Jerky DVD plaback with MF4

bdmor · Post by **bdmor** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:13 pm

I'm using MF4 to capture analog video (from an NTSC Hi8 camera), then burning it to DVD (in mpeg format). When playing the disc on a DVD player, however, the picture is jerky whenever the camera is panning (it is fine when the camera is stationary). Has anyone experienced this and can recommend a remedy?
Thanks, Ben

snoops · Post by **snoops** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:57 am

This is most likely due to the wrong field order set for capturing, or wrong field order detected by capture software.

Analog video is usually upper field first, DV is lower field first.

Each video frame is interlaced with a lower and upper field. If the capture is flagged wrong, any movement will go in the wrong direction between the 2 fields. The next frame will then skip in the other direction.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:25 am

The most usual cause is as mentioned by snoops but using MovieFactory it is a little hard to get the field order the wrong way round, that is more common with a Video Editor such as VideoStudio or MediaStudio.

If it is not the field order, another thing you can double check which would give a similar result is that you didn't inadvertently select the wrong format when creating/burning the DVD. In other words you captured in NTSC and then created a PAL DVD (or the other way round.)

snoops · Post by **snoops** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:31 am

If MF does have the wrong field order and does not allow setting it in advanced options, you should capture with software included with your hardware instead.

Unofficially you may want to check this file (substitute your version if not 5.3) and try to figure out what your new entry should be:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Ulead Systems\Ulead DVD MovieFactory\5.3\uvDeviceField.ini

This file seems to set the field order for certain hardware. But undocumented.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:56 am

Not saying don't do it but I have to show the following disclaimer on behalf of Ulead when I see one of these posts.

This is not an official solution by Ulead. Editing a critical program file and any other changes to it can cause the program not to run properly. If you encounter problems with the software and ask for Technical support, the TS guys may not be able to give the exact solution because the program has been tampered. Tech Support can never know for sure what other values are changed so its better to be safe. Its like voiding the warranty of a certain electrical device by removing a jumper or modifying its circuit. Make sure you backup those files and revert it to the original one and then ask for TS assistance.

It is covered in the EULA under "2. Use of Software: You may not: 4) reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of the software"

It's just a cop out clause. Best thing to do is to make a back up copy of the file so you can always revert to the original.

bdmor · Post by **bdmor** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:09 am

I appreciate the responses. The field order is fine (was so by default). I will now check whether there is something wrong with my burn settings. In any event, if I use PAL instead of NTSC, should this not result in flickering? I get jerky movement but no flickering. Thanks, Ben

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:18 am

bdmor wrote:I appreciate the responses. The field order is fine (was so by default). I will now check whether there is something wrong with my burn settings. In any event, if I use PAL instead of NTSC, should this not result in flickering? I get jerky movement but no flickering. Thanks, Ben

You will get all sorts of odd behaviour.
NTSC is almost 30 pictures every second passing before your eyes like one of those flick books they had you make in junior school many years ago - like a cartoon.

PAL only has 25 pictures every second and so 5 of those pictures gets dumped. Obviously the effect will vary according to which 5 get dumped every second.