1920 vs 1440 for HD Export...

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Level 1

24 points

1920 vs 1440 for HD Export...

I am exporting my project using Export>Using Quicktime Conversion>Options...>Size>Dimensions. My question is in the "Size" section.

My footage from FCP6 is H.264 1440 x 1080 HD/16:9. I want to know if I can choose the size HD 1920 x 1080 16:9 setting.

The reason why I ask this is that my camera, a Canon HV20, is supposed to record at 1920 x 1080. After I converted my original footage to H.264 in Compressor it dropped the resolution to 1440 x 1080. I am unsure why but it still looks great. I would like to get a 1920 x 1080 image for my final output though.

The strange thing is although is that if I open up the Quicktime movie (Full Screen) I exported at 1440 x 1080, in the full screen it is 1920 x 1080!! What is going on here? Does it make a difference if I export at 1440 x 1080 vs 1920 x 1080?

Regards,

Rory

iMac Dual Core 2.4GHZ, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 4GB RAM (2) 2000GB GRAID2 Ext. Drives (1) 500GB Ext. Drive, Final Cut Studio 2

Posted on May 17, 2009 2:26 PM

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Answer 1

Zak Ray

Level 4

3,469 points

May 17, 2009 2:40 PM in response to Rory Mells

1440x1080 is a subsampling process cameras employ to lower the data rate necessary to record and play back material; it's 1920x1080 at a different pixel aspect ratio. The preset you used in Compressor is set to 1440x1080, which squishes it, but FCP recognizes what it is and displays it correctly (QT also displays it correctly if set that way). The idea fix would be to recompress your files correctly via Compressor by changing the frame size in the Geometry tab, but in response to your original question, yes, you can export at 1920x1080 and have it come out fine.

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Answer 2

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

May 17, 2009 2:59 PM in response to Rory Mells

my camera, a Canon HV20, is supposed to record at 1920 x 1080

It doesn't. HDV...ALL 1080i HDV (and 1080p HDV) records anamorphic 1440x1080. It is not full raster 1920x1080.

Shane

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Answer 3

Rory Mells Author

Level 1

24 points

May 17, 2009 3:15 PM in response to Zak Ray

Thanks for the help. I had another related question for *Zak Ray*. Under Movie Inspector in the 1440 x 1080 Quicktime clip this is what it says:

*Format: 16-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz*
*H.264, 1440 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions*

*Normal Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels*

Under Movie Inspector in the 1920 x 1080 Quicktime clip this is what it says:

*Format: 16-bit Integer (Little Endian), Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz*
*H.264, 1920 x 1080 (1888 x 1062), Millions*

*Normal Size: 1888 x 1062 pixels*

So in this case with the Format and Normal size being identical (1888 x 1062), would it be any difference to export at 1920 x 1080?

The only difference is the Data Size at 329.05MB for the 1920 x 1080 clip vs 268.77MB for the 1440 x 1080 clip. I am confused by this. So basically if I want the absolute best quality, choose the 1920 x 1080 export setting right?

Thanks Again.

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Answer 4

Zak Ray

Level 4

3,469 points

May 17, 2009 3:24 PM in response to Rory Mells

As Shane pointed out, your camera doesn't actually capture at full raster, so you won't really gain anything out of going to 1920x1080. But yes, you can do it.

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Answer 5

Rory Mells Author

Level 1

24 points

May 17, 2009 3:42 PM in response to Zak Ray

Will I gain anything at all? The Data Rate is faster on the 1920 x 1080 (51.51 mbits/s) vs (42.07 mbits/s) for the 1440 x 1080. Does this make a difference in playback quality?

It looks like the contrast (darks and lights) are a bit better on the 1920 clip. Wonder why it might be a little better quality but it is not 1920 x 1080? Perhaps it is not quite as compressed?

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Answer 6

Zak Ray

Level 4

3,469 points

May 17, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Rory Mells

I think your eyes are playing tricks on you. The only thing that would look (marginally) better is titles and effects, and that would only hold true if your original FCP sequence was 1920x1080. At this stage, it will make no difference.

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Answer 7

May 17, 2009 4:25 PM in response to Rory Mells

*I converted my original footage to H.264 in Compressor*

You shot HDV then converted it to H.264 and then you used the H.264 footage in FCP... is there a reason you did that?

Now you're converting it again on export... converting to what?

Just ask because it sounds like a lot of odd converting and compressing especially since H.264 isn't really meant for editing in FCP.

rh

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Answer 8

Rory Mells Author

Level 1

24 points

May 17, 2009 7:46 PM in response to Randy Holder

My apologies, *+my footage in FCP6 is Apple Pro Res 422 (HQ)+*. I guess the questions are still relevant because I was concerned about the <size> of the image. I guess going from Apple Pro Res 422 to H.264 is a good way to export to prepare this project for blue ray?

Regards.

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Answer 9

Zak Ray

Level 4

3,469 points

May 17, 2009 8:03 PM in response to Rory Mells

H.264 is part of the Blu-Ray spec, yes, but make sure you're doing it right:
http://www.kenstone.net/fcphomepage/blu-ray_fcpfields.html

Also, a note: if you're at all concerned with drive space / speed, you can use regular ProRes (as opposed to HQ). Working with HDV, you will never notice a difference.

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Answer 10

Rory Mells Author

Level 1

24 points

May 17, 2009 8:27 PM in response to Zak Ray

Thanks for your help. I think the setup procedure for the camera was to use (HQ), but I will keep that in mind in the future to save drive space/speed.

I was hoping to use Toast Titanium 10 for Blue Ray projects in the future. I found this video really helpful for Toast 9/10 questions, and useful tips on Blue Ray burning/authoring for Macs:

http://www.macvideo.tv/dvd-authoring/

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Answer 11

Zak Ray

Level 4

3,469 points

May 17, 2009 8:33 PM in response to Rory Mells

Good ol' Rick Young.

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