24P DVD Workflow

C

cgravat

Member
Hello all,

I am trying to figure out a workflow similar to the one i'm used to with FCP/Compressor/DVDSP, but this time with Avid Xpress Pro 5.7 and Roxio DVDit 6.

I'm using the hvx200 @ 720p 24pN. I know in FCP the first step to making the 24p dvd is to export using current settings, then bring into compressor then finally dvdsp and voila 24p dvd, looks great... no complaints.

This time unfortunately we have a whole new editing system. I'm not hell bent on using DVDit if for some reason it doesn't work in making a 24p dvd.

Anyone with any workflow suggestions for output to 24p dvd (Barry!!!) please help me.

- Chris Gravat
Orlando, FL
 
I'm also looking for information on best way to do this. For my project (recorded with HVX200 in 24pN mode at 720p), I export from Avid Xpress Pro as uncompressed QT file, and then use TMPGEnc to create the mpeg 2 file. I used Sonic DVDIt to burn to DVD, but no matter what settings I play with, the final movie shows a lot of jerky stuttering, so not sure what I'm doing wrong.
thx,
Peter
 
My experience is that PC encoders have issues with DVCProHD footage generally due to the lomited support of the codec.

I've been hit or miss doing encoding using bootcamp.

Question is: are you starting with 720/24pn and trying to encode to SD DVD in Windows?
 
Yes, I'm exporting my 720p project from Avid as a 720x480 uncompressed Quicktime, and then using TMPGEnc to create the Mpeg2 file, then burning as SD DVD. I've burnt about 20 DVD's with different config settings, and still can't get rid of stuttering completely.
 
no, no stuttering in the QT. Only after burning and playing on my DLP TV, do I know what appears to be missing frames every second or so.
 
Why not export as a QuickTime reference file to reference the original media and save your hard disk the space of the uncompressed version?

You also say you're using TMPGEnc, which must mean you're on Windows, right? While I haven't used that encoder in a while and I can't walk you through how to do this, my guess is you're not setting TMPGEnc correctly to handle the 24p stream and it's encoding it at 30i instead. Double-check your settings in the MPEG2 encoder and tell it to add pulldown to bring your 24p up to 30i correctly. Most newer (last few years) authoring softwares should recognize the MPEG2 pulldown flag and make the DVD correctly.
 
Appreciate all the input so far. This has been a nightmare to solve. ANd yes, John, I am running all of this on a Windows machine.

I spent most of yesterday running more tests and discovered some interesting behavior. So after I did Avid export as previously mentioned, I tried nearly every permutation I could in TMPGEnc (3:2 pulldown, interlaced, progressive; forcing it to 'No deInterlace') with source at 23.976 and output to 29.97. All these attempts, and not a single DVD burn that didn't have the stuttering effect.

And then I downloaded the Procoder evaluation version, and took the same Avid footage, and encoded it (using all the default settings except changed from 4:3 to 16:9), and voila it created a clean, non-stuttering version of my footage on DVD.
The only problem is I really didn't want to drop $500 on the encoder software (since Procoder Express is no longer sold), especially when I own TMPGEnc, CCE (lite), and the encoder bundled with After Effects 6.5.
 
Actually, the trial version of Procoder is ancient -- it's V1.25, which was replaced by V2.00, and even that was recently replaced by V3.00.

Some people say that V1.25 did PAL <-> NTSC conversions better, but I have not evaluated that in-depth and can't judge it, but in all other respects, V3.00 is an improvement on earlier verisons.
 
I use TMPGEnc and it is the best thing out there for me.
Here are the settings as suggested from DV FILM:



Notes on using TMPGEnc for encoding 24P DVD's :


Use the wizard in TMPGEnc to set the basic settings:
Choose format = DVD, NTSC, High Quality (720 x 480, 29.97 fps), and CBR Linear PCM Audio.


Next screen
Select video type = non interlaced
Select aspect ratio as appropriate
Select content = Film movie

Next screen
Deselect all filtering

Next screen
Video resolution = 720 x 480
Average video bitrate = 8000 kbits/sec
Select DVD-R (4.7GB) disk type


Next screen
Uncheck Start encoding immediately (i.e. do not start).
Click OK


Then click on settings, go to the Video Tab, make sure it says MPEG-2 Stream type, 720 x 480, frame rate of 23.976, Constant bit rate (CBR) of 8000 kbits/sec, 3:2 pulldown when [during] playback, DC component precision = 9 bits, Motion estimate search (fast). The settings for Rate control, bitrate, motion estimate, etc are OK to be be changed by advanced users.

Then go to the Advanced Tab, and turn OFF the inverse telecine option if it is selected (this tries to remove 3:2 pulldown from the source movie - not good). Turn OFF the 3:2 pulldown option if it is selected (this adds pulldown BEFORE playback - not good). Basically all of the Advanced option check boxes should be deselected, Make sure on the Advanced Settings it says Video source Type = Non-interlace, Field order (doesn't matter) Source aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9, 525 line NTSC.

Save and close settings and hit Start to start encoding.


You know when you have done it correctly when the movie plays back smoothly on the TV, and you can step through the frames on the DVD without seeing duplicate or missing frames vis-a-vis the original 23.976P Quicktime.
 
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Appreciate the input. I'm using latest version of TMPGEnc, and it doesn't seem to have a number of the settings listed in the DV Film suggestions.
Does anyone know what the setup would look like in latest TMPGEnc? i.e.- what does Content=Film Movie translate into in latest version? Also latest version doesn't have 'settings' tab. I tried configuring as close to this as possible (guessing of course for some of those things that don't appear to have comparable names between the two), and it still came out looking jerky.
 
This is why I finally went to the MAC, the poor DVD auth apps on the PC
where costing me jobs and money.....
I just bought my 2nd MAC and keep them busy with editing and authoring.
Beautiful 24p DVD's are the result......
 
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