Progressive or Interlaced

Question

Level 1

20 points

Progressive or Interlaced

How can I tell if the footage that someone hands me is interlaced or progressive. I know some you can tell by the way it plays back with the visible lines. But in high quality video, whats the easiest way to find out?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6), FCP 6.0.6

Posted on Jun 29, 2010 3:20 PM

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Answer 1

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jun 29, 2010 3:24 PM in response to bubsy

Watch it. If it looks smooth and TV news like, it's interlaced. If it has a sort of "film look", it is progressive.

Unless it is 720p60, where it is progressive AND smooth, as it is 60fps.

Shane

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Answer 2

Jun 29, 2010 11:18 PM in response to bubsy

How are you viewing the footage? in Final Cut?

If you look in the browser and scroll to the right you'll see columns for Frame Size and Vid Rate. Interlaced footage is likely going to be 29.97 fps (under Vid Rate). Progressive footage is likely going to be 23.97 fps.

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Answer 3

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,447 points

Jun 29, 2010 3:22 PM in response to bubsy

Ask.

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Answer 4

bubsy Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 1, 2010 9:57 AM in response to Nathan Jongewaard

I have footage which is shot on a flip cam at 1280x720 29.97 with no field dominance. 29.97 leads me to believe its interlaced but if there is no field dominance, wouldn't that mean its progressive?

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Answer 5

Jul 1, 2010 10:30 AM in response to bubsy

You are correct. None field dominance means progressive. The Flip cam shoots progressive.

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