Issues with XDcam and DVD regions

Question

Issues with XDcam and DVD regions

I am at the end of my rope and unsure how to explain this problem but it is driving me off the deep end. It is complicated so here goes:

I edited some footage in FCP that I imported from both XDcam and AVCHD files. Before I imported the footage, I had to convert one segment from PAL to NTSC, and the rest of the footage was in NTSC. I then output the final edit to an MPEG-2 video, 1920X1080 and it looks great when I open it in QT. The problem comes when I try to burn the mpg-3 to DVD. I burned a DVD using Toast Titanium, and before it started to burn, it told me that the footage was in PAL format and asked me if I wanted to convert it to NTSC. I clicked "Yes." It took about 3 hours to convert and burn the DVD, and when it was finished, all the footage was covered with white rectangles with this message written on them: "Calibrated (Q) XD decode".

I then tried to save-as or re-export my original QT video using different output formats and codecs, but each time, the final output video has the same annoying white rectangles all over it.

I am using FCP 7.0.3, Quicktime 10.0 and Toast Titanium 9.0.7, a Macbook Pro with OS 10.6.7.

Any ideas???

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jun 24, 2011 3:15 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 24, 2011 7:13 PM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

>I then output the final edit to an MPEG-2 video, 1920X1080

Since DVD is standard definition only, your footage will need to be downconverted to SD. The best way would be to export a self-contained or reference movie from FCP by going to FIle->Export->QuickTime Movie (do NOT use QuickTime Conversion).

Use the resulting file in Compressor. Use one of Compressor's DVD presets (based on the duration of your program) to produce the needed MPEG-2 video file (.m2v) and Dolby Digital audio file (.ac3).

Use the two files from Compressor in DVD Studio Pro for authoring and burning.

-DH

ps: what problem were you having with DVD regions?

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Answer 2

Jun 25, 2011 4:16 AM in response to David Harbsmeier

This is helpful, except I don't understand why a DVD has to be SD. Can't i burn a DVD that is HD? Or do you mean that it can be anamorphic 16x9 aspect ration but the resolution has to be SD? I'm confused.

I'm not familiar with Compressor. Is it a feature of DVD studio pro or is it separate software? All I'm trying to do is compress my video to the point where I can put it on a DVD. It does not need to be authored.

The problem I'm having with DVD regions is that i can't figure out if my DVD player is set to region 1 or 2. I changed it to region 2 to watch a European DVD a while back and i'm not sure if I ever changed it back. I put in a regular DVD from the USA and it worked fine. However the last DVD I burned using the method above was a PAL DVD which does not play on a regular DVD player. Does the region setting on the DVD player affect the output of the DVD burner?

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Answer 3

mishmumken

Level 5

4,000 points

Jun 25, 2011 5:13 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

Do not confuse the physical media with the type of playable you are creating. A video DVD is SD by definition. It can be either 4:3 or 16:9 according to your footage.

DVDSP can also create HD-DVDs but that is a dead format, unless you only want to play it on your Mac.

If you want to have HD on a playable disc, you'll need to look into Blu-Ray, which will require either Toast and it's BD- Plugin or FCS 3 (Compressor) and a Blu-Ray burner. And a Blu-Ray player, of course.

Also: there is the possibility to put Blu-Ray content on red-laser discs. This is referred to as BD5/BD9 or AVCHD disc and the discs are not compatible with all players.

Compressor is part of Final Cut Studio, not part of DVDSP.

Only commercial DVDs are set to a certain region (the region where they come from). DVDs produced by DVDSP for example (and my guess is Toast as well) are set to "all regions" and can thus be played anywhere. And settings in the player have nothing to do with burning.

mish

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Answer 4

Jun 25, 2011 8:03 AM in response to mishmumken

When I go to the menu of my QT video, I see FILE / EXPORT or EXPORT FOR WEB, there is no option for Export Quicktime movie.

Under Export, there is an option for Movie to Quicktime Movie using default settings. is that the option I should use?

