video quality on DVD

[vdschoor 0]

All,

I have a question.. I've done a couple projects with miniDV footage now and I'm not happy with the end result that ends up on DVD, for some reason the quality of the video is not what I was expecting, specially when played on the big screen.

Are there any things you can go to increase video quality, or are there specific steps to guarantee that no quality is lost?
Basically what I find is that video straight off the camera seems to be of better quality than what I end up with on DVD.

I'm using Final Cut Express and DVD Studio Pro 3
Footage is recorded on my TRV17

Thanks,
Iwan

[dragon2 2]

First you need to import video using firewire, not usb, composite or svideo. After that, keep the footage as avi while your editing it. Your end product after editing should either be avi or a good quality dvd mpg2.

When you put the final product on dvd, there are different quality/compression methods you can chose, if you didn't already output a dvd mpeg2 from your editing program. You should be able to put ~1 hr of footage on a DVD, not more, when using highest quality. DVD is always going to be slightly less quality than DV though.

I don't use your programs so I don't know the specifics...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[newshooter12 0]

check out your compression rates. my brother uses sorenson squeeze religiously to do the compression. it takes a while, but goes frame by frame to do the math rather than applying too much compression where it may not be needed or desired. i think they make products for macs as well as the pc platform.
matt

[mccordia 74]

When it's DVD quality you are having troubles with, it's the final MPEG2 compression that is most likely the problem.

Just try selecting the higest bitrate possible for your DVD, and Multiple Pass Encoding (if possible)

A lot of encoding programs automaticly use a bitrate of 4 MB/s for DVD compression, while something like 7 MB/s is stil waay within limits and delivers much better video (les MPEG artifacts, the blocky thingy's)

But then again, 10 different programs with the same settings can deliver 10 different quality DVD's...it's stil a matter of trial and error...

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[pope 0]

For DVDs with a ton of action (like skydiving), you don't really want to set the bitrate any higher than 6-7. I would recommend exporting from FCP as an uncompressed, self-contained Quicktime movie. Then, if you need help with your compressor settings, give me a buzz. As mentioned previously, Sorenson Squeeze is a good program, as is the Quicktime plugin for FCP.
good luck.
pope

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

Basically what I find is that video straight off the camera seems to be of better quality than what I end up with on DVD.

a full miniDV tape is 13gb. A single layer dvd is 4.3gb. So you're fighting that from the beginning.

[quade 4]

Quote

Are there any things you can go to increase video quality, or are there specific steps to guarantee that no quality is lost?

No. You can adjust some of your parameters to subjectively minimize the quality loss, but there is no way to increase the resolution of what you've already recorded and there is no way to compress it further so that it is completely lossless.

That said, if your total program length is shorter than say, an hour, you can have some compression ratios that look very good.

[jtval 0]

few questions.

During this years edits I have noticed more loss than last year. From Premiere pro, is it better to export the movie in a QT or WMP format then burn it to DVD .

what is the best program to burn with? I don't want to spend a whole lot of money(this is just a hobby)
but I do want some good quality. Right now I am using Roxio to build my DVDs. any suggestions?

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[mccordia 74]

The best way to burn something to DVD is to take as few steps recompressing footage as possible.

Even though it's digital, you will lose quality with everytime you recompress to another format (unless you're working with uncompressed video :P)

When I export something from Premiere using the included encoder, at MPG2, 7 MB/S, double pass encoding the quality is perfect (when compared to the source material)

I don't see what encoding to QT adds to the process (unless you're using a burning program like Nero to do the encoding to MPG2 for the final DVD maybe)

small ps.
People also often call quicktime and avi the format they write to, but rarely people specify which codec they actualy use..

Both formats have about a bazillion different compressors to choose from..some of those wil do no good to your quality, others wil be great....but just telling someone 'compress it to quicktime' is hardly giving anyone information they can use..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[jtval 0]

hmm thanks.

I was curious about that. I guess I will have to check my encoder settings

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