Interlaced vs. Progressive

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Level 1

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Interlaced vs. Progressive

I'm running FCE HD 3.5.1 working with super-16 footage transferred to HD (uncompressed 8-bit 1920x1080). Right now, the default Sequence Preset is "DV NTSC 48kHz", and there's a nasty interlacing issue with the image. I'd like to change that setting to one of the AIC HDV settings listed on page 214 of the User's Guide, but I don't see any of those three listed in my Load Sequence Preset... choices.
Is there anything I can do to choose one of those settings?
If there is, will I still have the interlacing issue if I choose 1080i, or should I go with 720p?

Mini, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on Feb 28, 2010 11:39 AM

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Answer 1

MartinR

Level 7

24,996 points

Feb 28, 2010 12:22 PM in response to JohnT.O.

Hello John,

FCE doesn't work with 8-bit uncompressed material.

What exactly is the source media? (Open it in QuickTime and do *Window > Show Movie Inspector.* What does it say about the format/codec/size & fps of the media?)

As for using an AIC sequence, your material would need to be QT/AIC, not 8-bit uncompressed. And if you have 1080i material, it will do no good trying to put it in a 720p sequence.

When you do +FCE > Easy Setup,+ do any of the AIC setups show there? (You may have to click Format > All Formats to reveal all the Easy Setups.) Assuming they show there (and they should), you could select the HDV-AIC-1080i60 easy setup, create a new sequence, load your clip(s) into the new sequence, and see what results you get. But again, your material would really need to be AIC before you import it into FCE. (See MPEG Streamclip for possible conversion.)

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Answer 2

JohnT.O. Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2010 6:58 PM in response to MartinR

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the info, this answered a lot of questions.
I was able to find the proper HDV-AIC listings under "Easy Setup...", but I won't be able to test the results until tomorrow. It's looking as though I'll use Streamclip to convert the raw files before importing, then re-cut according to my EDL.
But this brings up another question:
FCE HD has a frame rate of 29.97 for HD material, but I'm told 29.97 is interlaced by default. Since the interlacing seems to be causing the ugly image, is there anything I can do to de-interlace once I've finished the re-cut? Or is it possible that Streamclip will make de-interlacing unnecessary?

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Answer 3

MartinR

Level 7

24,996 points

Mar 1, 2010 8:01 AM in response to JohnT.O.

Do the conversion first, then see what happens. I think the problem had to do with trying to use 8-bit uncompressed material in a DV sequence in FCE.

If you have HD material (1920x1080 is what you indicated) you need to convert it to *QuickTime Apple Intermediate Codec,* 1080i60, not DV. I'm not sure MPEG Streamclip can handle 8-bit uncompressed input, but give it a try.

Regarding interlacing per se, that is fundamental to all TV systems; 29.97 is the standard frame rate for NTSC video. You can deinterlace in FCE or MPEG Streamclip but that is not done if your intent is to burn DVDs. The only progressive format FCE handles at present is 720p30 although I have seen some workarounds for 1080p material.

I'd ask again, what are the exact specs of your source video ... you said you have 1920x1080 ... more info is needed

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