For the beginner: Make a DVD from DV

Question

KEYWORDS:
Interlace, chop, streak, line, DVD, motion, action, mouse, teeth, blinds
PURPOSE:
Provide a condensed procedure to help the beginner easily convert his/her mini-DV camcorder video into a highest quality DVD using FCP, Compressor and DVDStudioPro.
BACKGROUND:
I was frustrated beyond words with the quality of video coming out of a standard, no-bells/whistles vanilla DVD produced by FCP/Compressor/DVDStudioPro. I knew it was a user error and not a problem with the software. After days of research and headache and thousands of discussions on the subject I was finally successful in producing a DVD that I was proud of.
PROCEDURE:
1) Capture your video using FCP. I use Capture Now feature. My capture settings were 'FireWire NTSC' and 'DV NTSC 48kHz'
2) Edit your sequence to your likings. Don't forget to add chapter markers!
3) Verify Field Dominance is 'Lower (Even)' - most DV camcorders use this setting. HD uses Upper. Check your device manual to be sure. This can be done by selecting the sequence and right-click -> settings. My settings were framesize 720x480, Aspect ratio 'NTSC DV (3:2), Pixel AR 'NTSC CCIR 601/DV 720x480', Field Dominance 'Lower (Even)', Compressor 'DV/DVCPRO-NTSC' Quality 100%, left audio as-is.
4) Using the 'group selection tool', select all elements in your timeline from start to end.
5) In top menu choose 'effects' -> 'video filters' -> 'video' -> 'de-interlace'
6) Export using 'QuickTime Movie', 'current settings' 'audio and video' 'chapter markers' 'deselect Recompress' 'select Make Movie self contained'
7) Open this output with compressor.
8) In settings window, drill down to 'apple' -> 'DVD' -> 'DVD: Best Quality 90 min'. Notice the Field Dominance is in AUTO. This is never good from what I've read and experienced. So, click on the 'duplicate selected setting' and this creates a 'custom' preset.
9) Modify your custom preset video format for Aspect ration 4:3 and field dominance of 'Progressive'.
10) Save preset
11) Drag your new custom video preset to your asset
12) Drag the existing Dolby Digital Prof 2.0 audio preset to your asset
13) Submit. You can view progress by clicking 'Batch Monitor' then selecting the computer doing the work. This should create m2v and ac3 files
14) Using DVDStudioPro, import your m2v and ac3 files
15) Build your DVD menus
16) Viola! Non streaky, non choppy, perfect DVD that would make your Mom proud!
THEORY/LESSONS LEARNED:
1) Several discussions imply you could run into problems choosing 'export using compressor' within FCP. That is why it is recommended you 'export with Quicktime' first.

Answer 1

Fiaafnr
Gary is not wrong, de-interlacing should not be a requisite for creating a good looking DVD from your NTSC DV edits. That you are seeing choppy results due to field order issues suggests that something is awry in your workflow, that de-interlacing fixes it seems to confirm this. If you outline the specific steps you were taking before, that produced the choppy result, with the same clarity with which you describe your current workflow, then someone might be able to spot the problem.
All that said and done, I'm a strictly PAL HD broadcast kind of guy, I don't do NTSC or DVD so I can't really claim any first hand authority on the matter.
What happens if you simply export your movie from the FCP timeline using Export > Quicktime Movie and then drop that directly into DVDSP and/or iDVD and/or Toast?
Andy