What DV-type to convert to?

[druu]

I have a Hitachi DVDcam which outputs to MPEG2 (Raw) and I need to convert it to DV in order to edit in Adobe Premiere. I will be converting to DV type 2. Here is the format I will be converting to:

Microsoft AVI files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps
*Field Order A
DV Video Encoder -- type 2
*Interleave audio for every 1 frames
PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

Now, the sections that I have marked with a '*' I'm not too sure about. Could someone explain these to me?

With Field Order A, the other options are Field Order B or Frame Based.

I'm not too sure what Interleave audio for every 1 frames means exactly.

Thanks

Dru.

[spectroelectro]

Video gets split into two fields that interlace alternately every 1/60 of a second for a complete picture every 1/30 of a second. Field order A chooses the lower set of interlaced lines (field), Field order B chooses the upper. Do a test run and if you get choppy playback on your TV then it's the wrong field order.
Some software, like TMPGenc, can automatically detect the field order.
Interleave means how many audio samples get interleaved per video sample. An interleave of 1 means you get one audio sample for every video sample. A more usual interleave is 15.

[daamon]

Field order A chooses the lower set of interlaced lines (field), Field order B chooses the upper.

I think it's the other way around. This is based on this from TMPGEnc :



But everything else looks spot on (don't know about a typical interleave setting, so won't comment on that bit).

@ druu

For footage from a DV cam (NOT a DVD cam), the usual is "Field Order B: Bottom field first". I can't say for sure, but I'd strongly suspect it'll be the same for your DVD cam footage - providing that the MPEG2 is interlaced. I'm not familiar with DVD cam and MPEG2 to AVI, so take my comments as educated guesses...

Good luck.

[druu]

Thanks for the replies.

Daamon:

I think you are correct. I had a look at the properties of a captured raw MPEG2 from the DVD cam:

PAL DVD
MPEG-2 Video, Field B
24 Bits, 704x576
25.000 Frames/Sec
5744 kbps

So I'll keep the converted DV Type 2 to Field B.

Thanks

Dru.