Video Quality Help!

Im having trouble with video quality when editing in final cut
I import my clips (1280x720 from my nikon d300s) and click on them to bring into my viewer. The percentage in the viewer is being viewed at 65%.
when i drag and drop the clip into my timeline, render, and view in my canvas, the Quality is greatly decreased without me doing anything. The %in the canvas is 131% when set to fit to window.
Am i doing something wrong? are my settings wrong somewhere? this is killing the quality of my footage. just wondering what can be done to fix this
Thanks for any help given
Nick

2 problems here.
If your Canvas window is set to anything over 100%, yes it will look nasty. Pop that sucker back to 100%, okay?
BUT, your camera shoots in a format that is acquisition/delivery only. You need to convert it to an editable codec, namely ProRes, before editing.
You can do this with Compressor, which you own, or MPEG Streamclip, which you can download for free.

Similar Messages

Bad Video Quality - Help This Rookie

Hi - Thanks in advance for your help. I have some good MPEG4 video quality and when I watch it directly (through Quicktime) it looks great. My problem is that when I import it in to iMovie, it takes a serious video quality hit and looks terrible. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a better way to import it so that I dont lose the video quality?

Howie,
I've been importing video into iMovie from old VHS tapes and DV. Sometimes it seems as though iMovie's quality is lower than what's on tape. Its possible that the preview/edit is lower quality for performance reasons?
Try rendering a 5 minute clip to your final output and check the resulting quality.
-Miles

FCP Novice needs help with video quality and FCP 5!!

Hi,
I have a real problme that I cannot seem to fix. I think its because I am doing something really wrong!
I have a Sony HC42E MiniDV Camcorder which by default records video in full widescreen. I recorded several tapes this way and have now begun trying to edit them in FCP 5.04 (Tiger 10.4.6). Whenever I log and capture my clips they appear to be fuzzzy and unclear on the Mac monitor whilst being totally crisp and sharp on the camcorder viewfinder. I tried capturing using the DV PAL 48Khz Anamorphic Preset which keeps everything the right size (the final output needs to be true widescreen and not with black bars added) but the resulting video on screen is blurry and bitty. I then tried capturing using the DV PAL 720 x 576 normal preset and the video is a little clearer on the screen (for both presets I have chosen lower field dominance) but when I play back it plays back in widescreen on the mac canvas window but at 4:3 on the camera's viewfinder.
I then assumed that maybe this is just becuase the mac screen (CRT by the way) doesn't use fields. So I exported the sequence as a QT movie using DV PAL 16:9 and used quicktime (OS9 Classic - my compressor has never worked because of the dreaded "unable to connect to baackground process" problem which I've never managed to correct) to convert it to MPEG2. When I import this as an asset into DVD Studio pro 4 and set the track size to 16:9 it comes through at the right aspect ratio. However it looks blurry on screen. Thinking that this will be fine on a TV I burned the disc - inserted it into my DVD player (a good one!) and watched it on my new 32" widescreen TV (a good one!) and the picture qualitty is poor. Its so much blurrier and bittier than the original footage looks when played through the camcorder's viewfinder!
The final footaage looks like an old VHS recording that's a year or two old!
Does anyone know how I can capture my footage in FCP with the maximum quality, edit it without quality loss and the export it for DVD again without such significant quality loss whilst all the time keeping it at proper 16:9 widescreen?
Is there some presets I should be working to?
I'm tearing my hair out! Help!

