Interlacing issue importing mini dv Final Cut Pro

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Interlacing issue importing mini dv Final Cut Pro

Hi all, so after having issues with both iMovie and Final Cut Pro with their import functions I decided to purchase LifeFlix, which claims to simplify the process with good results. Needless to say the issues I had previously no longer persisted in LifeFlix.

However I’m now having new issues due to the tapes being an interlaced format rather than progressive. iMovie and Final Cut Pro imported the footage as progressive rather than interlaced for whatever reason. Now that the footage is interlaced it is extremely noticeable.

The issue is interlacing artifacts only appear noticeable within different softwares. Playing the imported footage in LifeFlix shows the interlacing, whereas playing the exact same file in quicktime does not. Exporting these exact same files into Final Cut Pro using the h22 Pro res codec and .mov container makes the interlacing noticeable whereas playing the same footage in the Final Cut Pro playback function does not.

Im unsure wether this is an issue with the way I have the FCP project set up or if this is an unavoidable aspect of dv that can only be fixed with deinterlacing.

I hope ive been clear enough but if any additional details are required I’d be happy to supply them. I really want to get things perfect but it’s beginning to do my head in.

MacOS 10.14.2, Sony Dcr PC9E (PAL, 25i), MacBook Pro 2013.

Posted on Jan 17, 2019 6:20 AM

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Answer 1

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MaxDrioli Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 18, 2019 3:46 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks again for all your help. I seem to have figured it out. So transcoding the source file as an apple pro res seemed to conflict in someway with quick times deinterlacing. Transcoding it as it’s source codec (dvcp) seemed to work nicely with quicktimes deinterlacing.

Playing the prores files thougu VLC seemed to deinterlace them. Nicely enough VLC has a deinterlace feature that provides many options.

Ive figured the best way to do this process is to import the files, import them all into FCP and then transcode them in dvcp so that it ends up being the same only all the files are together in one long clip. Doing this I can easily view the videos in QuickTime automatically deinterlace and saves me deinterlacing the source file at the risk of losing quality.

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jan 17, 2019 6:37 AM in response to MaxDrioli

QuickTime doesn't display interlacing. FCP doesn't either by default. You can turn on show both fields in the Viewer options popup and set the Viewer to display at 100% to get the correct view of the material.

Can you give the specs of the original material and the specs of the converted material you're importing into FCP?

Normally you deinterlace by editing in a progressive project, but it really depends on the specs of the material.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jan 18, 2019 3:03 AM in response to MaxDrioli

Would it be possible to post a piece of the original media somewhere to look at what might be happening or to post screenshots of what you see at different points in FCP with both fields, in progressive, in the QuickTime output.

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jan 17, 2019 4:24 PM in response to MaxDrioli

The quality won't degrade, but it will look different if you stop through it.

The QuickTime player displayed the interlaced file as progressive.

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Answer 5

MaxDrioli Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 17, 2019 4:19 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for the reply. So yes by applying the show both field option the material is now showing as interlaced. What i don't understand now is why quicktime is displaying the interlaced material only after FCP has exported it as a master file and does not display it beforehand.

I'm unsure exactly how much detail is required so i figured i'd give as much as possible, here is the info for the source file

And for the 422 pro res file

Hopefully you can make something out of it.

And to be clear, will importing interlaced files into a progressive project degrade quality? And perhaps the best way to do it is to keep an interlaced master file as well as a compressed de-interlaced file. Is there a good software to view the interlaced files as progressive?

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Answer 6

MaxDrioli Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 17, 2019 5:03 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Yes I understand quicktime player played it in progressive. But that doesn’t explain why after creating a master file through FCP quicktime started showing it as interlaced. Do you know why this may be?

thanks

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Answer 7

MaxDrioli Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 17, 2019 9:28 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks so much for all the help, I really appreciate it. After doing some additional research I now feel like I understand this whole thing a lot better. However after searching online I can’t seem to find anywhere how QuickTime Is handling my interlaced footage.

Im still confused as to why QuickTime plays the source files deinterlaced and the Final Cut processed files interlaced. i don’t see anywhere that Final Cut Pro is scaling the videos and the specs seem identical other than format. Is it possible that one being formatted as “DV” and the other “ProRes” could change how QuickTime is handling the interlaced material?

Additioanlly are you aware of any setting that would change how QuickTime handles the interlacing. After countless hours of searching online and reading I can’t figure out why I’m having inconsistencies.

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