Best way to output PAL video

[BroadcastTVS]

I have a play-out software running PAL video and need to output it to my TV display. Any other sufficient way on how I can do this with good quality results?
So far I have output my video using the Intensity shuttle with composite cables, and the results were not to good with colour bleeding and high contrast. All my video has been compressed using Adobe Media Encoder (MPEG2). So what are the best options on getting my video out at a some what professional level?

Thank you.

(sorry if not posted in the correct section)

[manono]

I don't know if this is the right section or not, but you've not provided a whole lot of information. If it's MPEG-2 video, is it still in a PAL format (720x576@25fps)? Do you want to convert it to NTSC? If so, why didn't you do that in the first place? What kind of material is it? Film, interlaced video, what? Can't you use any better cables than composite? Component or HDMI? Also, what looks good on a computer monitor might not look too good on a television (which might include the high contrast you mentioned).

If you want to convert it to NTSC then you might try AVSToDVD. Since you spelled the word as 'colour' maybe you're in the UK and want PAL video. Maybe provide a short sample of a section you don't think looks very good when played on the television.

[BroadcastTVS]

[ If it's MPEG-2 video, is it still in a PAL format (720x576@25fps)?


Yes the video is still PAL25i 720X576

Do you want to convert it to NTSC?

No, all video must be PAL.

What kind of material is it? Film, interlaced video, what?

Material is interlaced video (as well as some progressive video) anaphoric windscreen.

Can't you use any better cables than composite? Component or HDMI?

I have tried both composite and HDMI, both in which look terrible on TV display.

Also, what looks good on a computer monitor might not look too good on a television (which might include the high contrast you mentioned).

Your absolutely right, video previewed on a computer screen looks great, but when displayed on the TV, I see colour bleeding, jagged lines and titles over video look terrible. Not sure what I may be doing wrong here. And I will get a sample ASAP. (I am based in Australia)

Thank you.

[BroadcastTVS]

Here is a rough sample:



You can see the jagged lines which also a shown on graphic titles.

Playout software:

[manono]

A sample means an untouched video sample. However, based just on the screenshot it looks as if it's been very poorly deinterlaced already. Did you do that somewhere along the line? Or the Adobe encoder? If so, you should turn off the deinterlacing in whatever caused it. Unless it's a hi-def source, you should probably cap at standard-def. If you can't get the interlaced source, your video is already ruined.

[BroadcastTVS]

Did you do that somewhere along the line? Or the Adobe encoder?

The sample footage was 'progressive' square pixels 1280X720 originally, and has been down converted to 576i Widescreen rectangle pixels (for title overlay), could that be the issue? But if titles were made especially for a PAL output, why am I getting the same quality issue?

EDIT: I did a test changing the output settings to 1080i (using SD and HD footage) via HDMI and results were good, only PAL seems to be the problem. Hopefully there is a solution.

[manono]

The sample footage was 'progressive' square pixels 1280X720 originally...

You might have mentioned that originally. So, besides being 1280x720 it was also 50fps? And it has supposedly been reinterlaced? What did that and how was it done?

only PAL seems to be the problem.

How would that be a problem? The source framerate wasn't 50fps, but maybe 59.94fps? Or it's a problem because it has to be 25fps?

The fact that your video looks better when played through HDMI is a step in the right direction. Have you tried playing the 25fps MPG over HDMI yet? Once again, video samples.

[BroadcastTVS]

So, besides being 1280x720 it was also 50fps? And it has supposedly been reinterlaced? What did that and how was it done?



No, the video is 25fps at a progressive rate. Reason for being compressed at 50i (interlaced) was for graphic overlay.

How would that be a problem? The source framerate wasn't 50fps, but maybe 59.94fps? Or it's a problem because it has to be 25fps?

It might be my source cable outputting the video. But HDMI still hasn't fixed the problem for PAL output either. Frame rate isn't an issue, quality is.

How do you want the samples?

[manono]

Okay, progressive 1280x720@25fps can be directly resized to 720x576 and it shouldn't look like your picture. Was this graphic overlay also 1280x720 at one point? And why was it necessary that that be interlaced? Yes, PAL MPGs and DVDs are usually encoded as interlaced, but that also often means the content is progressive. How about 10 seconds of both the source and the MPG from the same scene.

[BroadcastTVS]

Was this graphic overlay also 1280x720 at one point? And why was it necessary that that be interlaced?
Well the graphic was made within Adobe After Effects and rendered in 720X576 interlaced. The reason for interlacing is for the motion graphic overlay for smoother motion rather then progressive 25P. So basically the video is progressive 25P and graphics are interlaced which works well.

Here is the sample video:

[manono]

Thank you. I played the sample on both my computer and on my television and saw nothing out of the ordinary - none of the aliasing your picture shows. Then I opened it in VDub and it jumped out at me. I went back and studied it again through MPC-HC on the computer and then I noticed the aliasing again. Again, it looks to me as if it was very poorly deinterlaced (or resized?) somewhere along the line. I don't use any Adobe programs so someone else will have to step in and try to diagnose where the problem began. Maybe try a different MPEG-2 encoder to see if the problem repeats itself, but I think the problem occurred before the encoding stage, perhaps when it was being resized from 1280x720 to 720x576. Do you know what resizer was used? Do you have other choices? Do you have a similar sample from the 1280x720 version?

[BroadcastTVS]

I spoke to softron (the company of the play-out software) and sent me some samples for their test of the footage. They also got terrible image quality from outputting using composite cables, however, they retested using SDI cable and it sustained image quality. But Im now I'm concerned that my TV may not support SDI cable.

Here are the samples they tested:

[jagabo]

Use a less sharp resizing filter when you downscale. Your video is full of oversharpening halos. A player that deinterlaced on playback will exacerbate those and the create more aliasing artifacts.

[BroadcastTVS]

Use a less sharp resizing filter when you downscale.

How can I achieve this?

[jagabo]

I don't know Adobe tools but usually you can find a choice of resizing algorithms like Bilinear, Bucubic, Lanczos. The upscaler used by the media player can vary too. MPCHC for example:

[BroadcastTVS]

Great thank you. Any program like this for the mac?

[poisondeathray]

You mentioned Adobe, you can change the scaling algorithm in AE to bilinear which is softer than bicubic
http://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/2013/06/bicubic-resampling-for-improved-scaling-an...r-effects.html

PP is slightly different, it depends if you're doing it in AME, and if you have MRQ enabled
http://blogs.adobe.com/premierepro/2010/10/scaling-in-premiere-pro-cs5.html

But Im now I'm concerned that my TV may not support SDI cable.

SDI, HD-SDI won't be supported on consumer TV's , only broadcast monitors and professional gear

[BroadcastTVS]

You mentioned Adobe, you can change the scaling algorithm in AE to bilinear which is softer than bicubic
http://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/2013/06/bicubic-resampling-for-improved-scaling-an...r-effects.html

PP is slightly different, it depends if you're doing it in AME, and if you have MRQ enabled
http://blogs.adobe.com/premierepro/2010/10/scaling-in-premiere-pro-cs5.html

Great thanks!

[jagabo]

How about a DVD player?