Scott Winterle1
Level 1 (114 points)
Video

Q: Any advice for compressing SD footage in Squeeze mode?

I am working on a few dance video projects right now that were shot on Mini-DV SD Squeeze mode.

When I encode it through Compressor 4 it looks very grainy, almost like it was shot on film.

When I make a self-contained QT movie and encode it through DVD Studio Pro it's clearer but looks out of focus. The faces are not clear at all.

I also tried encoding through Compressor and bumping up the Quality (resize filter and retiming quality).

I do not know if these should be messed with but the results I got back seem like colors are more distorted and over exposed compared to what I am seeing  in Final Cut Pro playback.

 

Does anyone have any advice for how or what settings I should use to encode SD Squeeze mode footage so I can get better results?

Posted on Jul 16, 2015 3:39 PM

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Scott Winterle1

Q: Any advice for compressing SD footage in Squeeze mode?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 16, 2015 3:48 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 16, 2015 3:48 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    You're encoding for DVD?

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 16, 2015 4:23 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 16, 2015 4:23 PM in response to Russ H

    yes, I apologize for not specifying that.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 17, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 17, 2015 6:28 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    I found some 100B footage shot in squeeze mode. Imported into FCP X and when I used the stock DVD settings in Compressor 4  it produced a very good looking output file.

     

    Can you check the video specs of your input file?  Open the QT Inspector and take a screen shot of what it reports.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 17, 2015 9:27 AM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 17, 2015 9:27 AM in response to Russ H

    When you say check the video specs, are you referring to it's item properties? Or Quick Time Video Settings when I go to export to a self contained movie?

    It would help to let me know in detail what tabs I need to click on to view the information you request.

    thank you for your assistance.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 17, 2015 11:48 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 17, 2015 11:48 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    The Quick Time Inspector is opened in QuickTime by the Keyboard shortcut, Command-i. There aren't any sub menus. I was asked about the report on the file after you exported from FCP.

     

    Within FCP, command-0 will bring up the sequence settings, which would also be useful.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 17, 2015 12:28 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 17, 2015 12:28 PM in response to Russ H

    Okay, Quick Time Inspector shows this for the exported self-contained movie file..., Then Sequence Settings, and what it shows me when I click on the Advanced button under Quick Time Video settings

    Screen Shot 2015-07-17 at 3.22.26 PM.png

    Screen Shot 2015-07-17 at 3.24.18 PM.png

    Screen Shot 2015-07-17 at 3.24.32 PM.png

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 17, 2015 2:41 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 17, 2015 2:41 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    Nothing sticks out. A little surprised to see progressive. What camera shot this? Or did you convert to progressive?

     

    Also, can you confirm that you are using the Create DVD preset in Compressor. (BTW, the Resize Filter is best used when down-scaling…say, HD to SD.)

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 17, 2015 5:38 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 17, 2015 5:38 PM in response to Russ H

    The camera is a Panasonic DVC 30. I guess I can try using Interlaced in the compression settings. I am not sure what the difference is or why one should be used over the other.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 17, 2015 6:43 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 17, 2015 6:43 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    I remember the DVC 30 as a good camera, but one that shot interlaced.

     

    How did it get to be progressive in your project? Was it run through a converter application?

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 17, 2015 10:29 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 17, 2015 10:29 PM in response to Russ H

    No I switched it that way after reading up trying to determine what settings I should use. The articles I read may have been referring to HD footage. I switched back to Interlaced and hoping for better results.

  • by Russ H,Helpful

    Russ H Russ H Jul 18, 2015 5:42 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 18, 2015 5:42 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    As a general matter, edit as you shot.

     

    if you're going to display your movie on a computer it's certainly desirable to de-interlace, particularly if the content has significant motion.

     

    The majority of DVD players and TVs handle interlacing perfectly well and if I am working with interlaced that is being encoded for DVD, I do not de-interlace. Even the best of the de-interlacing software throws away huge amount of information.

     

    Again, please confirm the Compressor  settings you have applied to your input file…whether they are based on the default ("buit-in") t Create DVD preset.

     

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 18, 2015 2:56 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 18, 2015 2:56 PM in response to Russ H

    Here is a screen shot of the Compressor Video settings. I always customize the VBR according to a chart I found on the internet.

    Up to this point I had been changing the Field Order to Progressive but according to your advice I should leave it as it was shot.

    And I always choose Two Pass VBR. I am just not sure about the Quality settings at the bottom.

     

    Another question in reference to FCP, should I change the Field Dominance in the Sequence Settings to None? Or leave it as it was shot?

    Screen Shot 2015-07-18 at 5.51.59 PM.png