Hi Guys,
thanx for your replies.
here's the latest:
Brian, I followed your instructions and the DVD burned successfully. However the video quality of the dvd when viewed on my TV ('ve tried on all 3 of my tvs now) is still a lot poorer than the quicktime movie that was imported into DVDSP4. When I play the original QT Movie on my Mac CRT monitor it looks a little blurry and grainy because I guess its non interlaced however when viewed on an external Video monitor it looks great - very sharp.
When I view the burned DVD on my television the picture quality looks like the non interlaced version of the original QT Movie that appeared on my Mac CRT and not the sharp interlaced (lower field) version that appeared on my external video monitor.
Its almost like taking a sharp jpeg into Photoshop and applying a gaussian blur of about 0.3 followed by jepg compression compressing it down to 5% quality!
I'm totally mystified. Can the conversion to Mpeg2 be removing all interlacing so that you get the less sharp computer monitor look? I just want the video on my final DVDs to be as good as the original source footage! I appreciate that along the way there might be loss of some quality but surely not that much?
Does this make sense to you guys or am I still doing something very wrong?
Robert: I have tried setting all manner of drives including a fresh external firewire HD with nothing on it (clean out of the box) but it doesn't seem to help.
Brian: I tried the no network suggestion a few months back but I'm not sure if I got it right. At the moment I have broadband through an external speedtouch usb modem and am also connected (occasionally although not for the last 3 months) via a crossover cable to my PCs ethernet card. When I last tried the No Network solution I had immense trouble getting my internet to work again! Can you please help me by directing me to the best ay to do this while protecting my internet settings?
any more help guys would be greatfully appreciated.

Why is the video quality so bad on the recent download helper upgrade

I use the download helper add on on a daily basis and the video quality up till yesterday was crystal clear. but then yesterday there was an automatic update to the latest version and since then the video quality is total crap. nothing but annoying pixilation. why is this happening and how do i fix it or how do i go back to running the old version if it cant be fixed.

Add-ons are not created or maintained by Mozilla. Therefore, we do not provide support for these add-ons.
If you would like some further answers, please contact the add-on developer.

Last-minute help! Video quality drops after burn

I'm exporting a video out of FCP using Compressor, saving directly to the DVD format for burning inside DVD Studio Pro. When I preview the video inside DSP, it looks amazing. After I finish burning the disc and view it in DVD Player, the video quality looks horrible.
See a screenshot here:
http://www.door62.com/temp/DVD-quality.jpg
The one on the left is DVD Player, the one on the right is the preview inside DSP.
Any advice? This is actually ridiculously last-minute... Any help would be hugely appreciated

I have been having simliar trouble, esp. with textured backgrounds in the video.
Specifically, someone sitting in a board room delivering a short message (2 minutes) on camera. The background is a textured wood panel with a continuously changing color gradient.
I encode in Compressor, NTSC lower field, 2-pass VBR, 6.1 Mbps avg., 7.2 Mbps max., AIF audio. I have also tried a number of bit rate variations including CBR and AC3 audio.
I drop the clip in a DVDSP track and it looks fine in simulator. Also open the m2v in QT Pro, it looks fine.
After building, I check the TS_Folder in Apple DVD Player, and the background pulses, shifting from light to dark and is filled with artifacts. It looks even worse on a set-top player.
I have had problems like this a number of times, and end up having to use other programs on Windows to get around it. Kind of a pain.
Has anyone else seen anything like this?
G5 Dual 2.3 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2.5 GB RAM, ROM v5.2.4f1
G5 Dual 2.3 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2.5 GB RAM, ROM v5.2.4f1

I have apples new ipad but my video quality is rubbish and does not seem 1080p but compared to my fujifilm camera the 1080p video is brilliant! Please help..

i have apples new ipad but my video quality is rubbish and does not seem 1080p but compared to my fujifilm camera the 1080p video is brilliant! Please help..

Try your iPad with some of these demo clips; go for the 1080p trailer.
http://www.h264info.com/clips.html

Help! How to enhance video quality to catch thieves?

My phone was stolen the day before yesterday in China. Caught 2 female theives doing the pocket-picking thing under CCTV camera. And I recorded the footage with my camera. Wish to get a closer look at their faces, cuz the local police isnt gonna do anything...
Do anyone know how to do tricks about improving the video quality???
I do wanna catch those bad theives, wanna do it so badly...

