HV20 24p footage to SD Data Disc DVD. What Compressor Settings?

[zbradshaw]

I'm trying to figure out a way that I can send the best quality Quicktime file on a DVD to a friend. The 35 minutes of 1920x1080 24p footage from my Canon HV20 is edited on Final Cut Pro 6, and I even did the pulldown in Compressor. It's ready to go.

My friend in Chicago is an expert PC user, and I want him to have the option of doing whatever he wants with the footage. The question: what Compressor settings should I use to create a video file that will fit on a data disc DVD?

I've tried using Compressor to create said file, but the aspect ratio is always off. I believe that my best options are Quicktime (ProRes 720x480), Mpeg2, and Mpeg4. So, far it's not the size that has been the problem. I can create a file that's less than 4.6 GB (Mpeg4, for instance). But, the aspect ratio doesn't come out like the original footage. The compressed video isn't 16:9. I've played with these formats and everything is squashed!

Should I use Quicktime Conversion in FCP instead? Would that simplify anything? Please help.

Thank you,
Zach Bradshaw

[HueyNRolf]

You can fix the aspect ratio in the Quicktime player.

[cgbier]

Did you tell compressor that it is working with non-square pixels?
Get your footage out as an H.264 with the highest bitrate possible.

[zbradshaw]

I figured it out...with some help. This was an opportunity for me to learn about aspect ratios. When I export the movie, it's aspect ratio is 1920x1080 (1:1.78). When I was trying to Compress it before, I wanted to reduce it's size, so that it would fit on a DVD (4.7 GB). Compressing to Quicktime ProRes, H.264, and Mpeg4 are all options. But for some of these (ProRes), you really have to take the size down (25% of original?) if you want a 35-minute video file to fit on a DVD.

The biggest thing I learned from this hang-up was about the aspect ratio (1:1.78). If I want to compress the file I can either choose "__% of original," which will maintain the aspect ratio. Or, I can choose my own size (i.e. 720x405). But, the first number (width) divided by the second number (height) must equal 1.77777778. I'm sure this is elementary to many of you, but I never had to think about it before.

So, I was trying to shrink my HD video to 720x480 size, but that creates a 1:1.5 aspect ratio. That's why my video looked squashed. So, now I've got an Mpeg4 1280x720, and it's only about 3 GB (fits on a DVD). H.264 Compression worked too, but it can't be 1280x720, too big. I'm mailing it to my friend today.

Best,
Zach

[bean]

if you're fitting it onto a dvd as a file where the ultimate objective is so he can mess around with it, ProRes is nice, but the fact that you're reducing it in size makes it kinda meaningless (I think, right?). You could have just converted it back to HDV and you would have been fine. Would have been comparable to the raw and would have most likely fit on to the dvd without reducing the size.

as for the aspect ratio, that's something you have to let compressor know. HV20 shoots in what? 1440x1080, so it's not 1920X1080 like you said, though it plays as such. You can stretch it in compressor to 1920X1080 if you tell it it's square pixels and force it to output 1920X1080, or you can tell it it's rectangular pixels and it'll do the stretching for you. Am I right?

[cgbier]

H.264 Compression worked too, but it can't be 1280x720, too big.

Then I wonder how them folks get H.264 in 1280x720 onto the net....
If Compressor is too complex for you, then just use the good, old QT conversion. All you have to tell QT is that your source consists of non-square pixels.

[bean]

well h.264 is ok for a couple of minutes, but for something that's 35 minutes long...that's gonna end up being too big for the net...(I'm assuming he's talking about the file size being too big and not the actual video size).

[cgbier]

Try it out yourself: http://www.videohelp.com/calc.htm

[zbradshaw]

Cgbier, thanks for responding to my post. Compressor isn't too complex for me, I'm just learning it. I think it's a valuable program to learn because I'm editing in FCP and creating DVD's in DVD Studio Pro. Seems like a good workflow.

I'm not in front of my Mac, right now. But, just so I'm clear, you're saying that I can compress the 35-minutes of video using H.264. I have to adjust the bit rate using your calculator to create an H.264 1280x720 file that's under 4.7 GB. Right? I just need to look for the bit rate adjustment in Compressor.

I did not tell Compressor that I'm working with square pixels. I don't know where that option is either, but I'll find it (anyone care to wager on me being able to find it?). The compressed files had the correct "look" when I used the 1:1.78 aspect ratio setting (1920x1080, 1280x720, etc.). I've read about the the footage being 1440, but the pixels are rectangular. Perhaps Compressor assumed by default that my footage had rectangular pixels.

Bean, how is this possible? ... "You could have just converted it back to HDV and you would have been fine. Would have been comparable to the raw and would have most likely fit on to the dvd without reducing the size."

The HD footage is many GB too large to fit on a DVD. What am I missing on this one?

Bean, I love this stuff BTW, "HV20 shoots in what? 1440x1080, so it's not 1920X1080 like you said, though it plays as such." And Canon calls it 1920x1080, of course. This is the silly confusing part that drives me nuts about technology. But, I suppose that Canon had a reason for setting it up this way. At least, I've got you kind gentlemen/women to help me understand.

Much obliged,
Zach

[bean]

it was a long time since I setup my presets for compressor, but there's a preset on there (that you may or may not have to alter) that converts your project back to 1080i60fps in hdv format, which is pretty much what I capture from the camcorder to FCP. I have to check my files, but I think 35min of hdv should be under 4.7gigs.

[iThinkergoiMac]

I have to check my files, but I think 35min of hdv should be under 4.7gigs.

Nope. 60 min = 13 GB. So 35 min would be just over 6.5 GB. A DL DVD would fit it, but not a SL DVD.

[cgbier]

Cgbier, thanks for responding to my post. Compressor isn't too complex for me, I'm just learning it. I think it's a valuable program to learn because I'm editing in FCP and creating DVD's in DVD Studio Pro. Seems like a good workflow.

To be honest, I think Compressor is a bit redundant. I rarely use it, but export directly from FCP. This has some disadvantages though ... on the other hand, it is nice to go for a flirt with the interns from accounting while the machine is working .....

I'm not in front of my Mac, right now. But, just so I'm clear, you're saying that I can compress the 35-minutes of video using H.264. I have to adjust the bit rate using your calculator to create an H.264 1280x720 file that's under 4.7 GB. Right? I just need to look for the bit rate adjustment in Compressor.

Yep! I wouldn't make it bigger than 720p (if your client is not a pixel peeper). H.264 needs a lot of processing horsepowers.

Perhaps Compressor assumed by default that my footage had rectangular pixels.

Yep!

Bean, I love this stuff BTW, "HV20 shoots in what? 1440x1080, so it's not 1920X1080 like you said, though it plays as such." And Canon calls it 1920x1080, of course. This is the silly confusing part that drives me nuts about technology. But, I suppose that Canon had a reason for setting it up this way. At least, I've got you kind gentlemen/women to help me understand.

It is not Canon, it is the HDV standard. 1440x1080 uses a couple of kb less than "real" 1080. In order to get 16:9 out of the 4:3 ratio, HDV just stretches the pixels.