Issues with Dimensions on Export

[jherzog]

This is an issue that has haunted me. My video is standard NTSC DV. Thats 720x480 with a .9 pixel aspect ratio. Yet I cannot get an export is those same settings. Let me detail what I am doing and I hope someone can show me what I am doing wrong. I am using FCP 5

To verify here is my sequence's settings


Here is an example of my movie in FCP viewer.


So I go to Export->Quicktime Conversion to export this as a QT movie. My first inclination is to just choose "Current Size". Since the sequence is 720x480 this should be the current size. But instead I get 506x379??


Next attempt I choose NTSC 720 x 480. The same as my sequence.


Once I say "Ok" I am back on the settings overview window and you can see it is going to make the video 640x480. I don't know why.


The export that comes out is indeed 640x480 and has been cropped (QT screenshot)


I try again but this time tell it to use letterbox if it needs to


The export again is 640x480 and has these letterbox bars (QT Screenshot).




Can anyone help me. I just want an export in the same dimensions as the original footage. 720x480 NTSC (3:2 .9 Pixel Aspect Ratio).

Thank you,
Jed

[poisondeathray]

I'm not a MAC user, but shouldn't your sequences settings be NTSC DV 4:3 , not 3:2 (which would be square pixel because 720/480 is 3/2 or 1.5)

Also , QT player displays 4:3 NTSC content as 640x480 . If you check the file information , I bet the frame size is 720x480.

[jherzog]

Thank you for your help.

I went back to my sequence settings. The line you are referencing is the Frame Size setting. I did not think the "3:2" had to do with the pixel ratio rather was the frame dimension ratio. And like you said 720/480 is 3/2. The next options in that settings screen is Pixel Aspect Ratio which is set to NTSC - CCIR 601 / DV (720 x 480) which I believe is .9 none square pixels. Other options include (Square, PAL, and HD).

Regardless I attempted to take your advice and I change the Frame Size from NTSC DV (3:2) to NTSC 4:3 but that forces the Frame Dimension size to 640x480. When I switch it back to NTSC DV (3:2) it changes back to 720x480.

As far as QT displaying NTSC as 640x480. If QT wanted to show NTSC as 640x480 and distored the pixels a little to do that but the file properites indicated it was 720x480 I would be fine. The big problem is the these exports are either cropped or include letterbox bars in the render. I did inspect the file. This is what I say. Not sure which of these properties applies as the actual frame size.



Thanks Again!
Jed

[johns0]

Thread moved to the mac forum.