You can use sharpening tools like Unsharp Mask. You can use third party up-rezzing tools to increase size with better quality.
But, realistically, given you only have a camera recording of a video screen of the CCTV, it's very unlikely you'll ever extract much meaningful detail from it. Don't believe TV shows, image enhancement is not really so advanced.
Personally, I'd just extract the best still frame of their faces you can find, then use Photoshop to zoom and enhance as much as you can with Unsharp Mask.

Comparing video quality of AVCHD BluRay discs using Final Cut Pro Share vs Compressor

Up front, I will admit to being a newbie when it comes to using Final Cut Studio 3 and would appreciate some feedback from the Apple forum experts.
I have spent a lot of time trying to determine how to achieve an optimum group of Compressor 3.5.2 settings so that the playback video quality of an AVCHD BluRay disc is equal to or better than one created by using the simpler auto settings of FCPro Share, version 7.0.2.
When using Compressor’s auto/default maximum settings, I experienced the same error message reported in:
Error MessageDuring Creation of Blu-ray Disc in FCP and Compressor 3.5
https://discussions.apple.com/message/12073794#12073794
I have since made some Compressor AVCHD Discs with smaller bit rate settings and compared video quality with a single FCP Share AVCHD disc. Both seem to be equal in providing a very good video when viewed on my new Panasonic DMP BDT 310 BluRay player. However, the Compressor AVCHD discs show some motion artifacts not present with the FCPro Share version, especially when scrolling text or when objects are moving through the field of view, and visible artifacts are seen from a stationary chain link fence and other lattice work in the background of the video sample.
My sample video used for the comparisons between Compressor and FCP Share discs is a 21 minute duration home movie, originally captured from a mini DV, Canon HV30 1080i camcorder using ProRes HQ encoding(1440x1080), and dragged into FC Pro 7.0.2 timeline where 10 chapter markers have been inserted.
To create an AVCHD disc using FCPro Share, Markers are used to set the IN and OUT points, Select IN to OUT from the timeline, pull down File Menu Share, Select Create BluRay from options in pop out Share pane, and designate output device along with picture files for Background, Logo, and Title options. When these are completed, click on Export. My 21-minute video required almost two hours for encoding including about 10 minutes for burning. This accomplished on an iMac 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.
To prepare this same 21-minute video for use with Compressor, I again Select IN to Out from the FCPro timeline, but this time use File Export as a QuickTime Self Contained movie including Chapter markers. Then Open Compressor, choose Create BluRay from Template pane, right click on the down arrow in the Batch window and load the QT self contained movie file. From there I went to the Inspector window and tried various combinations of bit rate settings along with Frame Encoder options such as Better or Best motion parameter controls.
I have tried the following combinations of Bit rate settings along with varying Frame Encoder controls and burned an AVCHD disc for each example:
Example A
Compressor set to 6 Mbps Average and 8Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings OFF. Approximately 4 hours to encode although the time remaining estimator indicated a larger value of ~7 hours; not an accurate estimator at all.
Example B
Compressor set to 6 Mbps Average and 8Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motionadaptive)” settings. Approximately 4 hours to encode, not the 13 hours that were estimated.
Conclusion: Comparing A & B Compressor versions, Disc B showed some improvements in reducing motion artifacts over Disc A.
Example C
Compressor set to 13 Mbps Average and 15 Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motion adaptive)” settings. Multipass checked. DeInterlace was checked. Unknown hours to encode; about 8 hours done overnight..
Conclusion: Disc C showed some minor improvements reducing motion artifacts over Disc B
Example D
Compressor Auto settings,i.e., 15 Mbps Average and 17 Mbps Maximum, Frame Encoder settings ON, using “Better (Linear Filter) and Better (Motion adaptive)” settings. Multipass checked. Approximately 12 hours to encode, done overnight. Inserted disc next morning after the overnight encoding was completed, and a few minutes later an error message pane appeared that the maximum bit rate had been exceeded. This message was consistent with the Apple posted thread referenced above. Unfortunately the long overnight encoding was wasted.
It seemed to me that the best Compressor settings for suppressing the motion artifacts were displayed by the disc burned in Example C, i.e., 13/15 Ave/Max Mbps with“Better” Motion settings in the Frame Encoder.
However, when this disc was compared to the AVCHD Disc burned using the FCPro Share, the latter still seemed much better. I do not know what the auto bit rate values are as set in FC Pro, but for me, the quality is quite good AND the motion artifacts are significantly reduced, especially evident with the scrolling text.
Sorry about this long post, but I thought the detail would be necessary for the experts, and maybe helpful to others trying to get started in this BluRay arena. Did I misuse Compressor? I think the sample video exported as a self contained QT movie was the right thing to do? Not sure where I went wrong.
Thanks in advance for Feedback and Recommendations. For now, I’m going to stay with the simpler process using Final Cut Pro Share function.
BoBo

