 res?

And whats the best format to render in do we think? YUV uncompressed 8bit or video for windows uncompressed?

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