Trying to Get the best pcture quality when completing a project.

DOM670

Newbie Joined: Jan 29, 2010 09:22 Messages: 30 Offline

Solved by

Feb 05, 2010 04:27

I will be going a vacation here in the future. The camcorder I have is a Sony HDR-XR500V. The camcorder has recording modes as follows:

HD FH: Records in the highest quality mode (AVC HD 16M(FH)) *Movies are recorded with AVCHD 1920 x 108060i format

HD HQ: Records in high quality mode (AVC HD 9M (HQ))* Movies are recorded with AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i format

HD SP: Records in standard quality mode (AVC HD 7M (SP)) *))* Movies are recorded with AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i format

When I played a couple of test videos straight from the camcorder to my TVs (Samsung LED UNB6000 series and Sony KDL-XBR4) or straight as a file from the computer I thought that the picture quality was amazing. I was recording at HD SP mode at the time. So when I produced/created a video using PD I was not that impressed with the picture quality. The recording mode for all movies were HD SP at the time.

Here are the some of the settings I used in the Produce Window:
H.264/AVC
Quality 1920 x 1080
United States (NTSC)
Burned to a DVD+R
All movies I burn will be used to play on blu-ray players

I believe that a part of the problem was that my source (at HD SP) was recorded at 1440 x 1080/60i format and I produced it at 1920 x 1080. Some of my question are:

1. What settings should I use to record my videos on with my camcorder?

2. I really like the picture quality that the HD HQ (1440 x 1080) mode records at because it gives me a good picture quality and takes up less space but will this cause any issues with picture quality when displaying the final output with PD to a 1920 x 1080 TV? And if I record at this mode I would probably have to put the quality in the produce window to 1440 x 1080 to get the best results right?

3. In the produce window what is the difference between (1400 x 1080 & 1920 x 1080) vs.( 1400 x 1080 24mbps & 1920 x 1080 24 mbps)

4. I am having a tough time understanding SVRT…Can anyone shine some light on that subject?

5. I may decide to use my recording mode HD FH (1920 x 1080). If I decide to use this, what settings in the produce windows should I use when producing a video.

6.) Does recording on a Blu-ray Disc or DVD+R/DL matter when it comes to Picture Quality.

7.) PD8 a non-destructive program right?

All my videos as of now will be burnt to either a blu-Ray disc (In the future when I decide to get a blu-ray burner) or DVD+R/DL. I will also be putting transition and other special features that PD provides on some of my movies. Any help would be much appreciated!

Derek L

Newbie Location: New Zealand Joined: Feb 02, 2010 23:08 Messages: 25 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 05:42

Hi Dom, I think you would have to burn onto Bluray Disc mate, DVD disc will give you a resolution MUCH less thn Bluray, since you are using the top end HD files, you really need the top end final output, which is Bluray.

Andrew - Wales, UK

Contributor Location: Wales, UK Joined: Jan 27, 2009 19:16 Messages: 545 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 07:14

Hi Dom,

Have a read through this.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/9914.page

To preserve quality, you should always select the matching resolution and encoding method of your RAW files, in your case 1440x1080 H.264, when producing.

If you do this, SVRT will only re-encode transitions and video effects you have applied on the timeline, leaving the rest as good as the original.

In your case, because you have selected 1920x1080, a different resolution to your raw files, your entire project has been re-encoded.

Your 1440x1080 work will play back just fine on your TV.

If all your planning to do is put your projects on disc, skip 'Produce' altogether and go straight to 'Create Disc' and select matching resolution and encoding settings.

If you want a 1920x1080 project in good quality, you have to shoot in that quality. In your case, at 16mbps not 9mbps.

Additionally, make sure you do the following. Go to the directors chair in the top left of the screen and select:

Edit->Preferences->Produce and then make sure the box next to 'allow SVRT on single IDR H.264 video' is ticked.

SVRT will not work properly on your PC without it. Ignore the warning message.

Cheers,

Andrew Alienware Aurora ALX R4 - Intel i7-4820 4.2 GHz - 32GB DDR3 RAM - Crucial 512GB SSD - 1TB Seagate HDD - 3TB WD Green HDD - 4TB WD Green HDD - MSI NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB

Sony HDR-PJ810 and HDR-PJ530

DOM670

Newbie Joined: Jan 29, 2010 09:22 Messages: 30 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 07:43

Thank you all,

This brings another question up:

1) My camcorder model is Sony HDR-XR500V and I am pretty certain that it records at 1920 x 1080i and 1440 x 1080i so how do i produce a video in PD8 in the 1920 x 1080i and 1440 x 1080i format to minimize video redering? Wouldn't going from interlaced to prolaced degrade my picture as well because it is changing the whole video?

