Final Cut Pro, TIFF sequences, and uncompressed video

[C_S]

I have a bit of a problem here... I am taking uncompressed video footage [Codec: None, maximum quality] that was rendered out in Discreet combustion 3, and bringing it back into Final Cut Pro to piece it back together.

Now, two things: When I try to do a cross dissolve between two clips, it doesn't work. It sets on one frame, and the length of the dissolve cannot be adjusted.

Also, the final format I am putting this sequence out to is DVD. I just exported my sequence last night, and when I watched the DVD on my television, it looks horrible. Any kind of motion is blurry, and strangely choppy. It's hard to explain, but it looks really unnatural. Like crap, in other words. The overall quality is not good, despite the fact that I've been using uncompressed video throughout the project.

Here is my question... What other lossless formats can I export my video with in combustion 3? Does Final Cut Pro recognize TIFF sequences?

Any suggestions?

[DanSlagle]

Well in Final Cut you would have to shorten the footage in order to provide footage for the cross dissolve to use. Just delete the current trasition and pull back a second on each side then add the cross dissolve back in.

What is your final output going to be? How did you watch it on your TV? What are your sequence settings?

[BJ_M]

i bet you rendered it out as 30fps progressive in combustion ..

you should have rendered it out as 29.97fps interlaced or 23.976fps progressive ..

also -- did you render it out square pixel or non square pixel in combustion ? i.e - in what format are you working in and what did the resizing ?

did you make sure to use 'safe' colors also ? - keep in mind that dvd compression compressed the 4:4:4 color you have to 4:2:0 ....


what did you use to compress to mpeg2 ?

[MacDSL]

I think we need some more info here...
What is the "uncompressed" video? Is it just video/audio imported directly off a DV camera? Was is brought in via firewire, or as SDI 8/10 bit. Is the footage interlaced? The reason I ask is because many people think footage brought in off a DV camera is "uncompressed". It's not. Digital Video is always compressed, I think 5:1 in the camera.

Second. When you preview the footage in Combustion before exporting Does it look clean on your NTSC Monitor or Television? Then after bringing the footage into FCP and editing do you preview again on your NTSC Monitor or Television to see how everything looks?

When you brought the exported footage from Combustion to FCP were the Sequence settings matched? I.E. if your sequence was set to DV, but you brought in "uncompressed" footage that was interlaced, you will definately have issues....

[C_S]

Ok, let's see...

"Uncompressed:" The footage I brought into combustion was rendered out using "None" in the QuickTime compression options within FCP. Quality lever was set to 100%.

After making adjustments to the video in combustion, I re-rendered the clips as uncompressed so as not to lose any quality [QuickTime compression: "None," 100%.] I brought these back into FCP and made my MPEG2 file within the program [not using Compressor.] (One pass VBR, 6.5 min. / 7.5 max, Best.]


The sequences looked perfectly fine [expect for being interlaced] when reviewing them within combustion and within QuickTime after applying effects and rendering them.

I didn't play with any interlacing settings throughout the entire process.


Also, it's strange, because when watching the final product on the DVD on a computer, it looks decent, but on the TV... not as great. It's not HORRIBLE, but any kind of camera motion makes the video look... weird. Hard to explain. I wish I could actually show it.... but, that's obviously not possible.


I'm going to go back through my steps later to see if I may have done something unintentionally that could have had an adverse effect.



Actually, now that I remember... When I brought individual clips into combustion, I had the seqeunce settings set to NTSC D1 [720x486.] The footage was 720x480, though, of course... But I don't think that would cause the problem. I will have to change that anyway.

[MacDSL]

OK, I'm at work, so not sure what DV 1 is, but I'll check later...
For previewing, to save some time. Instead of burning a DVD then chekcing it on a TV. try just plugging a camera into the TV and FCP, you should be able to play through the camera onto the TV. If it looks the same as the DVD, then the footage is the issue. If the "preview" is great, but the DVD is crappy, then the MPEG-2 compression to DVD is the issue.

I have read about exporting to MPEG-2 and using Compression instead, I can't recall offhand the best settings, but if you go to Apple's FCP4 Forum and do a search for MPEG-2 or compressor...

I found:
"
Try this for starters...

In FCP
File - Export - Quicktime Movie - Current Settings - Self Contained
Save that file to your desktop if you have room
Open Compressor
Drag that movie into the window
Change Destination to some other drive
Change preset to 90 Minute MPEG-2 High Quality
Click submit

Again, go ahead and try this, but read as much as you can about compression and compressor.

Good luck,
"
It may help......
good luck..

[C_S]

Actually, I forgot... I DID use Compressor [60 min. High Quality settings.] I will be doing more experimenting within a few days... I will let you know how the results are.

[C_S]

The quality is completely normal now... no weird glitches... [I still can't believe I had the sequence settings set to NTSC D-1 in combustion... I set all shots to DV and all was good. What a waste of time....]

Thanks guys....