[Michael Gissing]

This thread from four days ago also covered this topic and included reference to a few more options.

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1071557

This one looked particularly interesting

https://www.phyxware.com/NI_Keyer_01.html

[Michael Gissing]

[simon gooden] “Surely all I am doing is adjusting aspect ratio and not quality.”

You will have to tell us what your Compressor settings are but I suspect you are adjusting both.

PAL is 720 x 576 when in its 16:9 anamorphic form which is standard for editing, DVD and broadcast. If you want to make a true 16:9 H264 file for the web, then the aspect should be changed from anamorphic 720 x 576 to 1024 x 576 which is the 16:9 square pixel equivalent.

That’s the magic pixel ratio for a quality convert. Of course there are many other settings that will affect quality.

[Michael Gissing]

What you need is Andy Mees region blur which lets you blur or mosaic a defined region and has a centering target which can be key framed. All done on one layer and very much simpler and faster than your method.

https://web.mac.com/andymees/Free_and_Easy/main/Entries/2008/3/19_Andy%E2%80%99s_Region_Blur_3.html

A simple search of this forum will also throw up a few more free plugins that will save you carpel tunnel.

[Michael Gissing]

Same question was asked four days ago. The answer is in this thread.

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1070158

Searching will often answer basic oft asked questions

[Michael Gissing]

The behaviour of analysing the whole clip has apparently been fixed in FCP 7 although I haven’t had a chance to test that yet. Otherwise making a new clip via QT export is the only way I know of.

[Michael Gissing]

The on board chroma keyer in FCP is not great. You could try the one in Motion which many here recommend.

A search of this forum will also reveal many plugin options and opinion about keying.

[Michael Gissing]

If the animations are ProRes HQ then yes match that although there are many who think HQ is overkill. Importantly the ProRes files and edit sequence should have field dominance set to none.

[Michael Gissing]

As I said –
[Michael Gissing] “and the manipulates stills also in ProRes. Also match your pixel aspects carefully. Try to make everything the same.”

sorry about the spelling mistake. Should have typed “manipulated stills” ie your motion files. I presume you can re-export them in ProRes

[Michael Gissing]

I am using a Dell ultrasharp 24″ and out of the box it was pink. I went into the setup menus and was able to get it closer to correct color. I don’t use it as anything other than a computer monitor and grade on an external via Kona3.

Whilst it was a fiddle, the final image is really nice and not so wonky as to be annoying.

[Michael Gissing]

As the final result is progressive, then you need to choose a non interlace codec.

DV is standard def and interlaced (lower) so a poor choice for your manipulted pictures. You still haven’t told me what the animation codec is but my approach would be to use an HD sequence like ProRes with Dominance set to none. Exported animation would be preferably in the same codec and the manipulates stills also in ProRes. Also match your pixel aspects carefully. Try to make everything the same.

When exporting through Compressor, the resulting images will be progressive which is best for web. Compressor can then scale down to the required web size if non HD material is required.

My understanding of YouTube is that 1280 x 720p is their preferred pixel size for HD content but check first before making a choice on sequence settings, frame rates and files.