Thank You, Brad, for responding; glad to hear I'm not the only one having similar Compressor issues.
You may have hit on something. Perhaps Compressor's use of H.264 encoding was the reason for my motion artifacts? And perhaps Final Cut Pro Share retains the 1440x1080 quality as it burns the AVCHD BluRay disc?
I had Toast 10 for less than 30 days a couple of years ago, and was lucky to get a refund.
What version of Toast do you have? Wondering if new Toast 11 has improved previous bugs, especially upgrading its Chapter text, pictures, music. I would go back to Toast if it came close to mirroring DVD Studio Pro, or even iDVD capabilities.
Thanks,
BoBo

Macbook Pro to VIZIO LCD TV via HDMI Grainy Video Quality?

So when I bought my MacBook Pro back in July 2010, I purchased an assortment of accessories to go with it including a special third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter device off of eBay. The HDMI Adapter device works mostly the way I expected it to. That is, the video and audio signal coming out of the MacBook is channeled into the LCD TV display properly so that I can see the computer video display on the LCD TV and sound is also coming out of the TV too.
Just one minor annoyance: video quality. Actually, the picture is perfectly fine and beautiful, except for some reason I get weird video artifacts that are basically tiny specs that quickly fly across the screen very rapidly and they are all over the video display. Almost like the video signal is partially grainy or fuzzy or something.
I've tried to Google to see if anyone has reported any similar problems, but no luck. I wish I knew exactly what device in this process is the culprit of this behavior; i.e. either the MacBook, the HDMI Adapter, the HDMI Cable, or the LCD TV (Vizio SV470XVT 47" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV).
If anyone can help to possibly instruct me how to fix this problem or how to further diagnose the problem, I would greatly appreciate it.

For a 2010+ MBP you can connect with a Displayport to HDMI, which will include Audio.
With older MBP you will need a displayport to HDMI, if you want audio to the actually TV, then you will need to get a cable with either digital out from MBP to the HDMI, or USB audio mixed into the HDMI
eg
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/CBLMDPHDMID/

IPhone 6 Plus video quality is extremely poor when on Facetime and when sharing via text/message

I upgraded to the 6 plus from the 4S. Everyone that I facetime with and send videos to via text/message tells me how incredibly horrible the video quality is....especially in comparison to the way it was before I upgraded from the 4S to the 6Plus. These are people that I have always sent videos to and Facetimed with before, and they all say they can really tell a difference. So frustrating that my three year old iphone 4S is better than the new 6 plus 128gig that I just paid $500 for. We have little ones at home and this is one of the main things we use the phone for....to send vidoes and to Facetime with grandma and grandpa.
I'm on the same carrier (Verizon) that I have always been and have not changed anything. Is there a setting on the phone I can change that will help with this? I love the phone otherwise, but if it can't do this right, I'm going to return it and get my money back.
Can anyone help? Anyone experiencing this???
Thank you.

