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Home: Video University Forums: Mac Video:
Video Quality

 
 


achilles23
User


Mar 30, 2006, 11:39 PM

Post #1 of 4 (990 views)
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Video Quality Can't Post
When I edit my videos in Final Cut express on my mac and export the video to quicktime, then place it in iDVD, it seems that the finished product on the dvd doesn't look as well as it did on my monitor. I know my computer monitor (from apple) is much higher quality then my t.v. but even when I play the finished dvd on my computer, it doesn't look as well. Is it something about exporting to a quicktime movie that deteriorates my videos or is it that i'm using iDVD? Also my videos usually run about an hour and a half to two hours long. Any help?
Thanks!


DepModeFan
Novice

Mar 31, 2006, 11:10 AM

Post #2 of 4 (982 views)
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Re: [achilles23] Video Quality [In reply to] Can't Post
Yes...when you export for iDVD your video is being compressed into MPEG2 codec. Also, the length is forcing Quicktime to compress even further. Anytime there's compression, you're going to lose quality.


RatVega
Enthusiast


Mar 31, 2006, 3:53 PM

Post #3 of 4 (977 views)
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Re: [achilles23] Video Quality [In reply to] Can't Post
Just to expand on DepMode's post, there are a few other factors:

NTSC uses an interlaced screen, a different display system from your progressive scan monitor.

NTSC also uses a different color space than your monitor, which can be anywhere from slightly different to very noticeable.

There is a maximum bandwidth associated with DVD, which is why MPEG-2 compression is required. The total is made up of the video and the audio. "Normal" audio is about 30% of the stream, so most of us authoring in DVDSP are using the much smaller Dolby AC-3 option to save bandwidth and allow for higher quality in the video stream. AC-3 isn't supported in iDVD.

To get "maximum quality" (highest useable bandwidth) it is often necessary to reduce the total length of a DVD to around an hour. This is because of how MPEG-3 encoders compress the clip.

There aren't any easy ways around these issues, but to some extent, training and using the best available software can help.





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Currently on a loaded 2.5GHz G5 dualie/5GB/1TB internal RAID/dual 19" monitors. Final Cut Studio, Adobe Suite, Boris RED. Shooting with Canon.

VU California Crew, Inland Empire Sub-Chapter (paragraph?)


bbalser
User

Apr 2, 2006, 6:21 PM

Post #4 of 4 (927 views)
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Re: [RatVega] Video Quality [In reply to] Can't Post
And to add to that, NEVER judge the quality of a video on your computer screen. Just cause it "may" be running at higher resolution than a TV, it works very different. It's not an interlaced screen like your TV is. Refresh rates are different. ALWAYS judge during editing and the final product on a TV screen or NTSC monitor. There's no substitute for that. Relying soley on your computer monitor is not a very professional way to produce professional video. That's why I use DVDSP, I can tell Compressor exactly HOW to compress my MPEG-2 files so I get the best quality I can.