BEST WAY to convert 60i to 24P footage using Compressor

rjcam

rjcam

Active member
See Below post for best settings in Compressor. Figured it all out.

Trying to figure out and post best way to convert 60i from dvx to 24p.*
Compressor is awesome for results and very slow. Using Compressor 3 had to select Custom in mov settings and type
In 23.976 manually. There was no 23.98 or 24 setting. In inspector of compressor settings I selected Video encoder tab. *I used best adaptive optical setting and best for the previous setting.*
I clicked pass through for audio as I don't want to transcode or change the audio but as I just read this apparently disables the re timing of the audio to stay in sync. In compressor manual about page 275 it states that he lower options for re timing won't be active even though it appears like it would be.*

SO I am wondering how to do this right. Normal speed not tryin to slow it down. SD dvx100b cam at 60i original footage (not 24p setting while shooting).*
Should these new files be made to ProRes 422? And I am not clicking on deinterlace as I know that makes the resolution worse. Thanks for any help at all! Looking to fix this footage or at least start correct settings tonight!!
 
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Well, you are deinterlacing, so you will be losing the resolution. Just make sure you're interpolating and not blending frames to minimize any ghosting (double image).

Not sure what you're asking, though -- is there a problem with what you did?
 
after effects, and premiere pro can convert 60i to 60p. Is compressor for finalcut? avisynth and virtual dub is free and can also do the same.
 
There are many ways to do it. Compressor looks best.

My problem is the audio. What settings do I need to make to keep it in sync for editing in fcp?
When converted as mentioned above the audio goes way way out of sync with picture.

Thanks!
 
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Jpg of settings in Compressor I am using to get smooth 60i to 24p conversion

Jpg of settings in Compressor I am using to get smooth 60i to 24p conversion

HOW TO MAKE BEST 60i to 24P CONVERSION. Step by step now below. Virtually eliminates stutters! Pic attached.

For Compressor, I went to settings window, and selected the following preset to start with for my SD 60i to 24p conversion.
Apple > Advanced Format Conversions > Standard Definition > "DV NTSC Anamorphic".
Drag that preset onto your footage to convert in Compressor.
Now highlight the clip's setting box. Click 'Inspector' blue circle button above.

Click the 'Encoder' tab (second from left):
Here, I set
Audio: "Pas-through" which does not modify the sound.
Video: "Enabled" and click on the 'settings' button next to it.
In 'Video' > 'Settings' box the pops up:
Compression Type: "DV/DVCPRO - NTSC" (I was converting SD 720x280 DVX100 video 60i to 24P SD)
Frame Rate select: "Custom" and enter '23.976' for fps
I left 'Key Frames' on 'All' (Maybe this slows it down a lot too??)
Compressor Box:
Quality slider 'Best'
Scan Mode: Progressive
Aspect Ratio 16:9 (my video I shot 16x9 squeeze on the DVX)
Click 'OK'.

Click on the "Frame Control" tab (3rd from left) to bring up the box below in prior Inspector window. Make sure to click the sprocket icon next to "frame controls" to enable it to "on" to get the options below to choose.
For super smooth motion transcoding set:

Output Fields: Progressive
Deinterlace: Best (Motion compensated)

Rate Conversion: Best (High quality motion compensated)
Set Duration to: (*) 100.000% of source - (here leave the default which keeps the audio in sync with the video and does not transcode it).

I selected "Best (statistical prediction)" in the resize filter box, but I have read you could / should leave it at default if you are not re-sizing your video. To be honest not sure what to set there, so I used 'Best' and with Squeeze anamorphic in camera to this new converted 24P I am not sure at all if I am in fact altering footage to a new unsqueezed correct aspect or keeping all those original settings. One forum said to use this setting, another the default. The default proponent said Compressor ignores this setting if you are not re-sizing so I figured it couldn't hurt. Someone else please chime in here!!

These best settings make it SLOOOW but the finished 24p mov look great and NOT stuttery.

And that's it for the settings I changed. And I think my conversions look terrific. Much better than DVFilm Maker app. And blows away FCP stock playback / output!


Picture 6.jpg
 
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How does that method compare to using Red Giant Softwares , magic bullet "frames" to convert? Better or worse? Faster?
Btw, thanks for the detailed procedure. I have compressor but have never used it so I intend to give it a try.
 
I actually need to convert some 1080 60i footage off of an HMC150 to 30p. Do you think the same steps would work well for this, as long as I obviously substitute 29.97 where you selected 23.98 and changed the compression settings to apple pro res?
 
bmcc87 said:
I actually need to convert some 1080 60i footage off of an HMC150 to 30p. Do you think the same steps would work well for this, as long as I obviously substitute 29.97 where you selected 23.98 and changed the compression settings to apple pro res?
Click to expand...

Well I think it would look terrific it might be a bit overkill as in there may be a faster way to do it than this. It's very very slow as in it takes at least 70 times the run length So one hour footage might take 70 hours! But it looks amazing! For the 60i solution to 24p conversion. Was worth it to me
 
firehawk said:
How does that method compare to using Red Giant Softwares , magic bullet "frames" to convert? Better or worse? Faster?
Btw, thanks for the detailed procedure. I have compressor but have never used it so I intend to give it a try.
Click to expand...

Does magic bullet frames convert 60i to 24p? I have it and use it all the time, but had no idea about this feature, I only use it to convert my footage to a 2;35;1 aspect ratio. Can you tell me how to go about this?
 
I am almost certain Magic Bullet can do that conversion.
According to various posts I've read, and I can't say for sure what's 100% sure, but it seems like Compressor is cited with the best results of many pieces of software including DVFilmMaker, Magic Bullet and some others. I think those tend to work much faster than Compressor at the settings I list above, but they don't look anywhere near as good. Compressor's conversion feature is apparently built on another piece of software entirely that using optical flow evaluation - what was Shake and optical motion detection became incorporated into Compressor 3.
What I can say is that results are really stunning with no flickering, no strobing, no strange feel whatsoever.
But I do not know how to use the Magic Bullet software, as I don't own a copy and have not tried it out.
 
Hmmmm.... One thing I noticed. not so great, but Compressor seems to have messed up my timecode. It's off, from 4 seconds to 40 seconds on various clips. It's consistently off throughout for the entire clip.
This is going to be yet another headache to deal with.

ANYONE have any idea why this is?

Is it something to do with NDF and DF timecode and it miscalculates and then writes out the whole file? I think DV tape is always DF - drop frame - time code... from hazy old memories.
There does not seem to be any TC settings in the inspector window of Compressor to adjust any settings for TimeCode.
Anyone have any ideas here?
 
I did by the way, simply manually re-set my timecode while having clips open inside FInal Cut.
It gave a warning and overwrote the time code on the original QT media files, but it writes it very fast and then the timecode was as it should be.
It was a little bit of effort to open each modified clip and the original clip and cut and paste the, say, start timecode at beginning of the clip to the new modified files, but ultimately it wasn't a big deal. I don't know why it made the TimeCode off like that, but you can simply fix it yourself.
 
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