Info on Project settings? Deinterlace method, etc

Green Button wrote on 1/9/2011, 10:57 PM
I have some questions about the ACTUAL meaning/effect of some of the project settings. Cant' find this in any manual and want to make smart/informed decisions:

1) Deinterlace method. Does this matter at all for AVCHD source captured from a sony camcorder? When should one use "Blend" versus "Interpolate"? What's the difference?

2) Full resolution rendering quality: this seems to default to "preview" or "good". Why not use "Best" always? What does this do really? When I render final, should I always use "Best" for watcing videos on HDTV (in 720p)?

3) "Adjust source media to better match project settings." This I don't get at all. The source media is what it is... what does it mean to "adjust the source media"?

4) What's the effect (higher use of memory?) if I choose higher res project settings? Should I always choose project settings "as high as the source" or "as high as I'd EVER render"?

In particular-- I'm capturing with Sony AVCHD camvorder (AVC 1440x1080) but so far I always render to 720p. (maybe I'll start increasing that.. faster PCs and bigger hard drives). Should my projects by 720p or 1080??

thanks for help and explantion! happy to read a manual or whitepaper if one exists.

tx

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 1/10/2011, 1:54 AM
1. Use interpolation for projects that have lots of motion. Use blend fields if there's no motion, or much of it. Blend fields creates ghosting, I personally avoid it. This is why I bought a progressive camera, so I don't have to lose a whole field each time I export progressively out of an interlaced source like HDV and AVCHD are.

2. Always use BEST in the project properties, and Preview/auto in the preview window. BEST quality in the project properties would mean better quality when you render out at the end.

3. Uncheck that.

4. Your project properties should always match your SOURCE footage, not how you render at the end. You simply export at the end any way you like, but to make your preview faster, and to have generated media at full quality, use source footage's properties.
Markk655 wrote on 1/10/2011, 6:03 AM
Eugenia,

Do points 1 and 4 contradict each other for a camcorder that is 1440x1080 (50i or 60i)?

To be played on an HDTV, can't the OP render 1440x1080/60i to the same AVC profile with interpolate set to none? Any reason you would avoid that for playback on a TV?
Eugenia wrote on 1/10/2011, 2:37 PM
To export back to TV via DVD/BD, you indeed might not want to deinterlace. But always use the correct project properties that mirror the footage anyway.

Personally, I do not export any interlacing content anymore. It's either progressive, or it's not good enough. Very few TVs have expensive deinterlacing chips, most just use either interpolation, or either blend fields, and each of the two has its drawbacks.

That's why I just shoot progressively, and export in progressive, and then watch the videos via my PS3, or XBoX360, or any other such video-aware device.
Markk655 wrote on 1/10/2011, 7:04 PM
Eugenia,

Sorry for hijacking the thread....

I have a choice of shooting 1920x1080/60i AVCHD or 1440x1080/30p mp4. It is destined to be streamed via PS3 to an HDTV. Is that a firm answer to shoot in 30p mp4 even though the AVCHD is easier to edit (without proxies) and has a higher resolution?
Eugenia wrote on 1/10/2011, 9:20 PM
No, in that case it's only a matter if you prefer 60i or 30p (smooth video versus less smooth video). The difference between 1440 and 1920 is not really visible from 2 meters away.