I have the same issue!! Why isn't there any answers to this problem? I became the laughing stock who owns a $1000 iPhone that can't share videos with family and friends. Please help!!!

Video Capture help...I can't be the ONLY one with this problem!

Warning: Long post ahead!! I just want to make sure I'm providing detailed, complete information on my predicament. =)
Okay...I am using a PowerBook G4 15" running OSX 10.4.8. I recently picked up the Canopus ADVC 110 in order to capture video from my game consoles...this is something I was doing a lot of for a LONG time with the graphics card on my desktop PC. But the card is pretty old now and the screenshots it takes don't always look so good anymore, plus I thought it would be cool to be able to do this with my laptop, since then it's like having a portable TV. The Canopus works...more or less. But I have some problems...
The first is the lag. I have a splitter so I can output the S-video signal from the console to both my TV and other devices at the same time, and I've noticed there is a delay with the signal reaching my Powerbook screen through the Canopus (when doing the same thing with the PC graphics card, there is ZERO lag time between the TV and the PC). One of the reasons I wanted to do this - as I mentioned above - is to have another screen for gaming; my friends and I often have lan parties or simply have more than one game being played at the same time with a large group. The delay in the video/audio signal reaching the screen through the Canopus is very small, but in a fast-paced game it's crippling.
Second problem is that I have had a very hard time finding a program that will simply let me view the video in full-screen. The REAL-TIME video, that is...I want to view in full-screen (or at least a really big window, if not ACTUALLY full-screen per se) as the video is coming in. Plenty of programs will let me record a clip and watch that in full-screen, but the incoming signal is constrained to a little tiny viewer window. Again, this is important for the "portable TV for video games" idea.
Third problem: video quality. So far, the best quality has been obtained by iMovie, and for still captures, simply using OSX's screen grab function (shiftapple3 or 4) on iMovie, but even then everything still looks kinda grainy and fuzzy, the incoming video and the screengrabs. I tried a couple download programs, including BTV, which looked promising but turned out to be dissapointing with horrible screenshot quality and video quality in it's weird, screen resolutiong changing phony full-screen mode. All the screenshots I took with BTV have all these horizontal lines running through them. It's especially bad if the shot has any kind of movement in it.
SO...I have overall been very surprised and frustrated at how hard it has been to do this. Especially considering how easy it was on my Windows-based PC. I just bought an ATI card with S-video and audio inputs, and it came with a program that allowed me to view video in full screen, record clips, and take stills all in the same program, with decent quality (stuff looks a little washed-out, especially now that the card is three years out of date, but it doesn't have fuzziness or lines like all the screens I've taken with the Canopus do) and absolutely zero lag time. With my newer, sleeker Mac laptop (and it's a MAC...the graphics/video/creative stuff powerhouse) it seems to be nigh impossible.
I don't need a program with lots of fancy editing options, which all the ones I have tried seem to have. I just want to be able to view the incoming video in full screen, and take screenshots and clips with good quality.
And elmininate the lag, if possible! I don't know if this is an issue with the Canopus (or would be an issue with ANY similar device) or if it's something that could be solved with a different program. Any and all help is appriciated!!
PowerBook G4 15" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I'm using the tools which fullfill my needs best.. so, if the PC offers you "better" results, use it.. no dogma..
delay: sure, the electronics have to digitize the video.. a process of high computation = time/delay ..
quality: a TV signal fills about a quarter of my Mac's screen (or less) .. looking at it in "fullscreen" you have to blow up.. .every pixel get 4x4 pixel = low quality...
and: you go from digital to analogue to digital .. there HAS to be a loss of quality ...
BTV offers full-screen, doesn't it..?

Why is playback video quality not as good as the source?

