*** Still trying to get good HDV to DVD image quality

Question

Okay, so I thought I had a good solution, but I'm now back to square one. I'm shooting and editing in HDV with a Sony Z1U. I edit by using Final Cut Pro, 1 monitor and my 32" LCD tv (native resolution of 1366x768). While editing the image, and especially the text looks crystal clear.....beautiful.
My problem is outputting it to DVD. Currently, I am exporting my project directly from the timeline of FCP into compressor using the 90 minutes best quality 16:9. This gives my a 2pass VBR at 6.4mbps.
On a tube tv, it looks so-so, but it appears as though almost as if the lines are out of resigster. It reminds me of reading a newspaper where the print is off register. Definitely you can see interlacing around people and the text looks off register.
In DVD format on my LCD flat panel it looks really good (the best it can look).
On my 60" Sony SXRD new tv at home it looks really bad (granted I'm using a Playstation 2 to show it, and on the flat panel I'm using a DVD player with upconversion capabilities - maybe that's the solution right there....)
Currently I'm not adjusting the presets in Compressor.
Given all the variables above, is there anything that anyone can suggest that will give me better results? I don't want to import the footage in SD because then I'm editing SD and can never output the finished project as HDV when Blu-ray or HD-DVD comes out.
I would really appreciate some other workarounds that people have used to try and make their HDV footage look as best as possible in DVD format.
The frustrating thing is that you never know what TV your clients are watching your project on. Is there a standard set up that I could suggest they buy/use to get the best results?
P.S. When watching my project on the 60" SXRD I'm not only using a Playstation 2, but also it is connected through an S-Video cable. On the LCD flat panel, I'm using the up-converting DVD player and an HDMI to HDMI cord....Does the cord/way of connecting really make that much of a difference? How do I make it still look good for people that want to watch it letterboxed on a tube tv?

Answer 1

It's not the upconverting as much as the limitations of S-Video connections. And for true upconverting, you need to utilize the HDMI connection, which will produce better results over component, and qualitatively better over S Video.
As to client complaints as to image quality, my analog of the weakest link still holds. I always show my clients what it looks like on a good DVD player with at least component in to progressive conversion.
If their set up produces less, you simply identify what part of their set up is suspect.
Good quality blanks. Solid encode rates, and Dolby 2/ac3 audio.
Again, it has to be good going in
take care,
and I would appreciate it if you could award points.
It helps us all out.
david
BTW, go to http://www.lyric.com/video/losgatos/index.htm and look at the web samples of Los Gatos Then and Now, or buy the DVD.
Produce on a FX1.
best wishes
David
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