PAL output to DVD

Michael_Bott

Michael_Bott

Well-known member
Hello everybody.

This is the first time I've posted a new topic - I've been coming to this great forum for ages now - I am just about to migrate from XL1s to DVX100a (despite looming XL2!) and everything I know about the DVX I got from this site - thanks guys.

The projects I've got coming up and the ones I've pegged the DVX to are going to output to 16:9 DVD. My question is: how do you folks suggest I set the camera up for maximum quality going to DVD? 25p or 50p, letterbox, squeeze or anamorphic adapter?
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

There is no 50p, so I assume you meant 50i...

50i or 25P depends on the look you want (interlaced or filmlike).

If you're going for a 16:9 DVD, the highest quality will come from the anamorphic adapter (assuming you take the time to extract the best quality from the adapter on every shot). Next would be "squeeze mode". Don't use letterbox if you intend on making a widescreen DVD.
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Thanks Barry

yes, of course I meant 50i.

I would prefer a filmlike look but can I use Cine Gamma to go much of the way towards the look I might want without incurring the slight jerkiness of 25p?

When you say "take the time to extract the best quality from the adapter", I presume you mean more than making sure that the lens is aligned properly. Could you be a bit more specific?
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

..its just an issue of taking the time to make sure its focused properly. ie:..use a field monitor.
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Barry here http://users.pandora.be/andredeclercq you can find why I allways advise not to use squeeze mode setting for 16:9 but to shoot 4:3 and transform to letterbox. This applies to VX2K and I am not convinced that the DVX uprez would perform otherwise. I allready explained the reason for this signifficantly lower quality (vert. resolution and aliasing)when using squeeze mode (in camera uprez)
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Neil, are you saying that focus somehow becomes more critical with the adapter attached?
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Agreed, the VX2000 does a horrible job of in-camera 16:9.

In interlace (50i or 60i) mode, the DVX doesn't really do any better. But in progressive mode, the in-camera 16:9 on the DVX is really quite good.

without incurring the slight jerkiness of 25p?
Click to expand...
That jerkiness is exactly what makes the DVX look like film.

Interlaced+cinegamma = video look.
Progressive+normal gamma = film look.
Progressive+cinegamma = more of a film look.

Better to embrace the 25P and learn how to make it look good, than to avoid it and sentence yourself to always be stuck with the "video" look.
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

[quote author=Michael_Bott link=board=Events;num=1088015782;start=0#5 date=06/23/04 at 13:26:09]Neil, are you saying that focus somehow becomes more critical with the adapter attached?[/quote]
Much more critical. Not only focusing itself, but you also have to keep the aperture within a certain range (depending on distance to subject and zoom setting) in order to achieve sharpest results.

For the aperture chart, see http://www.adamwilt.com/24p.
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

That's clear, Barry. I guess what I've got to do is go out there and buy the thing and get working with it instead of asking questions that in the fullness of time I'll be able to answer myself!
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Much more critical. Not only focusing itself, but you also have to keep the aperture within a certain range (depending on distance to subject and zoom setting) in order to achieve sharpest results.
Click to expand...

This probably goes to the heart of my original question. When I am working, I tend to be the whole crew, DoP, lighting cameraman, director etc., etc., so any extra 'criticality' may not work in my favour. Given these kind of circumstances, might I be better off staying with squeeze and buying a Century wide adapter? Or does the extra resolution of the anamorphic adapter make it a no-brainer?
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

Agreed Barry, uprezzing progressive is acceptable. That's why today's displays (flatscreens, projectors..) which first convert to progressive before the uprez, have that significant advantage for interlaced sources. Moreover these displays generally uprez to a higher vertical pixel count (768 for my Sharp LCD TV) which allows less vertical lowpass filtering.
So, it's good to advise people to do squeeze mode only IF they are in progressive...Once I get a DVX100A I will let you know if the in camera uprez equals the on screen uprez..which I doubt.
 
Re: PAL output to DVD

[quote author=Michael_Bott link=board=Events;num=1088015782;start=0#9 date=06/23/04 at 14:04:38]Given these kind of circumstances, might I be better off staying with squeeze and buying a Century wide adapter? Or does the extra resolution of the anamorphic adapter make it a no-brainer?[/quote]

Search for the thread about "once and for all: anamorphic or squeeze" to see the discussion there.

For your circumstances, I'd highly recommend trying out squeeze mode first. It involves only one compromise (resolution), while using the anamorphic involves many compromises. For a one-man-band situation, you probably won't have time or bandwidth to deal with additional headaches, so if you get acceptable results with squeeze mode, that's probably the way for you to go.
 
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