720 / 60p to SD DVD Help!

F

Forever_Fossilized

Member
Sorry, I double-posted, but maybe this should have been posted here in the first place:

OK, I've looked around and can't seem to find anyone with the same problem, so hopefully someone can help.

I've shot a few weddings using 720 / 60p because that was what was recommended for SD DVD, which is my ultimate output. So now I've finished editing and have started the DVD, and the compressed files look bad....well not the whole things, but any motion shots / pans look terrible, stuttery motion, and I'm guessing that is because compressor is basically dropping every other frame to make the footage 29.97. Any input on how to get it to look better??

My work flow is shoot 720 / 60p, transcode to Apple Pro Res and edit in 720p / 59.94 timeline, Export a Self-contained HD movie, and put into compressor. I've used their DVD best quality templates, I have also tried altering some of them, like turning "Adaptive Details Off" and a few other frame control things...What should I be doing?? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
 
Try compressing it into a full resolution 29.97 prores and see if it's still stuttering. You have a lot of variables so start eliminating them one by one. If the prores seems fine, try to use that as your new source. For the record, you should definitely work in 23.987 next time if you have the choice. You can go straight to 29.97 with a 3:2 pulldown.
 
Verify original footage on a production monitor.
Verify DVD burn on a TV set.
Are you judging this only by your computer monitor?
What camera/format is your original in?
What codec is your Sequence in?
 
We do not shoot in 24 because we were leery of strobing possibilities. A wedding is just too much of an uncontrolled environment to worry about that for me. You never know when you're going to need to move quickly or what your subject is going to do next.

I've checked all the steps, the picture still looks steppy/stuttery on a burned DVD, looks worse on a standard DVD player, looks a little better out of the PS3 but still a little steppy. Have not checked the DVD on an old tube TV but most people don't have those anymore.

We shoot on the HMC150 in 720/60p, transcode and work in an Apple Pro Res sequence. Export a self-contained movie at current settings, and that is what goes through compressor.

It seems that 60 progressive fps would translate well into 30i using one frame as a field instead...Compressor seems to be just dropping the extra frames, creating an interlaced picture out of what's left, which I think is what is making the motion stuttery.

I'm running a test right now where i went into the compressor settings and manually selected the "bottom first" option in both the source video tab and the frame controls tab. Does anyone know if this will help??
 
Yes, 24fps will make movement more stuttery. 60i is 30p. So 60p would be 120i. Two interlace fields per 1 progressive frame.

In fact, 60i will give you even smoother motion, FYI.

Not sure about the stuttering motion. Everything seems fine. I highly doubt it's ProRes workflow. I'd hook the camera up to a TV screen, see what it looks like. Verify that it's not the original footage.

When you use one of Compressor's DVD preset folders, you really shouldn't have to change anything. But, here's what I'd look at. I'd use Send To from FCP to Compressor, save yourself one generation of transcoding (not that it would make any difference to ProRes, that's what it's made for). Just as an experiment. Then, apply the DVD preset folder that covers the amount of footage you have. Highlight the MPEG-2 target, go to the Inspector.

In the Encoder pane there, click the Auto buttons to the right of each setting. Make sure you manually set NTSC, 29.97 or 59.94, which ever you prefer. Set aspect ratio as you want (Auto maybe), but leave Field Dominance on Auto for sure.

I'd try that. And remember, in Compressor you can set In and Out points in the Preview window just like in FCP. Set up 4 minutes of footage where you have stuttering playback. It'll encode only that portion between the In/Out points. Helps to quick tests.

If that doesn't work, and if stutter happens consistently in the same places time after time, try placing a Compression Marker just before those points inside Compressor, too.
 
Strobing happens on CCD cameras. I think you are confusing the "jello effect" on MOS/CMOS chip cameras.
 
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