Converting interlaced video woes

[domiin]

Hi!

Question: is it somehow possible to set field dominance when converting interlaced material using ffmpegx?

I'm trying to convert an interlaced mpeg file (recorded from an analogue source using EyeTV 2.5.2 and exported as MPEG Program Stream) to a DV file to later cut up using iMovie 06 and burn to a disc using iDVD 08.

The file converts fine, but when burned to a DVD and played on a CRT TV, it's awful (jerkiness) - a typical symptom of messed up field dominance.

I'm not exporting from EyeTV to DV directly because in my case it produces horrible horizontal scaling artifacts (I'm converting EyeTV's standard quality 1.8GB/h 352x576 PAL stream to 720x576 DV-PAL) - this, however, creates a file which does not have the jerky movement. The same file converted using ffmpegx has very good quality, but apparently the conversion messes up the field dominance and hence the unwatchableness.

I know that the program called JES Deinterlacer can switch the field dominance, but unfortunately it crashes on my machine every time I try to use it (Leopard). So it's not an option. Also, I'd rather just do the one conversion using ffmpegx and be done with it.

It seems conversion to DV in ffmpegx is done using ffmpeg, and I know it has an "top_field_first" option which _should_ solve this, but I see no option in ffmpegx. Perhaps there is something I'm missing, or maybe there is a way to add a commandline option to ffmpegx?

Oh, and I'm really waiting for the new ffmpegx version!

Thanks,

[Case]

The problem is in the route you picked for conversions. MPEG-2 to DV to MPEG-2, when MPEG-2 and DV have opposite field dominance. If one of the conversions applies a correction for this, but the other doesn't, then your problem could occur.

Try MPEG Streamclip. It allows you to set the field dominance for exporting to many formats. It requires the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component ($20) for handling MPEG-2 content, though.

Another tool to check out is Herve's Movie Converter, although I haven't tried it. Herve's site seems to be very keen on interlaced video, and the pitfalls associated with that.

You could fiddle with ffmpeg, residing inside the ffmpegX package, using the Terminal, but you'll have to figure that out yourself...

[domiin]

Thanks for the answer! I'll try the things you suggest, however:

If I export from EyeTV directly, the DV file somehow is not confusing for iMovie/iDVD, since the dominance artifacts do not occur (remember EyeTV records as MPEG-2 from analogue sources), because then a DVD created from such a file plays fine.

Also, I am trying to avoid purchasing the QT MPEG-2 Playback Component. If I got it, I assume I'd just import the MPEG-2 file into iMovie without reencoding and that would be it. As I don't have it and I don't want to get it (especially as it seems it's not available where I live), I need to export it from EyeTV to a format iMovie understands.

Of course, one other course of action is to bug the makers of EyeTV about the quality of exporting to DV.

Anyway, thanks again for the response!