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Answer 5

Jun 25, 2011 8:16 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

>When I go to the menu of my QT video, I see FILE / EXPORT or EXPORT FOR WEB, there is no option for Export Quicktime movie.

Please re-read my response above where I stated; "The best way would be to export a self-contained or reference movie from FCP by going to FIle->Export->QuickTime Movie (do NOT use QuickTime Conversion)." It sounds like you're looking in the File menu of QuickTime Player - not FCP. The goal is to export a self-contained movie from FCP, not from QuickTime Player.

-DH

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Answer 6

mishmumken

Level 5

4,000 points

Jun 25, 2011 8:20 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

Yes. Export using current settings and check "self contained". Do not check "recompress all frames".

As an afterthought: make sure that your sequence is fully rendered before exporting.

mish

Edit: if you are NOT exporting from FCP > what David said

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Answer 7

Jun 25, 2011 10:12 AM in response to mishmumken

Sorry I read your response wrong. I will follow the above directions for exporting from FCP and see how it goes.

But just to add another layer of weirdness to this whole thing that might be relevant: I "Saved as" another QT .mov file from QT, and then when I tried to burn it using Toast, I got this message:

"The TV standard is currently set to NTSC, but all your content is PAL format. Do you want to write a PAL disc or re-encode all content to NTSC?"

What the??

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Answer 8

Jun 25, 2011 10:18 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

What are you Sequence settings in FCP? What are the clip's specs you used in this edit?

-DH

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Answer 9

Jun 25, 2011 10:40 AM in response to David Harbsmeier

OK I think I see what the problem is. My sequence settings were at 1080i50, which I believe is PAL, because one portion of one clip that I imported was originally shot in PAL and I had to convert it to NTSC. I changed my settings to 1080i60, but now all my footage in the timeline shows up as unrendered, and it is telling me that it will take 2 hours to render my footage.

Should I go back and use different settings?

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Answer 10

mishmumken

Level 5

4,000 points

Jun 25, 2011 10:52 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

If you have only one clip that is 50i and all the rest is 60i try making a new sequence in 60i then copy/paste everything into the new sequence? What does the render bar say now?

mish

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Answer 11

Jun 25, 2011 1:46 PM in response to mishmumken

I had already started rendering before i got your response, so i let it render. Now, the video sequence is stretched in the viewer in FCP. It looks like it is about 2.5 / 1 aspect ration, wider than 16/9 even. Really weird.

Should I undo the rendering and try your method of copy/pasting?

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Answer 12

Jun 27, 2011 7:26 AM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

I changed my settings to i60, re-rendered my sequence, and then I exported a QT video using the settings you suggested above. When I try to burn a DVD using Toast Titanium, I still get the same error message about the PAL TV standard (see above.)

I am not very familiar with Compressor or DVD Studio Pro. Is there an easier way to burn a DVD? Or maybe there is a problem with my DVD burner because it has been set to PAL somehow and I have exceeded the 5 region changes and it won't let me change back to NTSC?

I will try burning a DVD on another computer.

Any other ideas?

(By the way THANK YOU so much for all of your helpful responses!)

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Answer 13

mishmumken

Level 5

4,000 points

Jun 27, 2011 1:44 PM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

Open your exported video in QT and hit Cmd + I ... what does the Inspector window say?

PAL vs NTSC has nothing to do with regions, so that shouldn't be a problem.

mish

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Answer 14

Jun 27, 2011 3:15 PM in response to mishmumken

Here is what it says on my QT file. I am extremely confused. How does PAL vs NTSC not have anything to do with regions? I thought regions were all about the format used in different countries to encode DVDs. Isn't NTSC used in USA (region 1) and PAL in Europe (region 2)? I would be most grateful for an explanation.

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Answer 15

Jun 27, 2011 5:07 PM in response to Pierre Degaillande1

PAL, SECAM and NTSC are television standards: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg

DVD region codes affect DVD players and discs. They really have nothing to do with the TV standard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DVD-Regions_with_key-2.svg

-DH

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