EX3 overcrank rendering to mpeg4 issues

mtntvguy wrote on 6/15/2009, 2:04 PM
I'm doing something wrong. I can render pretty much anything to mpeg4 right form the Vegas timeline, but when I try to render clips I shot at 720P at 60fps, I get badly pixelated footage. 720, 1440, 1920, DV, interlaced or progressive all render fine to mpeg4, but not the stuff I overcrank to 60fps.

Here's one I rendered to mpeg2 it looks fine. But if I try to do it as an mpeg4 it looks worse than the worst mpeg1 stuff ten years ago.

Any suggestions?

Comments

Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/16/2009, 5:00 AM

That is an interesting problem.

Unfortunately, I can't do a test at this time. My camera is at Sony getting a firmware upgrade. At this point, I'm at least a week or two from getting it back (and currently fighting withdrawl).

Please, keep us informed on this. I'm curious to find out what's happening.


Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/17/2009, 8:15 AM

Got my camera back later yesterday. Tried the slo-mo and rendered to MP4 and all looked fine.

Which codec are you using to render your MP4--MainConcept or Sony AVC?


mtntvguy wrote on 6/17/2009, 8:49 AM
I tried both, and both looked terrible. Everything renders fine to mp4 as long as there's no overcranking in the clip.

Final Cut Studio will be here today or tomorrow. I'll see what happens with compressor.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/17/2009, 9:12 AM

Would you, please, describe your work flow--from shooting to final render to MP4?

I seriously doubt you'll find FCS any easier to work with, but that's certainly your call.


mtntvguy wrote on 6/17/2009, 10:50 AM
I shoot the footage, usually in 1080P, but also in 720P, ingest clips to my HD using Clip Browser to convert them, place the clips on the Vegas timeline (tried different preferences), select 1280 X 720 to render for mp4 (I also tried 640X360), everything renders just fine... unless one of the clips was overcranked, then I get blocking (pixelation) that just ruins the piece. As long as there is no overcrtanked footage, all is well and mp4s render fine.

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention is Mpeg2s render fine, even from the same timeline and with overcranked clips. Making me nuts, it is.

And I hear what you are saying about FCS2, but I already bought it so I might as well use it.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/17/2009, 11:04 AM

I guess I'd have to be looking over your shoulder from beginning to end to see what you're doing (or not doing) in order pick up on any errors, if there are any.

It simply doesn't make any sense. I can't duplicate your problem.


farss wrote on 6/17/2009, 3:07 PM
1) Did you just shoot 720p60 or did you actually use S&Q motion?
The later records much higher quality video.

2) Which encoder did you use to encode the mp4s?
By all accounts the Sony one is horrid and any artifacts in the overcranked footage would indeed end up as blocky artifacts, see a thread started by Blink for details.
Unfortunately the Main Concept mp4 encoder is broken in V9, at least in 2 pass. I've gone back to V8 for doing mp4 encoding.

Bob.

John_Cline wrote on 6/17/2009, 3:56 PM
What bitrate are you using?
mtntvguy wrote on 6/17/2009, 6:02 PM
Actually, I've been through this so much I'm sick of analyzing it. But thanks for the input.

Main Concept works fine for all my mpg4 needs, unless I've got overcranked (S&Q) footage on the timeline. Then it sucks.

I just tried compressor. It worked fine making an h264 file. I'll just use Final Cut in the future for stuff like this, and use Vegas when I'm feeling nostalgic.