Thanks a whole bunch!

Andrew thanks for putting it in dummy terms for me!

Andrew - Wales, UK

Contributor Location: Wales, UK Joined: Jan 27, 2009 19:16 Messages: 545 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 08:07

Hi Dom,

I own a Canon and a Sony so know your camera pretty well.

The trick is knowing what you want at the end. If you want the 1920x1080 production in tip top quality at the end, you have to shoot in HD-FH 16mbps and then follow the instructions above.

If you want 1440x1080 (I highly recommend you stick with 1920x1080) then you shoot in HD-HQ and follow the above instructions.

As long as you create a disc with matching resolution and encoding settings to your raw files, no quality will be lost - apart from at points where transitions or other video enhancements you apply exist.

Cheers,

Andrew

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Feb 05. 2010 08:09

Alienware Aurora ALX R4 - Intel i7-4820 4.2 GHz - 32GB DDR3 RAM - Crucial 512GB SSD - 1TB Seagate HDD - 3TB WD Green HDD - 4TB WD Green HDD - MSI NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB

Sony HDR-PJ810 and HDR-PJ530

DOM670

Newbie Joined: Jan 29, 2010 09:22 Messages: 30 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 08:25

Sorry to keep dragging this on. So there is no way to know whether PD8 in the Produce or Create Disc Window is refering to their quality drop down menu as 1920 x 1080i and 1044 x 1080i or 1920 x 1080p and 1044 x 1080p? I'm just curious? I hope I am making sense...

Andrew I knew you had a sony camcorder and was hopeing you would enter this board...lol...Thanks for the help!

Andrew - Wales, UK

Contributor Location: Wales, UK Joined: Jan 27, 2009 19:16 Messages: 545 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 08:35

Oh right!

They're interlaced I believe.

Cheers,

Andrew Alienware Aurora ALX R4 - Intel i7-4820 4.2 GHz - 32GB DDR3 RAM - Crucial 512GB SSD - 1TB Seagate HDD - 3TB WD Green HDD - 4TB WD Green HDD - MSI NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB

Sony HDR-PJ810 and HDR-PJ530

DOM670

Newbie Joined: Jan 29, 2010 09:22 Messages: 30 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 09:21

Alright Adrew Got a couple more for you bud,

How bout when adding music tracks to the track line and editing the audio in the video clip itself (lowering the volume, muting etc)...Pretty much talking about making a Music Video kind of thing...Will that degrade my final output...Thanks you have been a lot of help!

Andrew - Wales, UK

Contributor Location: Wales, UK Joined: Jan 27, 2009 19:16 Messages: 545 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 09:44

Hi,

It shouldn't effect your picture, just parts of the soundtrack you've played with.

Cheers,

Andrew Alienware Aurora ALX R4 - Intel i7-4820 4.2 GHz - 32GB DDR3 RAM - Crucial 512GB SSD - 1TB Seagate HDD - 3TB WD Green HDD - 4TB WD Green HDD - MSI NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB

Sony HDR-PJ810 and HDR-PJ530

Bob in Tucson

Member Location: Milwaukee, Denver, Tucson Joined: May 30, 2008 18:11 Messages: 133 Offline

Feb 05, 2010 11:56

DOM670 Hello,
You sound like a person who is getting into taking HD video.
Please use your best setting: HD HF AVCHD 1920x1080 60i format.
I implore you to get a Blu-ray burner. They're coming down in price. If you can't afford it now, save up for it. You can get over 2h45m on a BD without sacrificing quality since Build 2508. BD's are coming down in price, too. You have a terrific camcorder that takes great video. If you have disc space on your PC, save your productions and files there until you can get a BD burner. Also, you may concider the purchase of a media player ie: Western Digial's WD-TV or the 'Live Network Ready' version. I have one and they are a good product. (Asus make one, too.) Since I've had the WD-TV, I find I don't feel the need to burn as many BD's as I used to. I really believe you won't regret the upgrades.
Sincerely....

http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-Blu-ray-Writer-WH08LS20/dp/B002NZE34Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265387526&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Memorex-32020013358-Write-Once-Blu-ray-Spindle/dp/B001B96HLU/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I37D2NEICJ8AS9&colid=12X59PDT15V5I

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Media-Player-WDBABF0000NBK-NESN/dp/B002USAIYS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265388303&sr=8-2

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Feb 05. 2010 18:19

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