idvd converting HD video to SD DVD

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Level 4

1,790 points

idvd converting HD video to SD DVD

Hi,

Anybody out there with experience on the quality of the DVD on a 16:9 widescreen TV when using idvd to convert HD video to SD DVD?
I'm not impressed with the quality.
Might I do something wrong?
I drop a QT ref movie (FCE 3,5) on idvd and set idvd to high quality encode.

Thanks for any help.

Frank

iMac FP 800 Mhz/ PM G5 1,8GHz /PB 17'', 1,5GHz, Mac OS X (10.3.8)

Posted on Jan 9, 2007 7:01 AM

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Answer 1

David S.

Level 7

20,636 points

Jan 10, 2007 9:12 AM in response to Frank Bauwens

Is this HDV?

If it is, the downconvert isn't very pretty.

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Answer 2

Frank Bauwens Author

Level 4

1,790 points

Jan 10, 2007 10:07 AM in response to David S.

Exactly, it is HDV and the result as SD DVD is not appealing.
Is there another way of downconverting that might result in beter video?

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Answer 3

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Jan 10, 2007 10:23 AM in response to Frank Bauwens

Exactly, it is HDV and the result as SD DVD is not
appealing.
Is there another way of downconverting that might
result in beter video?

Why are you downconverting? iDVD 6 supports making HDV discs.

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Answer 4

Frank Bauwens Author

Level 4

1,790 points

Jan 10, 2007 1:23 PM in response to F Shippey

As far as I know, iDVD will accept HDV but in it will downconvert it to SD!!
That downconversion is what bothers me, because it results in "inferior" video as compared with footage shot in SD (miniDV) and subsequently sent to iDVD (anyhow, that is my opinion when I compare material on a widescreen 16:9 flatscreen TV).
I guess it is a thing between the ears.
Thank you for the reply;

frank

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Answer 5

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Jan 10, 2007 1:44 PM in response to Frank Bauwens

As far as I know, iDVD will accept HDV but in it will downconvert it to SD!!

... but that's what HDV is - HD content squeezed into the SD format - so your HDV content is already squeezed. However, there IS mpg-2 encoding in iDVD.

The conventional DVDs we can produce today were designed for the old CRT TV displays. HDV and even 'regular' DV never looks it's best on a widescreen 16:9 flatscreen TV. You are really blowing up the 720x480 pixels from the SD DVD.

When the Apple TV becomes available, you will be able to go directly to your widescreen TV from your computer without having to go via. the DVD route. Then, when true HD drives and discs become affordable in a couple of years, you can go that route.

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Answer 6

Jan 10, 2007 5:30 PM in response to F Shippey

I must disagree Shippey. HDV is very much an HD format (1440 x 1080 or 1280 x 720) Oddly enough its MPEG2 video so I think thats where the confusion may be 🙂.

http://www.hdv-info.org/

SD refers to the actual resolution of your frame (720x480/486) NTSC . With any HD format it must be down converted to SD resolution to author with iDVD or DVDSP.

No way to keep your original resolution if your planning on delevering a DVD.

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Answer 7

F Shippey

Level 7

21,500 points

Jan 10, 2007 6:33 PM in response to Eric Pautsch1

Eric,

Thank you very much for the clarification on HDV camera encoding. I had understood that since HDV cameras used standard mini-DV tape, the compression used was the standard DV CODEC.

So HVD is 16:9 content that is MPG-2 compressed on the mini-DV tapes and isn't really 'squeezed' or 'downconverted' until it is put on one of our current generation DVDs.

No way to keep your original resolution if your planning on delivering a DVD.

That part I understood.

Since I don't have a HDV camera, all my 16:9 movie making has been limited to still images and they loose a lot when put on a DVD.

Again, thanks!

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