My Text/Video in FCP 7 is blurry AFTER render (and export)

Dear god, I've searched every single online forum I can, and googled for hours.

No answers for my exact problem... 😟

Trying to give all info for this question:

Using Final Cut Pro 7.0.3 (I know it's old, but it's all I've got)

Footage filmed on a Flip Video - 1280 x 720

So I successfully edited a full video: it displays CRISP is Canvas. Also CRISP after export.

I opened the same .fcp file and added a "NEW PROJECT" (tab) so I could utilize some of the same files (copy/paste from one sequence to another).

When I dropped Flip Video footage in my FIRST sequence, it asked if I wanted to auto-change settings to match video - YES!

It never asked me this on my SECOND sequence (I assumed it was already set the same).

Halfway through completion, I realized it WASN'T set the same!!

(Side question: Is there a way to make sure settings are correct from get-go - why did it ask me the first time, and not the 2nd time?)

So I had to set all the settings to match (changed sequence settings to 1280x720, re-sized my video to 100%, and changed distort ratio to fit correctly).

After changing those 3 things... Everything looked GREAT again! Very CRISP in Canvas. Just like my FIRST video.

But AFTER I rendered the whole video - now it looks TERRIBLE and blurry.

At first I thought it was just the TEXT - but it also made the VIDEO blurry as well.

To answer the obvious question: NO, it's not just my Canvas view - I have tried to export (using same export settings as before).

And the exported video is blurry too. It matches what I see in blurry Canvas.

So my EXPORT SETTINGS don't matter, but in case you want to know anyways:

Export Using QuickTime Conversion:

* Compression: H.264

* Quality: High
* Frame rate: 30

* Bitrate: 5000 kbits/sec

* Frame reordering: yes

* Encoding mode: multi-pass

* Dimensions: 1280x720

But the problem isn't my export, it's my RENDER - I'm sure of it.

If I move things around (which means I would need to re-render...) then everything is CRISP AGAIN! (in my Canvas)

But once I render - BLURRY!!! (in my Canvas)

Here are my RENDER CONTROL SETTINGS (which match my FIRST sequence's video settings exactly):

Render & Playback

* Filters - checked

* Frame Blending For Speed - checked

Render

* Frame Rate: 100%

* Resolution: 100%

* Codec: Same as Sequence Codec (I've also tried rendering after selecting: Apple ProRes 422 - same result)

Master Templates and Motion Projects

* Quality: Normal (also tried: Best - same result)

* Always Use Best Quality When Rendering Movies - NOT checked (also tried CLICKED - same result)

On the Sequence drop-down menu, under

* Render Selection: ALL options are checked, except Audio>Item Level.

* Render All: ALL options are checked, except Audio>Item Level.

* Render Only: NO options are checked.

I don't have ANY filters on either the video or the text.

All my TEXT have different settings, so I can't give you those - but NONE are crisp. And they're all the same as FIRST video.

But also, my VIDEO (and imported pictures) are blurry also - so it's NOT my TEXT settings.

One last detail, when I double-click on ANY item (video, text, or imported photo), they are CRISP in the Viewer window.

While at the same time, NOT CRISP in my Canvas. And just to re-iterate, after export, still blurry - so it's not my export.

Can anyone help me pleeeeeeeeeeeease??