Scott Winterle1
Level 1 (114 points)
Video

Q: Compressor must not like Reds

Editing on FCP 6.0.5, exporting to a self-contained QT movie, then Compressing in 4.2 because my version of FCP does not link up with Compressor 4 and I cannot use Compressor 3 because there is an "Unable to Submit to Queue" error message.

 

So far I can honestly say that Compressor falls far below my expectations to provide a good quality .m2v file of my standard def footage.

It doesn't seem to matter what Field Dominance I edit with or what Field Order I compress with.

 

It always seems to look blurry and in this latest case, it does not seem to like rendering the red colors very well.

Notice the 2 pictures below, the first is of the QT self-contained movie and the second is of the Compressor 4.2 file.

Since I need to author DVDs and there is no way I can use the self-contained QT file (which is obviously a much better quality) without encoding or compressing, am I truly stuck with Compressor's crappy results? Seriously Apple?

Screen Shot 2015-07-28 at 5.38.16 PM.png

Screen Shot 2015-07-28 at 5.34.16 PM.png

Posted on Jul 28, 2015 2:53 PM

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Scott Winterle1

Q: Compressor must not like Reds

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 28, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 28, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    Hey Scott,

     

    You're pointing your finder at the wrong suspect. The Apple encoding process for MPEG2 DVD standard is OK. But the standard itself is not do hot anymore.

     

    Don't judge your images on a computer, Judge them on your DVD player>TV. Don't mess with the field dominance,

     

    Possible use Best setting for Resize Filter if you have the time.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 28, 2015 7:51 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 28, 2015 7:51 PM in response to Russ H

    I will try Best for Resize. Thank you for the advice. I find the same horrible quality when I playback on the TV.

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 29, 2015 1:42 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 29, 2015 1:42 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    Best Resize had no better effect on the reds.

    I even tried a de-interlace filter in FCP and there is no difference.

    It just looks horrible! The Quick Time self-contained movie file looks fine! it's when it's brought into DVDSP and/or compressed that it gets mucked up.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 29, 2015 4:59 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 29, 2015 4:59 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    Are you using the default settings in Compressor? Please post a screen shot of the Inspector with the Video tab open.

     

    Russ

     

  • by BenB,

    BenB BenB Jul 29, 2015 8:47 AM in response to Russ H
    Level 6 (10,036 points)
    Audio
    Jul 29, 2015 8:47 AM in response to Russ H

    This is where broadcast safe levels may come in to play.  In FCPX, use the luma waveform scope, and the RGB parade scope to verify your contrast levels, and your red levels are broadcast safe.  Red is notorious for causing havoc when overly saturated/bright.

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 29, 2015 11:33 AM in response to BenB
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 29, 2015 11:33 AM in response to BenB

    Thanks for the advice Ben. I took a look at all the scopes and it does not look like it will help.

    I still think this is a Compressor issue. I only wish there were settings or filters I could use to correct the image.

    Here are 2 more images, the first one is the QT self-contained movie file. The edges around the red costume appear normal.

    The second image is after it's run through Compressor. If anybody has any knowledge of if or how this could be fixed I sure would be grateful as I know my client will not like the result and this type of thing could lead to me losing business. Again, Apple...Thanks!Screen shot 2015-07-29 at 2.24.53 PM.png

    Screen shot 2015-07-29 at 2.25.50 PM.png

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 29, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 29, 2015 1:47 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    You did not respond to my question.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 29, 2015 2:22 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 29, 2015 2:22 PM in response to Russ H

    Yes with exception to 2 pass best & setting ny own VBR.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 29, 2015 4:04 PM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 29, 2015 4:04 PM in response to Scott Winterle1

    OK. So what was the camera that shot the original and do you know what the format was that you imported into FCP? What were your sequence settings… did they match the original clips' properties? When you exported, did you export Current Settings? Did you use QuickTime Conversion? If you open your exported movie (the Compressor source file) in QuickTime and enter Command-i, what does the Inspector report for the file?

     

    Just to add that spot-lit images such as you have in this performance are very challenging for cameras (notwithstanding the red issues). But whatever the quality of the original footage and the QuickTime source file, Compressor 4.2 should do at least as good a job as Compressor 3.0 when encoding to DVD stabdards.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 29, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 29, 2015 8:47 PM in response to Russ H

    Russ thank u for taking the time to assist and ask questions. I shot the footage using a panasonic hvx170, 720x480 squeeze mode on p2 cards. Ediing i used sequence settings native to the footage which was 3:2 anamorphic, lower field. And i used quick time conversion, NTSC anamorphic setting.

    By the way, i have made the master dvds and noticed that playback in a bluray player helps minimize the red blocking. Its still noticeable but not as bad as what you can see in the attached photos above.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 30, 2015 4:55 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 30, 2015 4:55 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    QT Conversion introduces an additional layer of compression.

     

    My suggestion: create a new sequence in FCP. Copy and paste the first sequence to the second. If asked, let FCP match the sequence settings. Set in and out points in a section of your edited video that you find to be problematic. Export QuickTime Movie (not Conversion) Current Settings, Bring that file into Compressor and apply the default settings for DVD. Don't apply the Resize filter.

     

    Post back and let us know: 1) whether it is sharper; 2) the reds are truer.

     

    Russ

  • by Scott Winterle1,

    Scott Winterle1 Scott Winterle1 Jul 30, 2015 10:17 AM in response to Russ H
    Level 1 (114 points)
    Video
    Jul 30, 2015 10:17 AM in response to Russ H

    I apologize. I was not exporting to QT Conversion, but QT Movie as you state above.

    I tried compressing in Better and Best (Resize Filter) and not sure if I see a difference, but as I mentioned in my last post, playback does appear better using a blu-ray player.

  • by Russ H,

    Russ H Russ H Jul 30, 2015 10:44 AM in response to Scott Winterle1
    Level 7 (21,905 points)
    Quicktime
    Jul 30, 2015 10:44 AM in response to Scott Winterle1

    OK.

     

    Doubtful that Resize filter is helping, It's meant for reducing artifacts that are sometimes generated when reducing the resolution º say, from HD to SD.  In your case, you're not changing the resolution,

     

    The only other thing that I can think of that might be a factor affecting your video is the way the anamorphic pixels are being handled. It's been so long since I worked with "squeeze mode" footage that I can't remember whether FCP/Compressor had problems interpreting it.

     

    Hopefully someone else will have some good suggestions.

     

    Russ