I found the "perfect" way for best 1080p -> DVD results
 

I (as many of you also) have been trying to find the best way of delivering 1080p material from the EX* cameras to DVD. The other day i came up with some remarkable results!

Workflow:

Shoot and edit in 1080p (ProRes or XDCAM EX 1080p 35mbit vbr)
Export the file (with current settings)
Resize in compressor to ProRes. Settings: No deinterlace, Best resize (statistical prediction), 720x576 anamorphic (or 720x480 if you're doing NTSC).

Encode to Mpeg2 with CinemaCraft Encoder SP (Be shure to select "progressive frame" in the "Picture" setting and uncheck "encode with upper field" in the "advanced" setting.
I did 8mbit CBR, but anything will work.

Import into Encore/DVD studio pro and do the authoring or whatever.

Result is super clean DVD with no choppy image or jagged diagonals.

By far the best DVD results I've ever gotten.

Note: The best way to get interlace is, in my experience, to use the same process only to use Carbon Coder in stead of CCE, which is the better interlaced mpeg encoder.

But in the end, who shoots interlaced with the EX cameras except when mixing with DV or DV50 projects.

Good luck.


EDIT: If any of you have a better way of scaling the ProRes to SD, please let me know. Compared to using clip browser, this is far better. A lot sharper images plus you preserve the chroma.

Here are a couple of notes on HD to SD that might help us all...

here... CineForm Insider: Mastering 24p DVDs from HD using Premiere Pro.

and here.. High Definition for PC Downconverting High Definition to DVD

at least I never heard that Adobe applies correction after the downscaling....

ProRes 422 och 422 HQ?

I don't think it really matters. If you want to be SHURE it don't matter, use HQ. It's capable of far better quality than the EX1 can deliver anyway. EX1 is 4:2:0. Try both and give us feedback ;)

Hi - what does CinemaCraft Encoder SP cost?

Hey Oyvind,
What version of Cinema Craft are you running. Also with CCE there are many other options which need to be checked, could you detail theses.

Have you tried exporting the time line to compressor and then render out to MPEG2 using CBR @ 8MEG and turning on frame controls. I have success with this and use this for all my renders.

I run HD ProRez 422HQ on my Media 100 from my HQ 1080 25p EX3 recordings.
Export final edit to QT using PR422 HQ with Computer 0-255 luma levels, use Apple Compressor to downconvert from HD to SD using 2 pass VBR at Best settings to make m2v files with Dolby Digital audio then author in DVD Studio Pro.

I always get excellent results on DVD.

Oyvind, don't you mean CinemaCraft Encoder MP? ( for the mac)

I used CinemaCraft Encoder SP for Windows. Around 2000$ i think.

The only thing I changed was progressive frame and unchecked upper field.

Bitrate and etc you can change for your needs.

It produces a lower field file, but the signal is progressive.

Compressor sucks for MPEG2. CCE is best for prog, Carbon for interlaced. Read reviews! If you input a high-color file to compressor for mpeg2 encoding, it produces a bunch of blocks and such in hi-sat areas.