HD 720p 59.94 to DVD 480i 29.97

[Wile_E]

I have some captured HD MPEG2 720p files that I want to put on DVD. I already know about HDTV2DVD. It doesn't give any control and the output leaves little to be desired. So I'm going to use TMPGEnc 4.0 to encode. Do I need to use any kind of pulldown when going to 29.97 fps? Will 480p 29.97fps output work?

[edDV]

I have some captured HD MPEG2 720p files that I want to put on DVD. I already know about HDTV2DVD. It doesn't give any control and the output leaves little to be desired. So I'm going to use TMPGEnc 4.0 to encode. Do I need to use any kind of pulldown when going to 29.97 fps? Will 480p 29.97fps output work?

Is this a movie? Or live?

Movies are done this way 23.976p is frame repeated 2 frames then 3 frames then 2 - 3 - 2 - 3 etc. to output at 59.94. So you need to look for that frame repeat sequence, then decimate full frames to get back to 23.976. Then you downsize to 720x480. Then you either author as progressive or field telecine to 29.97.

If you halve the frames and interlace it will be jumpy.

If it is live action 59.94, you down size to 720x480 then pull fields from alternate frames to mainatin 59.94 fields per second (29.97 frames per second).

[Wile_E]

It is a TV show. Was a TS file that I converted to mpeg2 with HDTV2MPEG2. There doesn't seem to be any repeat frames. It looks 59.94 progressive.

Is 480p 29.97fps valid for DVD? Or does it need to be interlaced? I tried a short test. Converted to 480p and 480i 29.97 with tmpgenc, no pulldown. My DVD player played both, but the progressive looked sharper.

[edDV]

It is a TV show. Was a TS file that I converted to mpeg2 with HDTV2MPEG2.

Step frame through what you have and see if the frames are repeating 2-3. If you see any interlace splits, it has probably been butchered.

[edDV]

DVD progressive is 23.976 only.

480p/30 probably studders on straight playback.

11122333445556677788999 <--- 720p/59.94 film
1__2_3__4_5__6_7__8_9__ <--- frame decimate to 23.976p
1_1_2_3_4_5_5_6_7_8_9_9 <--- 720p/29.97p with studder.
1___2_3_4_5___6_7_8_9__ <--- Still possible to get to 23.976p this way from 720p/29.97p

[manono]

Hi-

If it is live action 59.94, you down size to 720x480 then pull fields from alternate frames to maintain 59.94 fields per second (29.97 frames per second).

Right, and one way to do that, and probably the easiest and fastest way, is to reinterlace it via AviSynth:

LanczosResize(720,480)
SeparateFields()
SelectEvery(4,0,3)#if TFF, SelectEvery(4,1,2) if BFF
Weave()

That assumes it's as Wile_E says, every one of the 59.94fps is different and unique. If it was originally shot on video, my guess is that someone bobbed it at some point to get to 59.94fps progressive. That script just undoes the bob.

[edDV]

Sorry, I missed the no repeat frames statement.

[Wile_E]

I did a short encode test. Apparently tmpgenc allows you to select progressive 29.97 fps for DVD. My DVD player plays it fine. This is not in spec?

[manono]

Hi-

There's nothing wrong with encoding from a 29.97fps progressive source. As I understand it, though, it's supposed to be encoded as interlaced. edDV would know more about that than I. That said, however, I've often encoded 29.97fps progressive content as progressive and had no problems playing it. I've also seen it encoded as progressive on a very few DVDs. Most 29.97fps progressive content I've seen on DVDs has been encoded as interlaced.

As he also said, by converting progressive 59.94fps to progressive 29.97fps, there's a slight loss of fluid motion. Some might say there's a major loss of fluid motion, since you're tossing out half the video. If it doesn't bother you at all, then that's all that counts, eh?

[edDV]

Hi-

There's nothing wrong with encoding from a 29.97fps progressive source. As I understand it, though, it's supposed to be encoded as interlaced. edDV would know more about that than I. That said, however, I've often encoded 29.97fps progressive content as progressive and had no problems playing it. I've also seen it encoded as progressive on a very few DVDs. Most 29.97fps progressive content I've seen on DVDs has been encoded as interlaced.

As he also said, by converting progressive 59.94fps to progressive 29.97fps, there's a slight loss of fluid motion. Some might say there's a major loss of fluid motion, since you're tossing out half the video. If it doesn't bother you at all, then that's all that counts, eh?

If you choose both fields from the same 29.97fps frame then you have effectively made a 480p/29.97 DVD and no one is the wiser. It isn't necessarily to spec but if it works for you OK.

A problem may come downstream during processing when the DVD is assumed to be interlaced with fields offset in time. Maybe that is a non-problem. Or maybe it will screw up some progressive DVD player or HDTV.

The downside of 29.97p is the loss of half the motion resolution compared to 29.97i or 59.94p and the possibility of flicker. An interlace display will scan twice in the frame so there is no problem but a progressive display should frame repeat 2x to avoid flicker.

Progressive 29.97 is allowed for ATSC (via the tuner). The TV is smart enough to frame repeat for progressive display.