DV Info Net - Best way to submit an HD Project?

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You can crunch video with MPEG2 soft or hard. Lots of options available; lots of parameters to tweak. And even then, all mpeg codecs are not created equal.

But you need to learn about GOPs and bitrates. Whatever preset you are using is probably going to be set at long-GOP (anything greater than I-frame) and a bitrate suitable for DVD. Dunno what options yr software has or how customizable the output options are. And sorry, my knowledge is more general than specific as to what bitrate would be advisable.

As to visual loss, you want to stay far away from it. You want to retain as much quality as you possibly can (see post on generation loss). By definition, MPEG is a lossy codec. I'd classify Cineform/Canopus HQ/Prores as less-lossy. See Codec - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also, since you're goal is color correction, the codec color space is very important. Generic (DVD) MPEG is a limited color format. Greater color encoding is part of the MPEG spec but may not be available with the codec you are using.

How about this: export a short section with your MPEG2 settings and the same with, say, uncompressed if it is an option. Bring it to the mac, mess with it and then bring it back to your pc. And then go ahead and downconvert and burn to a DVD and see what the final result is. Really no substitute for trial and error.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Lewis (Post 1465408)

After doing some testing over the weekend, it seems that I can simply export my project as an MPEG2 file, and then he can export it the same way after working on it. I was not able to notice any visable difference with this approach. There does not seem to be that same type of compression when creating a MPEG-2 file as oposed to buring an actual dvd. Is this indeed a lossless process? Gordan, I guess I could export that same MPEG2 file to a hard drive as oposed to a dvd, but i'm not sure how much of a difference it will be as it relates to clarity. Anyone have any addittional thoughts on all of this?

MPEG-2 is "lossy" compression, but if you crank the bitrate high enough, you can get "visually lossless" quality. Go to 50Mbps (long GOP) or 150Mbps (I-frame only), and you really should be fine.

Since both of you are FCP users why not copy a scratch disc and your video file project onto an external HDD and send it off to your friend? You can also export it in ProRes 422, which has to be done anyway to use Color in FCS.

Neither is using FCP. One's on a PC with Pinnacle and the other is on a Mac with Final Cut Studio. Maybe Final Cut Studio is a suite of apps that includes FCP? I dunno. Haven't touched a Mac in decades.