What is a CODEC

Question

I am making slideshows with FCP and I am looking to see how I can output a High Quality DVD. I have read from a few threads that when you make slideshows it is difficult to maintain the high quality especially since a TV is a lot lower in pixels than a computer. SO BASICALLY I keep seeing people say what is your codec? Can I get an explanation of a CODEC and can someone give me a simple way to make sure I am producing at the highest quality possible- Amateur Nick

Answer 1

CODEC stands for COmpression DECompression. It is the set of algorithms implemented in software/firmware/hardware which takes the raw data and squeezes it into a smaller number of bits. Most are referred to as "lossy" which means they discard some data so the result is not as pristine as the original when DECompressed. Listen to a cymbal splash on a CD in AIFF, them compress it in itunes to a low bit rate MP3, and you'll hear the difference, even with cheesy computer speakers. That's a lossy compression example.
What's that have to do with photos, FCP, and making a DVD.
Lets say your photos start out at 3000x2000 pixels (rough numbers, I know), or 6MP. A regular DVD has only 720x480 at maximum to deal with, so that photo has to be squeezed down. Oh, also remember that the original photo was probably compressed as well to JPG (there are other formats like TIFF and RAW which can be lossless, but most cameras and amateurs use JPG.
Do search in these forums or DVD SP forums for dealing with still images and how to be preprocess them for use in slide shows. You'll probably wind up using Photoshop (or the smaller Elements) to do the work. There are a variety of choices for how to bring these photos into FCP (sequence settings) for processing as a slide show. Then you'll compress them again using compressor to MPEG2 for DVD SP. Most will suggest a constant bit rate for photos, but you may want to try several rates your self depending on how much movement you've put into the slide show (you know, like the "Ken Burns" effect).
All that said, I've made acceptable slide shows with music, "Ken Burns" motion, etc. using iPhoto output to iDVD, then projected on large screens for charitable functions. I'd give that a try initially to see if it might meet your quality expectations easily right off the bat, at the expense of control and flexibility of designing your DVD menus, etc. But mine were auto play and loop, so no menu was ever seen.
References: See "Slideshows" on page 405 and "Preparing Stills for Slideshows" in the DVD SP V4 manual (for creating slideshows directly in DVD SP).
See "Still Images" in the FCP 6 index (volume IV);
See iPhoto: help slideshow for more information, but it's very easy to do.
Good Luck.
Eddie O