Flickering pics on DVD only

Julius_911 wrote on 10/23/2003, 7:36 AM
HI all,

I finished editing this project which involved taking "snapshots to file". I made sure I was set to None (progressive scan), and interpolate in the properties. I also changed my preview window to Best Full. I captured about 40 pics and with the externl monitor on all seemed okay. Once print to tape, again the footage was great.
My client then asked for a DVD copy. I used the DVD Arch. video stream (mpeg-2 mainconcept) for the video pass and then the second pass for the Dolby Digital.
I played the DVD on my computer and all seemed very sharp.
However when delivered to the client, some of the pics (not all) flickered pretty badly. In total about 1/3 of the pics flickered. There was no strips or things like that anywhere in the pics.

I don't know what can cause this because returning to my project I can't see anything wrong. I even output to AVI and don't see the flickering. All the properties for the pics have the same setting and it's a PNG type.

I don't have a DVD player other than my pc drive.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 10/23/2003, 8:32 AM
Tip of the day: NEVER check a DVD on your computer. It will look good almsot 99% of the time.

Even though you saved your pics as progressive, it still probley has some interlace lines. Open up the pics in a paint program (Photoshop, Painter, PSP, etc.) Zoom in. If it looks like every other line is "off" then it's interlaced.

I like using the "De-interlace" filter in Photoshop. It works pretty good, and lets you choose how to de-interlace.
Spot|DSE wrote on 10/23/2003, 8:33 AM
Try dropping the Broadcast colors clamp on the entire project. It may be that you are having color shift and creating illegal colors.
John_Cline wrote on 10/23/2003, 8:47 AM
The flickering is due to thin horizontal details in the original photos, try applying a little blur to the photos and rerender. Obviously, this will soften the images a bit, but the flicker will go away. The reason it flickers is that a thin horizontal detail will be reproduced in one field and not the other, so it will appear and disappear causing the flicker. Even though you imported them as progressive, the TV will display them using interlacing.

In addition to the blur, like SPOT suggested, it's a good idea to apply the broadcast colors filter so that the colors stay legal.

John
Sid_Phillips wrote on 10/23/2003, 10:17 AM
Julius:

The only time I've seen flicker in my systems were on VHS tapes, like the others said the PC videos always looked great. In my case about 99% of the problem were non-legal colors. You can use FX to solve that problem in an instant using Broadcast Colors. You can also use the Gaussian Blur FX, I'd try .001 first, that should be enough to eliminate any noise generated by the thin lines.

But try the Broadcast Colors filter first, that solves my problem with stills just about every single time.
Julius_911 wrote on 10/23/2003, 11:07 AM
Much appreciated help, thanks.

I will try the broadcast colors, good idea!

I do have some pics with the Radial blur, and it still flickers. However all the flickering is not all of the image, just some sections. In one particular pic, a guy is standing in front of a white car, and only the car is flickering...more like shaking.

I guess I'll use the Track FX and pick Broadcast Colors (Conservative). What sucks is that I need to burn a DVD to view the results on a DVD player. Oh well.

Stay tuned
Thanks again
tnw2933 wrote on 10/23/2003, 11:10 AM
In my experience applying Radial Blur (or any other type of Blur) other than Gaussian Blur will NOT remove the flickering that you are referring to. Try applying a 2 pixle Gaussian Blur and see if that does not solve the problem.

Tom
donp wrote on 10/23/2003, 1:48 PM
Burn it on a DVD-RW to check it.
Julius_911 wrote on 10/26/2003, 8:09 PM
Okay I did the Broadcast colors applied to the entire track (set to Conservative) and I got the same results when delivered to the client. It still flickers.

What looks funny is the flickering is more like a shaking, but only part of the picture. In another picture, a couple is standing in front of the church, and they are shaking back and forth, but the rest of the pics is okay.
I'm wondering where shall I go from here? Just redo the pics again and hope it disappears.

Sorry I didn't want to go with the Blur of .001..at least not just yet. I have 1 week left before final delivery.

Thanks
John_Cline wrote on 10/26/2003, 10:30 PM
Julius,

For some reason you are avoiding trying one thing that could most likely make your problem go away. Apply some Gaussian blur to the stills.

John
4thorder wrote on 10/26/2003, 11:12 PM
Turn on the reduce interlace flicker switch and that should help.

Objects with strong lines can be prone to the flicker effect. Blur will help but try the switch first.
Julius_911 wrote on 10/28/2003, 7:42 AM
I turned on the reduce flickering as suggested and it worked perfectly. Along with the BroadCast colors.

I did try the blur of .001 but noticed that the pics wasn't as sharp anymore, so since the reduce flicker worked, I removed the Blur.
I guess this little switch must always be on for taking snapshots...at least in my case.

Thanks to all!!