Project settings when using Avid DNxHD codec

Geoff Marlow wrote on 8/30/2013, 3:51 AM
Most of my video footage comes from my Canon 600D DSLR in 1980x1020x24p .mov format (although I could set it differently).

For final rendering for YouTube at 1280x720x24p I'm using Handbrake and the Avid DNxHD 2.3.8 codec.

My question is about optimal settings for both projects in MSPP12 and DNxHD rendering.

According to Wikipedia the DNxHD codec supports bit rates of 220, 145 and 36Mbit/s (but that may be out of date).

The YouTube 'better and best' method video by musicvid10 recommends 145Mb/s.

MSPS12 gives the following DNxHD bit rate options for 720p/23.976/8-bit rendering: 90, 60 or 40Mb/s

At 1080p/23.976 the available options are:444, 175, 115, 80 or 36Mb/s.

So given that I have 1980x1020x24p footage and want, in general, to post to YouTube (and maybe Vimeo, or possibly Amazon S3 in future) what combination of MSPS12 project settings and Avid DNxHD codec settings should I standardise on?


Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 8/30/2013, 8:59 AM
Your project settings should match your source for best timeline preview.
The project settings above the line do not affect the render.
Your Canon will be shooting 23.976 in NTSC mode, commonly designated 24p.
Your DNxHD render template should be same as source, 1080p/23.976 115 Mbps.
Higher bitrates are overkill and do nothing except waste space and time.
Remember, your deinterlacing and resizing will be done in Handbrake. You do not want to do it in Vegas, generally speaking.
Geoff Marlow wrote on 8/30/2013, 9:25 AM
Thanks musicvid10 (again)

Just two questions of clarification if I may:

1) You mention that the Canon will shoot in 23.976 NTSC mode. Isn't NTSC an interlaced format? I'd understood that the Canon shot in progressive?

2) You mention that 'deinterlacing and resizing will be done in Handbrake'. I guess this is an extension to question 1, but I was under the impression that progressive source video would not need any deinterlacing.
musicvid10 wrote on 8/30/2013, 9:31 AM
1. 24p "Film" (23.976 NTSC) is always progressive. So is 720p. 1080 in itself "can" be either interlaced or progressive.

2. Yes, that was a general statement, just covering the bases. I could have left out the word "your."