Mixing Upper Field and Lower Field?

organism_seven wrote on 5/15/2003, 5:26 PM
Hi,

Could anybody provide me with an answer to the following?

Do all camcorders (such as the Canon XM1 and other models with a similar spec) capture footage lower field first?

If not, why not? Surely this would keep things simpler.
Or is it just a difference that applies only to NTSC /PAL camcorders.

I ask because I am having some real problems converting some AVI files I have edited in Vegas, and I am now trying to convert them to MPEG2.
I have tried using the inbuilt Mainconcept codec and also TMPGEnc Plus.
Neither will work.

When I encode them to MPEG2 I keep getting the "jittery" look on my TV screen, as if I have encoded them with the wrong field order setting.

But it doesn't matter what setting I choose, lower, upper, or progressive the footage still plays back "with the jitters" (on the TV screen).

The original avi files play back fine, and I have played them and recorded them to VHS and the picture quality is perfectly OK (for VHS!). no jitters!

Now, this problem has now started me thinking.
If I right click on the avi files on the timeline in Vegas the properties tab tells me the footage is upper field. But I am sure that all footage captured with my Canon XM1 is lower field. I have checked previous footage and its all lower field.

In this latest file I have produced, I used three cameras.
My Canon XM1, a Sony Digital8, and a Sony Hi-8. (Don't ask!!).
If any of the other cameras capture footage upper field first, how the hell would I be able to encode a project using footage from both and convert to MPEG2?

If anyone can see what I am getting at here, I would appreciate a plain english explanation. Particulary, if you can find a solution to encoding this footage to MPEG2 without me getting the jitters!

Thanks.



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