Interlacing Artifacting (motion streaking ) when I convert ProRes HD footage to MPEG2...?

Question

I&#x27;ve got ProRes HD footage which I am trying to convert into MPEG2 SD.The picture sharpness is OK but I find with the MPEG2 motion, there are interlacing artifacts (motion shimmer for want of a better phrase).How do I get rid of this interlacing artifacting and keep a good quality image (in Compressor 4)?If I turn up the Adaptive Details "Details Level" to near maximum, this helps, but it makes the image too sharp and speckles it.I have the Resize and Retiming to Best, Best.Any ideas?Here&#x27;s my original HD footage. Format                               : MPEG-4Format profile                       : QuickTimeCodec ID                             : qt  File size                            : 168 GiBDuration                             : 2h 18mnOverall bit rate mode                : VariableOverall bit rate                     : 173 MbpsEncoded date                         : UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17Tagged date                          : UTC 2014-09-08 20:14:37Writing library                      : aapl©TIM                                 : 00:00:00:00©TSC                                 : 2997©TSZ                                 : 125VideoID                                   : 1Format                               : ProResFormat version                       : Version 0Format profile                       : HighCodec ID                             : apchDuration                             : 2h 18mnBit rate mode                        : VariableBit rate                             : 173 MbpsWidth                                : 1 920 pixelsHeight                               : 1 080 pixelsDisplay aspect ratio                 : 16:9Frame rate mode                      : ConstantFrame rate                           : 23.976 fpsColor space                          : YUVChroma subsampling                   : 4:2:2Scan type                            : ProgressiveBits/(Pixel*Frame)                   : 3.484Stream size                          : 168 GiB (100%)Writing library                      : AppleLanguage                             : EnglishEncoded date                         : UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17Tagged date                          : UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17Color primaries                      : BT.709Transfer characteristics             : BT.709Matrix coefficients                  : BT.709OtherID                                   : 2Type                                 : Time codeFormat                               : QuickTime TCDuration                             : 2h 18mnTime code of first frame             : 00:00:00:00Time code settings                   : StripedLanguage                             : EnglishEncoded date                         : UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17Tagged date                          : UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17

Tom Wolsky · Answer

Are you see this shimmer in the ProRes file in the QT player? If there&#x27;s interlacing can you post a screen shot? Or maybe a piece of the video that shows the problem? That file shouldn&#x27;t be interlaced, so the shimmering might be something else.

Bansaw · Answer

Thanks.  The original HD file plays great.  Its after the conversion to MPEG2 SD that the interlace artifacts (motion issues) appear.Perhaps I should convert into ProRes SD first at the right frame rate (from 23 to 29) THEN convert to MPEG2?Anyway, here&#x27;s a screengrab:

Tom Wolsky · Answer

That&#x27;s not interlacing. I would leave the frame rate at 23.976 rather than convert it to 29.97. The video as film frame rate is supported in the DVD format. The DVD player adds pulldown to display on a 29.97 television.

Bansaw · Answer

Wow, I didn&#x27;t know a NTSC DVD could be 23.976 frame rate.  I thought it has to be 29.97!   😮OK, I&#x27;ll give that a try thanks.

Bansaw · Answer

Sadly, it appears that DVD Studio Pro does not support 24p.   Just the regular 29.97.

Russ H · Answer

23.98 fps video in DVD SP works here. Did it reject the asset? Did you get an error message?Russ

Bansaw · Answer

I imported my 23.98 asset into DVDSP, burned it and then in MediaInfo I looked at the VOB file.  It says 20.97.Now I read somewhere else that this might not be an accurate reasing and that it is actually 23.98, but how can I verify that?

Russ H · Answer

It is pretty obscure. There is a  section on the treatment of 24 fps in the manual. Here&#x27;s what it says.And how did it look after you tried Tom&#x27;s advice? Did you play it on a TV?Russ

Bansaw · Answer

My assets are definitely 23.98 when they import.   I just read that DVDSP won&#x27;t tell me correctly that they are , but still will apparently burn a 24p DVD as you suggest.I did burn a sample DVD and it did look better in terms of its motion.  So I am guessing that it did do a 24p DVD for me.  Its just that when I interrogate the VOB file in MediaInfo it says 29.97 and this makes me question if DVDSP actually did 24p for me.But my burned DVD does look better motion-wise.

Russ H · Answer

Open the VOB in Video Spec.  What does it report? And while you&#x27;re at it, what is the bit rate?Russ

Bansaw · Answer

Ah, now then,  I installed Video Spec says its 23.976.Whereas my other video analyser (MediaInfo) said it was 29.97.*** General Parameters ***- Name:  VTS_01_1.VOB- Container:  Mpeg Program Stream- Size:  52.22 MB- Duration:  1mn 27s- Bitrate:  4 776 Kbps*** Video Track Parameters ***- Format:  MPEG-2 Video- Bitrate:  Max.: 7 900 Kbps / Average: 4 681 Kbps / Min.: ---- Frame rate (fps):  Max.: Undefined / Average: 23.976 / Min.: Undefined- Encoding profile:  Main@Main- Image size:  720*480- Pixel Aspect Ratio:  Undefined- Display Aspect Ratio:  4:3- Interlacing:  Progressive - 2:3 Pulldown

Bansaw · Answer

Actually , comparing them both.  the 24p DVD looks OK but the 29.97 DVD look noticeably better.The only place the 29.97 DVD does not look better is when there is significant motion.  Then you get the artifacts on the edges of objects.Thats sad, because apart from that the 29.97 looks great.

Format	: MPEG-4
Format profile	: QuickTime
Codec ID	: qt
File size	: 168 GiB
Duration	: 2h 18mn
Overall bit rate mode	: Variable
Overall bit rate	: 173 Mbps
Encoded date	: UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17
Tagged date	: UTC 2014-09-08 20:14:37
Writing library	: aapl
©TIM	: 00:00:00:00
©TSC	: 2997
©TSZ	: 125

ID	: 1
Format	: ProRes
Format version	: Version 0
Format profile	: High
Codec ID	: apch
Duration	: 2h 18mn
Bit rate mode	: Variable
Bit rate	: 173 Mbps
Width	: 1 920 pixels
Height	: 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio	: 16:9
Frame rate mode	: Constant
Frame rate	: 23.976 fps
Color space	: YUV
Chroma subsampling	: 4:2:2
Scan type	: Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)	: 3.484
Stream size	: 168 GiB (100%)
Writing library	: Apple
Language	: English
Encoded date	: UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17
Tagged date	: UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17
Color primaries	: BT.709
Transfer characteristics	: BT.709
Matrix coefficients	: BT.709

ID	: 2
Type	: Time code
Format	: QuickTime TC
Duration	: 2h 18mn
Time code of first frame	: 00:00:00:00
Time code settings	: Striped
Language	: English
Encoded date	: UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17
Tagged date	: UTC 2014-09-08 17:29:17