XL2 24p 2:3:3:2 to 24p 16:9 DVD issues

[Scott Smith]

So I've read 100 forums and got lots of great information and am trying
to piece it all together to sort out a pipeline of shooting and ouputing
to 24p 16x9 dvd. (sorry for length).

I've got an xl2 and final cut studio (as of 10/26/05 I've got all the
latest updates). I'm shooting 24p with 2:3:3:2 at 16x9 and capturing to
a firestore fs-4 with quicktime 24p setting.

loading the clips into final cut looks great. everything plays back
wonderfully. i've then read that the best way to get this footage to
dvd studio pro is to export directly to compressor and create the
mpeg-2 .m2v asset from compressor as dvd studio does not interpret 24p
dv encoded footage properly. cool. however, when in compressor i have
many options. some say to mark the footage here as 23.98fps and 16x9
and output that. the rub is i'm getting a movie with a resolution of
720x404. what i presume i'm looking for is a resolution of 720x480
(anamorphic) that i then flag in dvd studio pro as 16x9 so it gets
stretched to fit a 16x9 tv correctly when played back.

the other option is to ouput 23.98fps 4:3 from compressor but this
outputs a 640x480 quicktime (even though the inpsector says it's going
to be 720x480).

anyone have suggestions for what exactly i should be outputting from
compressor for an NTSC 16x9 24p dvd?

in addition, when i choose 23.98 fps from compressor it plays back very
fast on the dvd and loses sync with the audio. i'd also like to presume
i want to keep it 23.98 fps right to the dvd and have the player know
it's 24p and do a pulldown on playback when necessary.

which brings up one final thought. i'm shooting tapeless to the fs-4
and when i play the clip in final cut it's fine. when i play the clip
direclty in quicktime it plays the video back too fast (leaving garbage
noise at end) but the audio plays back at the correct speed. in the
info window it says it's a 23.98fps movie but when playing back it plays
back at 30fps? what gives? is my timecode screwed up from shooting
tapeless to the fs-4?

the manuals are actually very helpful giving information but what is
being output and the end result is not correct. i feel like i'm
dangerously close but can't seem to pin down the exact settings.

heaps of questions, i know, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
the geekier the better.

[Rob Lohman]

Hi Scott, welcome aboard (H)DVInfo.net. I've moved your post to our Mac
editing forum. While it was in the proper place this forum has a higher chance
of someone answering your specific (Mac) question.

Hopefully you can get it resorted.

p.s. an NTSC DVD should indeed be 720 x 480 with in your case the 16:9 flag
turned on in the framerate of 23.976 fps (which will be written down as 29.97
with a telecine flag turned on so it is being played back @ 23.976 fps)

I just don't know how to do it on the Mac (I'm PC based), sorry.