HD to DVD

[srfscenar]

Hi all,

I have been asked which format to use and I need your help.

I will be given one of the following:
Apple ProRes HD 422HQ 50i
or
Apple ProRes HD 422HQ 25p.

The above file will be used to encode an Mpeg2 PAL file with CCE
to use it for creating an SD DVD.

Which one should I use?
The 50i or the 25p?

Thanks!

[TheSkiller]

If the 50i video file carries 50 individual fields which indeed contain individual steps of motion then you definitely should use the 50i file for DVD creation.
If you don't, you would throw away 50% of motion which you otherwise would have been able to put on DVD no problem.
So, check the 50i file for interlacing. If there's no interlacing then it's just the flag saying it's interlaced and the video contained within is actually 25p anyway. However, in that case there's pretty much no difference between the two files, so just grab the 50i.


However, I hightly suggest not to simply dump the ProRes file on CCE and expect it to make a great MPEG2 for DVD out of that.
CCE is a good encoder, no question. But it's an encoder – it's not particularly good at all the other things (most important here: scaling!) that need to be done prior to encoding.

Better use AviSynth for that.

[srfscenar]

Thank you!

So, in any case, I should use the 50i, right?
Why 50i is better than 25p for DVD use?

And thanks for the tip for CCE!
Maybe I will downscale it to 720x576 from FCP.

Originally Posted by TheSkiller

If the 50i video file carries 50 individual fields which indeed contain individual steps of motion then you definitely should use the 50i file for DVD creation.
If you don't, you would throw away 50% of motion which you otherwise would have been able to put on DVD no problem.
So, check the 50i file for interlacing. If there's no interlacing then it's just the flag saying it's interlaced and the video contained within is actually 25p anyway. However, in that case there's pretty much no difference between the two files, so just grab the 50i.


However, I hightly suggest not to simply dump the ProRes file on CCE and expect it to make a great MPEG2 for DVD out of that.
CCE is a good encoder, no question. But it's an encoder – it's not particularly good at all the other things (most important here: scaling!) that need to be done prior to encoding.

Better use AviSynth for that.

[Ghitulescu]

What is the original format? 50i or 25p?

For the DVD 50i might be the logical choice in the absence of other evidence.

[srfscenar]

Originally Posted by Ghitulescu

What is the original format? 50i or 25p?

For the DVD 50i might be the logical choice in the absence of other evidence.

I think it is 23.98 because they write:
1080 23.98
Cross conversion to 24p fps, 50i fps, 25p fps

So I guess, they convert the 23.98 to the other formats.

Does this say anything to you?

Thanks.

[Ghitulescu]

Originally Posted by srfscenar

Does this say anything to you?

Yes, it says that they'll do a fps conversion, which you should better do it yourself.

The best bet would be to create a NTSC DVD, most if not all PAL equipment is able to play them.

[Lyris]

Right, one would think so. And I hope that's the case.
But let me just mention this: quite many times I have seen videos here on PAL TV, say major music videos for example, which originated from 23.976 fps, converted in a truly awful way where one frame each second was simply shown twice (result: ugly stutter every second). Everything is possible nowadays...

I tend to do conversions myself for this reason. No surprises.