DVD quality is poor, Why?

RogerB1 wrote on 8/31/2006, 1:59 PM

I just edited our film "A Mediterrrean Cruise" I shot it with my HDR-HC1 and downconverted to SD so I could make DVD's and share with family. I edited in Vegas 6. I used DVD Architect Studio to make the dvd. I am SO disapointed with the results. The original MPEG 2 is just fine and looks great but the dvd is not. Colors are dull and contrast is low. What do you think I can do make it better? Thanks for your help. Roger Bloemers

Comments

PeterWright wrote on 8/31/2006, 10:09 PM

I'm not sure what differences between DVDA Studio and the full version may be relevant, but how did you do the encoding - if in Vegas, which template, and did DVDAS accept this without recompressing?

johnmeyer wrote on 8/31/2006, 11:53 PM

Color and contrast should be virtually the same as the original. I don't have Studio, however, so I can't help with settings.

Grazie wrote on 9/1/2006, 12:01 AM

Colors are dull and contrast is low.

Roger? I'd like to establish how you are monitoring your MPEG through your workflow? What are you finally viewing your DVD?

When I have got washed out - low contrast - and dull colours - low saturation - it was because I hadn't monitored out to my external CRT analogue monitor. This was way back before I realised the importance of the difference between monitoring on my PC and an external device like a CRT. Point here, I guess, is that we need to render for the final delivery/view.

Now, all of this maybe way unimportant to you 'cos you might have had some previous success and this IS a recent issue. Have you had success before? Have you changed your monitoring process?

RogerB1 wrote on 9/1/2006, 3:06 PM

Hi thanks for the help folks. I am viewing my finished dvd's on our 42 inch Sony HDTV The picture on that TV is wonderful especially in High Def. However my own dvd's are not quit as good. I do not expect HD quality dvd's with film downconverted to SD but I would like great color and contrast. I am not getting that now. I think some of the footage shot with a regular DV cam.looks better, but not much. My dvd's are not as good as they can be I suspect. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks again Roger :)

newhope wrote on 9/1/2006, 11:21 PM

When Editing in Vegas or using DVD Studio how are you viewing the footage, on an external TV monitor or on your computer monitor?

The colour space is different between both hence what you see on the computer is different on the PC compared to the TV.
Can you connect, via firewire through your camera or another device, the output of Vegas or DVD Studio to a television monitor? If so are you seeing a diference at that stage?
If you are then you could apply colour or brightness/contrast adjustment though the original should be degraded (other than the HD to SD conversion) by the editing and output to DVD in the manner you describe.

New Hope Media

RogerB1 wrote on 9/3/2006, 5:47 AM

Here is what I do.

Downconvert to SD from HD
Upload with firewire
Edit using Vegas 6.0
Burn MPEG 2 to Dvd using Architect Studio
play on 42 inch Sony HD TV
Watch film, quality not nerely as good as on my computer monitor. Color and contrast down. movie now blah. drat

grh wrote on 9/3/2006, 6:42 AM

This is the trickiest (most tricky?) part of editing, IMHO. You will absolutely have to involve the Levels, Saturation, Brightness/Contrast, Broadcast Levels and possibly Color Curves. I strongly recommend getting some RW discs to use for proofing (if your player will happily read them). Then experiment: Look at the picture on the TV, see what you don't like, make adjustments in Vegas (per the plug-ins I mention), re-render and re-burn, view, make notes, repeat. Also look the qualiy on a standard TV tube. Make your the setting on the TV are flat (brightness, contrast, color).

You can learn how to build a picture on your CRT that will translate reasonably well to TV, but it takes practice.

Grazie wrote on 9/3/2006, 12:51 PM

Ditto grh and what I said too.

Hold on!? Did you say you downconvert to SD and then produce for a HD monitor? I don;t have HD anything, but where are you delivering back HD to that HD Monitor? Please forgive me but I know little if nothing of the HD workflow.

To recap - I would only CC, Colour Curve, Saturation and ALL the other fine tools using a monitor that would be the technology that would be delivering the final video.

RogerB1 wrote on 9/3/2006, 7:30 PM

No, I Said I play on a Sony HD TV (which plays SD as well as HD) My film is in SD bacause I do not have a HD burner or player as yet. :) Roger

Chienworks wrote on 9/4/2006, 6:16 AM

Roger, are you adjusting colors and brightness while editing to make the preview look good on your computer screen? If so, don't! Most computer screens look darker and contrastier than televisions. If your destination is TV, then it should look bad on the computer monitor.

Try this experiement ... take a commercial DVD that you enjoy watching on your big TV and play it on your computer screen. Notice how dark and saturated it is? This is what your video should look like on the computer monitor while editing in order for it to look good on the TV afterwards.

Ideally you should have your TV connected to the computer while editing and be judging your color corrections on the TV instead of on the computer screen.

RogerB1 wrote on 9/4/2006, 4:30 PM

Thank you so much. That does make sense to me. I will try that like NOW. :) Roger