Hi. I'm not new to PrE but am new to the forum.
I've been using PrE 2 for about 7 years. I got a newer computer running Windows 7 and basically was forced to upgrade to PrE 12 because PrE 2 didn't run very well on the newer machine. Once I installed PrE 12, I was eager to jump into my first project on this machine.
I expected that with a newer machine and the latest software, I would get outstanding results--hopefully much better than what I always got with PrE 2 on the old machine. With PrE 2, it was not uncommon that the imported video seemed lossy on playback or for whatever other reason seemed not as good as the source video.
Unfortunately, the results on the new/new were no better than the old/old. So I switched to my wife's (even newer) machine running Windows 8 and got the same results. Then I thought that perhaps the output to DVD would be better than what I saw in the PrE editor. No dice.
The video quality of the source isn't the greatest (see below), but I expected that the PrE 12 would be no worse.
What went wrong?
Here's what i'm working with on the current project:
Machine 1:
HP EliteBook 8560w
Intel Core i7-2640M 2.8 GHz CPU
Window 7 Enterprise SP1
2 GB RAM
360 GB available HD space
Machine 2:
Dell Inspiron 3521
Intel Pentium 2117U 1.8 GHz CPU
Windows 8 Touchscreen
4 GB RAM
400+ GB available HD space
Video Source:
iPhone 4 video (MOV format)
Thanks for ANY help you can give me.
BTW, I noticed that Steve Grisetti is one of the frequent commenters on this forum. In case you're reading this, Steve, I want to thank you and Chuck E. for your PrE books. I purchased one several years ago and found it extremely helpful. And surprisingly, I found that with PrE 12 I could still use the book that I purchased before because most of it was still relevant to the new software. Still a great purchase!!

kcarter
Please excuse if I mention things you may already be aware of, but I did not want to take anything for granted.
The installed RAM on Machine 1 is too low for HD work, and I wonder about the processor on Machine 2 even though it has more installed RAM than that on Machine 1. For now, I will bypass the usual drills and get to the source media and project settings.
1. From what I can put together, your source media from iPhone 4 are 720p up to 30 frames per second. That usually translates into a variable frame rate which can be problematic for Premiere Elements. The variable can lead to audio out of sync, but not necessarily. If all else fails, then it is onto HandBrake or the like to change the variable into a constant frame rate.
2. One of the features of version 11 and 12 is the program taking over the setting of the project setting based on the properties of the first video drag to the Timeline. Some times it does it OK, sometimes not. When not, then you set the project preset manually yourself based on what you know to be the properties of your source media. Please refer to the following which includes how to set the project preset manually.
http://www.atr935.blogspot.com/2013/04/pe11-accuracy-of-automatic-project.html
Based on what I have read about the properties of the iPhone 4 video, I would suggest the project preset (assuming a NTSC set up)
NTSC
AVCHD
AVCHD-LITE 720p30
One of the important things to remember is that Premiere Elements 11 and 12 have as their default project preset
NTSC
AVCHD
Full HD1080i30
and not the NTSC DV Standard of versions earlier than 11.
When 11 and 12 do not get the automatic project preset correct, they do not give you the closest fit, rather they give you their
default NTSC AVCHD Full HD1080i30 which is not going to be appropriate for 720p video.
Classically it is written if you have the correct project preset you should have no colored line over the content when you bring the video to
the Timeline manually set. But, just the variable frame rate can trigger the unrendered indicator (orange instead of red in versions 11 and 12).
So, rendering the Timeline would be indicated to get the best possible preview under these circumstances.
Do you have the latest version of QuickTime installed on either of your computers?
More later.
ATR

