Native 720 24p looks choppy as Quicktime mov

[mperry]

Hi everyone. I'm a happy new owner and user of a HVX200, but I'm currently getting through the bumpy learning curve. I'm hoping someone can help me out here.

I have recently shot 720 24pn footage (using P2 cards). I'm using Final Cut Pro 5.1.4 and using the File>Import>Panasonic P2 to get Quicktime files from my MXF files. Ultimately, I will be editing the footage in Final Cut where the footage plays nice and smooth in a DVCPROHD 720 24p timeline. The problem I am having is that I need to provide some of the raw footage to a client to view as .mov, and when I open the Quicktimes converted from my MXF files directly in Quicktime they play a little choppy and with a bit of strobing.

Am I missing something, or does Quicktime just have problems playing Native 24p footage? Would I be better served shooting in 720 30p? The project is an exercise training video, so frame rate is not a deal breaker but I did want to try working with native 24p.

I also get the same choppiness/strobing when I export the sequence containing the footage from Final Cut through Compressor or anything else.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Arrow]

mperry,

Read the info on this link:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=101137


The QT info from the Ken Stone link really helped me get my QT stuff working right.

Hope this helps.
Have a great day

Arrow

[mperry]

Thanks for the quick response Arrow. I'm going through my quicktime settings now based on what I read.

I still wonder though, that before I ever get to the exporting phase, why 720pn MXF files imported through Final Cut's P2 import window and converted into .movs would play choppy in Quicktime. Am I possibly missing something in the FCP Panasonic P2 import window? It seems to be independent of any sequence or export settings?

When I play the source footage in QT it almost looks like a pulldown issue, but I thought I understood correctly that native recording on P2 did not incorporate any pulldowns.

Again thanks for the help.

[Sunstream]

If you want smooth maybe try shooting 60i, 60p or 30p. 24fps can be overused and on occasion depending on the need may be counterproductive. Try looking at playback through the camera on a monitor and compare that to the playback in your edit and then that may help you see how much it is actually being effected. If I had my way I would shoot everything 60p, because it is just amazing.

[mperry]

Thanks for the advice. I am seriously thinking of just sticking with 30p.

As far as the choppy playback, after further investigation I think I may be barking up the wrong tree. I took the same QT file made from a MXF file that was playing rough on my PowerMac G5 and played it on a Powerbook G4, and it played perfectly.

Sorry for being all over the map on this one. It seems I may have been questioning software when it could be hardware. Is my problem possibly with my monitors?

[mainstreetprod]

I have found myself using 30pn to shoot all my stock footage, despite the
4 minute loss of P2 capacity. I agree with the observation that 24FPS is overused and overrated. I use it only when I want a specific look and there
is limited motion in the frame. 30 FPS can handle quick pans or movements much better. The important part of the 24P equation, in my view , is the "P".
Progressive is what really gives the film look, with the 24FPS just being the icing on the cake. 30P footage does not look like video to me.

[tonyfarley]

You need to export your quicktimes with some compression. It's your disk access and computer that just can't play uncompressed video. I would suggest h265 at medium to high quality. Remember, you're in HD land now and if you don't have a specialized system with Raid drives, your HD will not play back well in an uncompressed state.

Tony

[dailyrushes]

Look for a setting in your encoder "Frame Rate [fps]: Same as source". I somehow missed this setting for the first month of fooling around with 24P and it was driving me up the walls! But with that set, 24P looks great in Quicktime.

Setting may be worded differently in FCP, I am in Premiere Pro 2.0.