Exporting HDV from FCP timeline to SD to get the best quality for DVDSP

From Mar 27, 2011

I am Gerson Bradford.
I created this video tutorial for those who don't like to READ LOL!

Note: Explaining BIT RATE is a bit complicated. I only understand the basics.
Now, there are ways to figure what's the best BIT RATE for individual projects. It's based on mathematics. I do it by calculating, but I am not a Mathematician :-)




High Definition video dislikes MPEG 2. It just doesn't get along with it, period.


I had so many problems trying to Export HDV Video from the Timeline to Standard Definition DVD. After many trials, I finally got decent quality SD videos playing on standard DVD players.



Now, there're ways to fix this scenario. I basically transcended HD video to SD video using all types of compression settings. I kept record for every single situation.

The one that worked the best for me was converting HDV to Apple ProRes 422. Are there any cameras that shoot using this type of compression? I'm not sure.

If you know you shot great quality HD footage, well lit and all nine yards, then you’re in good shape.



First, edit your video in FCP. After you’re done with your final edits, open the FCP Sequence Settings window and set the 'Field Dominance' to none. (This is important). Then set the Compressor type to ProRes.422, not HQ, sometimes it would say SQ and sometimes it says just ProRes.422.



Second, MAKE sure you select all the clips on the timeline.

Then, go to the File Menu/Export/QuickTime Conversion.



Name your export, leave format as QuickTime Movie and Use: Most Recent Settings.



You need to CLICK on the Option button. This will open the settings you NEED TO CHANGE.



Select Apple ProRes 422.

In the Motion section, leave Frame Rate as Current.



You will notice that when we export QT in the Apple ProRes 422 codec, there is no 'conform' process to go through.



After the QT files is compressed to Apple ProRess.422, open compressor and drag the QT ProRes 422 export into the Batch window.



Select SD DVD Preset DVD Best Quality 90 minutes.



(IT’S very important to have VIDEO and AUDIO separated)



Drag into the Batch window.

Select the setting in the Batch window.



In the Inspector window, select the Encoder and selct the Quality tab.

NOW, this is very important. In this window, it will say:

MODE [two pass VBR Best]

AVERAGE RATE [6.2]

MAXIMUM BIT RATE [7.7]

MOTION ESTIMATION [BEST]

IN MY EXPERIENCE,

MAKE SURE YOU DON’T INCREASE THIS BECAUSE DVDSP DOESN’T LIKE HIGHER BIT RATE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF CLIP YOU HAVE AND YOU FIGURE THE BIT RATE BY CALCULATING THE SUM OF THE WHOLE TIMELINE. Now, there is ways to calculate the BIT rate, but, for this blog, I am just not getting into BIT RATE.



IN DVDSP, the BIT rate is lower, so, change it to the same settings above.





In the audio batch window 'Dolby Digital Professional 2.0’ setting, select PREPROCESSING tab and set 'Compression Preset' to none.

Also, in the AUDIO tab, change to -31, that turns the normalization off or if you want to match it with FCP, set it to -12.

Go ahead and hit 'Submit' in the Batch window. When the encode process is done, you'll have two files, MPEG2 and Dolby AC3, ready for DVD SP.



Finally, bring these two files into DVDSP and make your high quality DVD

CHECK SOME OF MY VIDEOS BELOW.