Blurry output in Adobe Premiere Pro

[Thread7]

I am trying to create a video project in Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. My main source video is a Skype screen capture from Camtasia Studio. I can export a short clip from other video processing programs without a problem (like Virtual Dub). But when I export with Premiere Pro the video is just slightly blurred.

In fact, even the preview window is blurred. The dimensions are a little weird 272x324 pixels. But that shouldn't matter. The funny thing is that I setup the project as a Desktop editing mode and chose those exact dimensions. However, you can see in the preview window on the right that it leaves a bit of a margin on the right and left.

Maybe that resizing has something to do with the blurriness. But I don't know how to force it to be the correct size or even know if that is the problem. I have tried exporting with a bunch of different codecs to no avail.

[hech54]

If the output size is larger than the original....there is your answer.

[poisondeathray]

In fact, even the preview window is blurred. The dimensions are a little weird 272x324 pixels. But that shouldn't matter. The funny thing is that I setup the project as a Desktop editing mode and chose those exact dimensions. However, you can see in the preview window on the right that it leaves a bit of a margin on the right and left.

Maybe that resizing has something to do with the blurriness. But I don't know how to force it to be the correct size or even know if that is the problem. I have tried exporting with a bunch of different codecs to no avail.

interpret the file so the pixel aspect ratio is using square pixels (if it's pillarboxed with black borders, then you're not using square pixels), same dimensions, and progressive (right click the clip in the clip bin)

in the desktop editing mode for the sequence , make sure it's set to progressive

when you export, use the same settings (same dimensions, progressive, square pixels)

if it's not set to progressive, premiere will think it's interlaced and deinterlace (blend is default) , this makes everything extra blurry

resizing definitely can affect the blurriness, but if input=output dimensions, there is no resizing

if you export uncompressed, and it's still blurry, then that indicates something else is wrong with your workflow (ie. it's not due to the compression)

[Thread7]

Thank you very much. Square Pixels and Progressive (No Fields) made it much better. I added some titles created in Adobe Premiere's Title feature and those happen to be blurry. I don't really want to change progressive or square pixels in the desktop project so I'm not sure if that can be fixed. Anyone know?

[poisondeathray]

Thank you very much. Square Pixels and Progressive (No Fields) made it much better. I added some titles created in Adobe Premiere's Title feature and those happen to be blurry. I don't really want to change progressive or square pixels in the desktop project so I'm not sure if that can be fixed. Anyone know?

Why don't you want to change it? This is the reason (at least part of the reason) why you're getting poor results

A skype screen capture will be progressive and square pixels, anything else will distort it.

[Thread7]

I guess what I am saying is this. I have a 5 minute Skype screen capture. I was able to get that looking pretty decent using Square pixels and progressive. Then, I added a 2 second title in Premiere Pro at the start of the work area. I added a 4 second ending title at the end of the work area. Now when I export the video those titles are very blurry. But changing square pixels or progressive to fix that will mess up the video quality.

[poisondeathray]

I guess what I am saying is this. I have a 5 minute Skype screen capture. I was able to get that looking pretty decent using Square pixels and progressive. Then, I added a 2 second title in Premiere Pro at the start of the work area. I added a 4 second ending title at the end of the work area. Now when I export the video those titles are very blurry. But changing square pixels or progressive to fix that will mess up the video quality.

Are you using the original video, or a 2nd generation lossy version ?

What are your export settings?

272x324 is going to look blurry at full screen no matter what you do, especially with less-than-postage-sized-text

how does changing square pixels or progressive "mess up the video quality" ? I'm missing something here that you're not saying

[Thread7]

Yea, I just don't think I am explaining myself correctly. I am using the original video. I have the project set to Square Pixels and Progressive. Before I did that (per your suggestion) the screen capture video was pretty bad. Now it is reasonably good. But when I added the titles, now the titles are blurry. All I mean by "changing square pixels or progressive to fix that will mess up the video quality" is that I can't go back to some other settings to make the titles look better because the screen capture video will suffer.
I just posted the video here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viMApRtzGSs
You can see how the titles in the first 2 seconds are pretty pathetic. There are some titles at the end too that are just as bad quality. Anyways, I can live with it for now if you don't have a good idea of what I did wrong.

[hech54]

The original video is 272x324....fine.
WHAT IS THE OUTPUT SIZE(DIMENSIONS)/FORMAT/CODEC OF THE VIDEO YOU SAY LOOKS BAD??!!??!!

As far as we know...a video goes in to Premier Pro....and you are exporting it as....a bologna sandwich?....WHAT!?

[Thread7]

I've tried tons of different codecs and settings. Fox example I've clicked on "Adobe Media Encoder", chose QuickTime format with H.264 codec at 100% quality. The frame size I choose is 272x324. Progressive and Square pixels.

I think I've discovered mostly why the titles are blurry though. Because I can't get anything better than 272x324. Something I tried which should work is the original desktop project I'll setup as double the resolution. 544x648. Then I just expand the original clip and now I should have double the resolution for my titles. In this case the screen shot video still looks good but the titles are blurry.

I think the reason is that I've found no way to make the titles fill the frame without dragging them to a larger size in the preview window. It would make more sense to choose a font large enough to fill the frame. But the title creation area isn't large enough. It is like that area is still thinking 272x324 is its max size. I see no way to expand the title creation area in the title creator.

Thanks.

[poisondeathray]

But the title creation area isn't large enough. It is like that area is still thinking 272x324 is its max size. I see no way to expand the title creation area in the title creator.

I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but push the tilde key "~" (to the left of the "1" key) to expand the window area of the selected panel to full screen (I think it works in CS3, but defintely works in CS4, CS5)

[hech54]

Goodbye.