Publish+Share signifcantly reduces video quality in Premiere Elements 13

As the title states, whenever I publish and share a video in Premiere Elements 13, the video quality is drastically reduced to an almost unwatchable level compared to the original video This is even the case before any effects are added to the video. If I add the media to the timeline and then directly publish+share before any changes are done, the video quality is still ruined. When I click play full screen in elements, the quality and resolution is exactly where I want it, but once again, when I share the video, it's essentially destroyed.
When I play the newly created video there is giant black space above, below and to the sides of the video (where there is none in the original) and movement in the movie causes the video to grain with black lines.
I have been playing around with settings and researching online for a long time now but I can't seem to find the solution. What I have been doing is going publish+share, ---> Computer, ---> AVI. Then in advanced settings the video codec is selected to DV NTSC, and the basic video settings which are locked in (which I can't change) are set to quality 100, width 720, height 480. The Aspect is D1/DV NTSC (0.9091). I have selected render at maximum depth. I have also tried saving it as MPEG and other video types but the result is the same.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I understand that I am new and have lots to learn, but it seams so strange to me that the simple process of putting a video in Elements would essentially destroy it. Thanks again.

HSTompson
It was not until Mary Lou Frost posted in your thread today that I realized that I did not see and reply to your questions in post 4 of your thread (dated December 15, 2014). Sorry about that.
If you want to match up the properties of the export file with the properties of the Timeline source media, often you need to direct your attention to
a. Publish+Share/Computer/......and trying to match up the video (especially) and audio compressions of the import with those of the export choice.
b. A frequent cause of a difference between import file size and export file size is the bitrate used by these files. The higher the bitrate, the greater the quality, but
the larger is the file size. So, trying to match import file and export file bitrates is also on the agenda. See the preset's Advanced Button/Video Tab and the settings
there for bitrate. The units for bitrate will be either kbps kilobits per second (also seen as Kbps) or Mbps megabits per second. We can go into that further if necessary.
Premiere Elements allows for the setting of one project preset which should match the properties of the source files. If you have "mixed source files", setting up the
project can become a challenge. The rule of thumb that I typically use involves setting priorities...
1. If videos and stills, I will set for the properties of the video and then size (or let the project size) the still to the frame size of the video
2. If just stills, I try for 1920 x 1080 stills and import them using a DLSR 1080p project preset...that seems to give sharper end product results when doing burn to disc.
Please review and consider and let me know if I have targeted your questions. Any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I try to respond daily to questions, so, if you do not see a timely, response, please send me an Adobe Forum private message asking me "What happened to you?".
Best wishes.
ATR

"Best Practice" steps for creating & preseving video quality

I would like help in understanding the "rules of the trade" when it comes to video quality.
I have been converting old VHS video tapes using my Sony DV camera...importing them into iMovie 6HD (mainly because I read that the quality is better in imovie 6hd vs. iMovie09)...so far I have imported around 7 hours of video...into one project...which is 250gb in size....I want to burn the videos to a DVD....due to the size of the project..I'm creating new projects and coping over clips....soon I will have 3 projects that take up 500gbs.
Is this typical? I understand that it is good to save the video in the original quality for safe keeping...but I have 100s of video tapes that I would like to convert, edit, burn to DVD, and save.....using my current process for importing, and editing....I would crash the servers used by Google.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Welcome to Apple discussions!!
I have been converting old VHS video tapes using my Sony DV camera
Using the Sony DV camera is an "OK" way to import VHS. Look at the Canopus ADVC300. Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out.
The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from ANY source and convert it to FireWire (iMovie 06 will treat it like a camera).
http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300
.importing them into iMovie 6HD (mainly because I read that the quality is better in imovie 6hd vs. iMovie09
Good move. (use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09 set to Professional Quality.)
so far I have imported around 7 hours of video...into one project
I would limit each project to 110 - 120 mins, and make DVDs as you complete each project.
using my current process for importing, and editing....I would crash the servers used by Google.
A 2TB drive should hold about 140 hours of video. I ALWAYS build my own external hard drive. More storage and less money.
If you are going to do video, get the biggest drive you can. You can assemble the below items in about three minutes.
 http://www.cooldrives.com/ox93saiihadr.html
  http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Intellipower-Desktop-WD20EADS/dp/B001RB1TI S/ref=sr11?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1258862242&sr=8-1
Use the FireWire port, the Firewire protocol allows more direct address to memory (including mass storage) with minimal intervention of the CPU, nothing will interfere with it, No collisions, No glitches. Firewire is rock-solid.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to keep your original iMovie 06 file, however;
After I transfer a video to iMovie 06 I make a DVD image file (always make a DVD image file first, then burn a DVD) with iDVD 09, then a DVD from the image file. I then test the DVD and keep only the image file (small) created by iDVD. I do not keep the original iMovie 06 file anyway (large).
Regarding DVDs
Do NOT use adhesive labels!!!!!!!!!
Never, Ever, use labels!!! Buy printable DVD,s.
Try this program.
http://smileonmymac.com/DiscLabel/
Printable DVD+R discs. Something like,
http://www.supermediastore.com/product/u/taiyo-yuden-8x-dvd-plus-r-media-white-i nkjet-hub-printable-100-pack
I have found DVD+R to be more reliable than DVD-R. The only disadvantage to DVD+R is that DVD players manufacture before 2003 may not play them.
DVD+R disks are better than DVD-R disks because of the increased error correction technique used for the +R type.
Once you have made a few DVDs you will establish a good workflow, making your project more fun.

