60i and ffmpeg or mencoder

[wiz561]

Hi!

I have a Canon HF S10 camera that I'm recording at 60i. It also has the following options in the manual...

"Recordings made with the [PF24], [PF30] frame rate are converted and recorded on the memory is 60i."

I've thought that recording at 60i is alright because I'm capturing as much as I can. I can then post-process on the computer. This might be wrong in what I'm thinking.

Ideally, I'd like to convert this video to something progressive and using something on linux at the command line, such as ffmpeg or mencoder. When I pull the file into VLC, it is definitely interlaced, but VLC doesn't auto-detect this, and it's listed as H264 - MPEG 4 AVC (Part 10) at 59.94 for the frame rate.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

[aedipuss]

60i is 60 fields/sec. it used to be called 30i or 30 interlaced frames/sec. if you want/need progressive then shoot 30p or 30 full frames/sec,
you will have fewer artifacts from de-interlacing.

[wiz561]

So, from what I've read, interlaced is bad and progressive is good.....just because TV's of old were interlaced and now the majority of TV's are progressive.

For a camera like I mentioned above, should I be using pf30 or 60i, for the best possible picture?

Thank you for the response and thank you for your help!

[wiz561]

So, from what I've read, interlaced is bad and progressive is good.....just because TV's of old were interlaced and now the majority of TV's are progressive.

For a camera like I mentioned above, should I be using pf30 or 60i, for the best possible picture?

Thank you for the response and thank you for your help!

[edDV]

Ideally, I'd like to convert this video to something progressive and using something on linux at the command line, such as ffmpeg or mencoder. When I pull the file into VLC, it is definitely interlaced, but VLC doesn't auto-detect this, and it's listed as H264 - MPEG 4 AVC (Part 10) at 59.94 for the frame rate.
Thanks!

If you shoot native 60i and if VLC Properties are set to Auto Deinterlace (for playback), then VLC will use the Yadif deinterlacer* to bob to 59.94 for PC playback display. It won't change the source file.

If you shoot 30PF you will get half the motion sample rate. If you shoot 24PF, your computer playback will be from telecine. It will need external inverse telecine.


* VLC first tests for CPU performance. If inadequate it drops to blend or no deinterlace.

[wiz561]

Thanks for the response.

So I understand this thing, it sounds like it doesn't matter which mode you shoot in, just as long as the video player detects what it is.

It would be good to know what the best setting to use is, because I will be taping footage that I would like to keep forever. It sounds like I should use the 60i setting and just be done with it. Thoughts?

Thanks!

[aedipuss]

So, from what I've read, interlaced is bad and progressive is good.....just because TV's of old were interlaced and now the majority of TV's are progressive.

For a camera like I mentioned above, should I be using pf30 or 60i, for the best possible picture?

Thank you for the response and thank you for your help!

it depends on your intended output. if dvd stick with interlaced. if for the web/computers progressive may be better.

[poisondeathray]

PF24 and PF30 are progressive content, but encoded as interlaced (progressive content contained within 60i stream) . Because they are encoded as interlace , with interlace flags, most programs will "see" them as interlaced

unfortunately ffmpeg / mencoder / libavfilter - they do not have a functioning IVTC/pulldown removal filter for PF24

So if you shot 24p in 60i (2:3 pulldown) you can use avisynth (ffmpegsource2) +wine to IVTC or avidemux has IVTC filter as well . FFMS2 will also correctly "see" PF30 as progressive , but nothing special needs to be done (no pulldown removal required) with 30p footage

[edDV]

Thanks for the response.

So I understand this thing, it sounds like it doesn't matter which mode you shoot in, just as long as the video player detects what it is.

It would be good to know what the best setting to use is, because I will be taping footage that I would like to keep forever. It sounds like I should use the 60i setting and just be done with it. Thoughts?

Thanks!

60i is best for "fixing later". It records at the camcorder's peak capability and is optimized for hand held shooting.

30p offers a shortcut to Youtube (half motion sampled).

24p requires a shooting style and post plan. You probably don't want to go there. Requires tripods or other camera stabilization. No pans or any motion in background.

[wiz561]

Ah, OK. Thank you for all the help.

My intended output is my HTPC, which is hooked up to my TV via HDMI. I don't want to be stuck on this, but no matter what happens (dvd, bluray, or htpc), my output will be the TV.

So, it sounds like stay away from 24p unless you know what you're doing. Sounds good to me.

30p would be alright, and there's no postprocessing that would have to be done.

I think what I will continue to use is 60i and stick with that. I'll be filming our new baby soon, and I want to make sure everything is set properly. You can always go back and reprocess/transcode something, but you can't go back and make the memories and shots again.

Thank you for your help!