Compressor: DVD: Best Quality doesn't look very good.

Question

Compressor: DVD: Best Quality doesn't look very good.

Hello

I was wondering if anyone can help. When I export 1080p projects to compressor so I can import them into DVD studio, all the forums say that 'best quality' is the best one to use. Whenever it's finished, and I import it into the DVD project, the picture quality seems to drop an awful lot. I'm burning onto a Standard DVD but I thought it would be maybe 720p and my TV won't play it any higher than 480p. Everything is filmed in 1080p, it's edited in apple pro res in FCP and then I'm not too sure how to make it look better quality on TV. Can anyone suggest anything or tell me were I'm going wrong?

(When I have compressed it the same clips with HD DVD h.264, it plays on my Mac in full screen HD but when I use the best quality, it plays it in a very small screen)

Many thanks

Kiwi

xx

Posted on Jun 27, 2013 2:36 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Jun 27, 2013 3:34 PM in response to impossiblekiwi

DVD is standard definition and is 720x480 resolution. If you want higher rez, you'll need to make a Blu Ray disk or if your movie is under about 35 minutes, an AVCHD red laser disk.

Nonetheless, you should be able to produce a good-looking standard def DVD. For best results, the source file should be one that's high quality (Pro Res 422 would be great). Turn on Frame Controls and for Resize Filter choose Best.

There is no longer any Best Quality preset in Compressor, so I assume you're using an earlier version like 3.5.

The bitrate settings for Best Quality 90 minutes are 6.5 6.2 mbps average and 7.7 Mbps maximum. In C4. the default quality settings for an HD input file are 7.7 Mbps average and 9.0 Mbps maximum. So you could probably bump your bit rates a little.

Do some tests with different bit rates. Mark a short section in the preview window and evaluate the results you get at different rates.

Good luck.

Russ

Message was edited by: Russ H to correct bit rate

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Answer 2

Jun 28, 2013 10:46 AM in response to Russ H

Thanks Russ. I've been looking around so many forums to see were I'm going wrong but thought it would be easier to just ask. I am using the older 3.5. Do you think the newer version would be worth the upgrade?

Thanks again

Kiwi x

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Answer 3

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Jun 28, 2013 12:17 PM in response to impossiblekiwi

impossiblekiwi wrote:

I am using the older 3.5. Do you think the newer version would be worth the upgrade?

Unless you need MP4 h.264 or want to do a lot of Web work that is self-hosted, I would say, no. I think that C3.5 works very well for the vast majority of people. Certainly for DVD or Blu Ray, there would not be any reason to upgrade.

So do some of the testing I suggested. Use RW disks or output as a disk image so you don't waste a lot of media.

Post back and let us know how you make out.

Russ

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