Interlaced Graphic

[VideoPlayout11]

I am producing interlaced graphics in After Effects CS6. My final output is via HDMI from a UltraStudio to any television screen. If your have a good understanding of After Effects, to render interlaced, you must turn in "upper fields" from 25fps to 50 fields per second. When reviewing the graphics, they don't seem as smooth as they should. Not sure if its HDMI, and SDI will be better.

So my question is, whats the best way to output interlaced graphics for video playout?


Thank you.

[poisondeathray]

What do you mean by "don't seem as smooth" ?

Are you referring to motion cadence (50 fields per second, unique fields) , or "smoothness" of graphic edges (aliasing and line twittering) ?

[VideoPlayout11]

I am referring to motion (50 fields per second, unique fields). Im looking for the most smoothness out of 50i.

[poisondeathray]

Is there a problem with the AE export itself ? Perhaps you don't have correct the render settings ? (Can you play in a software media player, with bob deinterlacing turned on e.g. VLC - is it smooth there) . Is it 50 unique fields/second ? Is it smooth ?

or a display problem with your hardware setup (cables, connections, TV not deinterlacing properly) ?

What types of assets are in your comp ? eg. if there is a mix of live action and graphics created from scratch, the live action parts will be limited to the orginal frame/field rate and duplicated to make up 50 fields/sec

Or is it a problem with your animation itself ? Perhaps you're not interpolating and adjusting the keyframes ideally ? Easing keyframes? Lack of motion blur ?

Maybe uploading a small sample will help if you can't describe the issue

[VideoPlayout11]

All AE settings are set correctly, to suit 50i. My TV screen is not a professional broadcast monitor. Cables are all working correctly, they should not be a problem. There are no other clips besides the graphic itself and the graphic as been made from scratch.

When is comes to the animation, its just a simple white rectangle used with a linear wipe effect, coming in from right to left. The first key frame has been set to "Easy Ease" and would like not use motion blur.

[poisondeathray]

Please answer the other question - does it look ok on a software player with "bob" deinterlacing enabled ? If so, then it's not a problem with the AE export, that suggests a problem with your display setup

What is the timing for crossing the screen? How long does it take for wipe completion? Is the rectangle animated as well ?

If you have sharp edges that aren't feathered or low passed, that can cause "twittering"

[VideoPlayout11]

Yes, its looks okay (same, if I was to export is at 25fps no fields). The rectangle comes in quite quick (about 1 second). Also, all edges are not feathered which, like you mentioned, causes "twittering"

Watch from 12 seconds:
The graphic will look like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJz7OZdGr0Q

The graphic looks very smooth on Broadcast TV. Not sure why mine is not the same outcome.

[poisondeathray]

Yes, its looks okay (same, if I was to export is at 25fps no fields). The rectangle comes in quite quick (about 1 second). Also, all edges are not feathered which, like you mentioned, causes "twittering"

Watch from 12 seconds:
The graphic will look like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJz7OZdGr0Q

The graphic looks very smooth on Broadcast TV. Not sure why mine is not the same outcome.

If the preview in the media player looks the same as "25p no fields", then there is a problem. "okay" isn't good enough. It should look like 50p when bobbed . 50p is how interlaced graphics will look like on broadcast TV (in 50Hz regions)

Youtube example is no good, because it's been single rate deinterlaced

Upload the clip from AE

[VideoPlayout11]

This a the graphic file running in PAL 576i50

You can test it using this:


AE graphic -

[poisondeathray]

Technically, it's fine in terms of rendering fields

Your animation speed and time to completion is slightly faster than the one in youtube - so the interlaced broadcast version of that YT example (which isn't available) might have appeared slightly smoother

How are you playing this out ? What is your setup for "reviewing" this

[VideoPlayout11]

Basically, I am running a Macbook Pro using a software called "Softron" which is a play-out software. Then, my final output is using a BlackMagic UltraStudio mini Monitor via HDMI to the input of the TV screen which is outputting to the appropriate dimension and frames (PAL 576i50).

In all, have I correctly made a interlaced graphic to suit 50i (50hz)?

[poisondeathray]

Basically, I am running a Macbook Pro using a software called "Softron" which is a play-out software. Then, my final output is using a BlackMagic UltraStudio mini Monitor via HDMI to the input of the TV screen which is outputting to the appropriate dimension and frames (PAL 576i50).

In all, have I correctly made a interlaced graphic to suit 50i (50hz)?

Yes, it's proper "50i" .

I suspect something is wrong with your playback setup if it "looks like 25p (no fields) " .

When this is broadcast and/or the playback chain is setup correctly it will look like 50p and smoother



But fine lines are problematic for interlaced delivery (I guess the station doesn't care)

[VideoPlayout11]

Maybe it depends on the TV screen being used. The graphic should be playing correctly if its true "50i". Maybe HDMI is not ideal for an output?

[poisondeathray]

Well if you have HD/SDI available , I would use that. HDMI is more of a "consumer" oriented connection but it's perfectly fine for 50i

It's probably the software you're using, or settings aren't configured properly

[VideoPlayout11]

This is software being used: http://www.softron.tv/products/ontheairvideo.html

Output settings are: 720 by 576i (same as AE render output)