From DVX to DVD - best workflow... please help

[borgkingkong]

hello DVX community friends,

I have been using my DVX for the last week and have shot a few scenes and clips. My main delivery is through DVD (and mostly DVD only) but I am having trouble working out the settings to get the BEST quality out of my clips. I work on a Macbook Pro and use FCP. Here's my workflow:

1) capture footage to Final Cut Pro
2) do all the necessary edit and colour correction and filters if necessary,
3) Export using Compressor and in Compressor I choose under Settings DVD Best Quality (either 4:3 or 16:9 depending on project).
4) The output m2v file and ac3 file is then sent to soundtrack pro for burning.

I don't think my footage is as sharp as I'd like compared to footages I have seen posted online.

Alternatively I was thinking of using the following steps:

1) capture and edit using FCP
2) export using QUICKTIME conversion in FCP.
3) in the Save window under the options tab, click and go to Video Settings and in the Compression type choose DV -Pal (as I work in Pal), deinterlace it, and then bring it into either soundtrack pro or iDVD (for smaller projects).

Please help, as I would like to get better quality outputs from my videos. so far I think I am not achieving the max resolution or quality cos of wrong choices in the menu system.
Thanks

 

[Buqui Productions]

Actually

Actually

I was searching through the forums for an answer to this same question. I end up with shoddy quality when I put stuff on DVD. Also, I sometimes don't get the results I get on my camera. Any help for us would be great.

 

[VaricamLife]

To getting really good DVDs there is more to it then just using the presets in compressor.

1) You should definitely use Compressor over Quicktime Conversion. Compressor will do a better job analyzing the footage. Especially if you go straight up from the timeline where it can read all your cuts and such.

2) Read up on and try using Compression markers. They can help Compressor analyze the footage and they can help get you better results.

3) Finally, if you're mastering to DVDs, you really might want to consider taking your stuff to a DVD authoring place that will have hardware encoders. While you can do some pretty solid jobs using FCS, I still think, if you're really going to distribute, you should invest and get a hardware encoded master pressed.

Good luck.

cheers.