Horizontal lines on 720p HD video

You shouldn't be shooting standard definition with that camera. Make sure you check the settings so that you're shooting AVCHD.

You can google anamorphic.

Do a small test. Make a new project and leave the settings on automatic to set the project properties on first clip.

Put a couple of clips into the project. Then open project properties. What does it say?

From the screen shots that you posted this is what I think:

You created a new Project but used in it the original Event that you set up to import your original video. It was these original Event import settings that ( I think) were somehow wrong - I think. By allowing FCP X to import your video set to automatic, it should do so with the original frame sizes and other characteristics. I think.

It would seem from what you have posted that you originally shot SD Widescreen (Standard Definition) interlaced then tried to change those settings to 720 P. Is that right? If so:

Perhaps... SStart at the beginning. Put a card from your camera into your card reader and then control click on the actual .m2v or .mov or mp4 or AVCHD video on the card and open it in Quicktime X Player. This way one can see for sure what video you have to work with.

Tom is right, tho you can, you shouldn't be setting that camera to shoot SD since it can shoot HD.

I also recommend downloading VLC Player. It will open and play any video in its original glory with details.

It is all a bit confusing which gets cube rooted by trying to use the written word. Also, Tom knows his stuff so I do not want to futher confuse all this - so I'll leave you & him to figure it all out. Just thought I'd add this last bit.

Try to stick with this. Be methodical. Don't get discouraged. You are getting a brilliant crash course on "everything i needed to know about video but was afraid to ask."

Good Luck

One last thing, in the screenshot below the Boy in the NY Yankee Cap, your video has an (id) at the end. My experience is that that is created when FCP X creates optimized or proxy media. No?

The first image is for an SD not an HD project.

The bottom image is showing the audio stream information only. Nothing about the frame size or the video stream.

The media is clearly interlaced and not progessive. It's not 720p. It's 576i or 1080i, unless the camera is shooting some other non-standard bastardized version of video, which some manufacturers unfortunately seem prone to do.

OK, in the same window in VLC that you found and expanded Stream 1 -- which is audio,

go back to VLC/Window/Media Information/ :

Please make screen shots that show:

1 - General

2- Codec Details (expand the arrow for Stream 0 ONLY...( Stream 0 is your video info, Stream 1 is audio)

You just didn't tick the Stream 0 disclosure. We need to know that info.

This is directly from your card/camera right? Not after FCP or any other editing or conversion software has had its way with your video. Right? No clipwrap, No any video convertor, No best video convertor, No aunsof or brosoft, etc.

You are almost there.

Good Luck

This is the camera & specs: :

https://docs.sony.com/release/specs/HDRCX130_mksp.pdf

These cameras shoot a number of different formats. Need to figure out which one this is.

Any luck using VLC/window/media information/codec/ Stream 0 ?

Your camera can be set to shoot many kinds of files, we need to see what you shot to possibly create a custom import into Final Cut Pro 10.1.1. - probably a simple thing, tho.

Ok. -- Hopefully Tom or someone else will offfer more help. Here are my opinions:

You have 2 issues, the first being the most important right now:

1. You have shot some video with your camera at a less than optimum setting:

SD (720X576) 50 i -- or at least that is what VLC is reporting. To this issue you need to either (a) convert that video outside of FCP X to make it "look" the best it can. (b) import it into FCP X making certain that it is imported as it is. Up until now none of your import settings have not matched what VLC shows - SD 720 X 576, 50 i. (If you do this, you can hopefully export out as 50 P thus removing the interlacing ) --- I think.

Now, I have never tried this but I have seen other folks try to get rid of interlacing upon import - perhaps that works, but since I always remove interlacing AFTER I edit, that is what my advise id based upon.

Another option right now that I would at least try if I were in your situation is to use Mpeg Streamclip to transcode your video to progressive Pro Res 422. Download the beta ver. 1.9.3b8. You must buy the (QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg)

espeacially for your camera. Follow the instruction where to put it:

Mac Hd/System/Library/Quicktime/

(If you do not have the apth above, domnload Quicktime 7).

2) You need to learn at what setting your camera shoots the best video in HD. Try setting your camera to shoot test footage of a car driving by you at 1920 X 1080, 25 P, 1920 x 1080 25 i or at 50 I & P. Whatever settings you got, try each one on the same cars driving by in the DAY. Make sure NOT to put more than one test setting on a card. Set, shoot, copy the cards contents to a folder on your computer, make written notes, go back outside and try at a difeerent setting, repeat. Please read up on the difference between interlaced and progressive and Google your camera model + poor image quality followed by a "?".

I know that all of this "reads" very complicated. Just take it in bite size portions, use Google read other discussions and POST BACK here with anything - no matter how "insignificant" I for one want to know how all this turns out for you.

Good Luck