Video quality of burned DVD way inferior to content viewed in iDVD program

I notice the video and menu quality on my burned DVD is VASTLY inferior to video and menu quality when viewing menus and content in the iDVD program while building the presentation.
Having encoded at "Professional Quality" to a single layer DVD which didn't look so good, a number of posts in this forum suggested that "Best Performance" actually renders the best video quality.
I'm using high-quality media from Verbatim so that's not a problem. The DVD's burn fine.
The content -- all high-quality QT movies with great resolution, color and crisp text and animation, look great in and of themselves, and when viewed in the iDVD program. The menus and clips embedded in the scene select buttons, all look crisp and clean.
Burned to DVD however, the video looks noticeably "worn" and the clips in the buttons lack any kind of crispness or resolution. Definitely disappointing. The animations look herky-jerky.
Anyone know what the problem is?

Hi
No iDVD has a fixed quality - as old time TVs
• PAL 625 lines (720x576)
• NTSC 520 lines (720x480)
so Your Mac screen are way higher resolution.
There are NO HD version of iDVD - yet
*DVD bad quality*
copy of an answer on a similar question - may be of help
the iMovie 08 & 09 don't apply
There are two problems in this question.
• iDVD
• iMovie'08 or 09
iDVD - can only handle Standard definition TV quality - NO version can handle HD !
SD-TV
EU - PAL system = 625 lines analog display (no pixles) 25fps
US - NTSC system = 520 lines and 29.97 fps
That's the best iDVD can do.
iMovie up to version HD 6 - could handle interlaced video (displaying every second line
first then start over with the rest - 25fps = 50 frames of interlaced video
less flickering.
iMovie'08 and 09 has destroyed this by deleting every second line
Result a resolution of
PAL 312 lines
NTSC 260 lines
So photos displayed this way will look crappy.
Improvment
Use iMovie HD 6 or FinalCut Express or Pro
Else only way I know of to get "full" quality is by using other tools all together.
Roxio Toast™ 10 Pro (incl BR-component) and here the included FotoMagico™ for SlideShows.
Toast™ also can burn Blue-Ray - even on standard DVD (but much less eg 20 min movie)
These BR-DVDs Can only be playbacked on a Blue-Ray Player (eg PlayStation 3)
But they look super.
A more specific part reg. FinalCut
I do in FC-Express or Pro
• Export out as a QuickTime .mov file
• Not selfcontained (not important but saves time and spaces)
• NO QUICKTIME CONVERSION (Important)
I use
• Verbatim DVD-R disks
• Burn at a reduced speed x1 or x4 recommended by many)
• Secure a minimum of 25Gb free space on internal boot hard disk for 4x3 SD video
and my guess is that I would secure 5 - 6 times more for 16x9 HD
(Still no version of iDVD can do HD)
Yours Bengt W

Video Quality Help!

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