Imported images not as sharp as DV camera

Trevor · Post by **Trevor** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:02 pm

Using VS10 +SP1 I am unable to import JPEG images into my timeline and video that are as sharp as the 720x576 PAL video from my DV camera. I import using the settings ?
Antiflicker
Image capture deinterlace
Best resampling quality
I have tried importing the original 2272x1704 image as well the image reduced to 720x 576 before importation.
I have also tried keep aspect ratio ?and fit to project size?
I make an MPEG2 file using the settings -
Ulead MPEG now encoder
Lower field first
PAL DVD, 100% quality
Variable bit rate 8000kbs
Dolby Digital Audio
I then make a DVD using the same settings and judge the result on a TV.
My computer is Pentium 4 , 2.0 Ghz , 512 DDRAM.
My question is has anybody been able to get DV camera quality from imported images and if so what can I do to get it ?
Trevor

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:42 pm

Hi

My question is has anybody been able to get DV camera quality from imported images and if so what can I do to get it ?

Yep the last slide show I made was very good.

Where do the images originate, were they taken with the Dv-camera or an image camera.
Cam-Corder stills are not all that brilliant. I have a Panasonic 400 camcorder, takes excellent still images but not as good as my still camera.

Your aspect ratio is good at 4:3, if you resize--use 768 x 576 to keep 4:3.

This is what I did:-
I was working in widescreen 16:9 so I resized my images to the correct aspect ratio. (1024 x 576)
After editing I first rendered to Pal-Dv Avi
I then rendered the Avi to Pal-Dvd (mpeg 2)
It takes a little longer, but I need Avi anyway.

These were the settings I used:-
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: 8000 kbps
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Notice i used Frame Based, this was recommended by Ken a forum member, it was a trial and came out great.
The bit rate of 8000 is constant, not variable, but that¡¦s just my preference.
I always use constant.

To be honest I cannot see anything wrong with your approach

Regards Trevor

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:26 pm

If it's all still pictures then there is no need for vbr, as there is no variation/movement in the "video".
Frame based would be fine for this as well.
Both would be different answers if you have stills and video on the timeline.

Personally I prefer to keep the total bitrate below 8,000, as some dvd players have trouble with higher and this has to include audio and video bitrates. I tend to max the video at 7500, audio 224, this gives me some slight headroom for peaks.

It may help if you can tell us how you feel the picture is inferior, is it jumping, hazy, out of focus, poor colour?

If the pictures are on your camcorder, how do they look when this is connected direct to the tv?

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:38 pm

My forumula is to insert high resolution jpegs directly into the timeline (no prescaling), if it is a pure slide show, use Frame-Based, otherwise, match the Field Order of the video clips. Never use anti-flicker filters. I have pushed the video bitrate to 9800Kbps and get slightly sharper images for standard definition - have not (yet) found a DVD player unable to play it.

For best resolution, use high definition frame size: 1920x1080 is a good choice. Push up the video bitrate commensurate with your output file format - e.g., Mpeg2 HDV: 25Mbps, Divx HD, 8Mbps. It is essential to have a high definition TV for playback, other wise your sharp pictures will still be locked in the 720x480 prison. Nota bene: You will not be able to burn these on standard DVDs, unless you are prepared to lay out a king's ransom for Blu-Ray equipment or get one of the DVD-Link players (e.g., IOData AVLP2).

Edit: Xbox 360 is also supposed to work as an HD playback device. Have not tried it.

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 8:04 pm

Hi John,

You and I have exchanged questions and answers before on this topic recently. I am currently following your recommendation of 9600 kbps cbr with Frame Based for strictly DVD slideshows (no video clips). However, why do you say not to use the "anti-flicker" filters?

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:39 pm

I don't use Anti-Flicker filters because my slides don't flicker. Even if they did, I would not want a globally acting filter (possibly) monkeying with the encoding process when I create a video file. I would look, instead, for the source of the flicker and try to eliminate it.

Trevor · Post by **Trevor** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:17 am

Thanks for all the replies
The 2272x1704 image is from a still digital camera.
When viewing the DVD the still images are slightly unsharper than the video image. Colour and contrast are OK.
I have just tried looking at the VSP file on the timeline at full screen after having performed high quality playback and the 720x576 image appears as sharp as the video and the 2272x1704 looks less sharp
It would appear that the subsequent MPEG processing to DVD is affecting the still images differently from the video .
Trevor S

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:25 am

I agree with jchunter in not using the anti flicker filter but rather fix any flicker at the source (image). I have done that by introducing a slight vertical motion blurr (often 1 px is enough, never needed more than 2 px) to images displaying a flicker.

The loss in sharpness is due to a compressed jpeg image getting downsized by VS and subsequently more compressed with the mpeg codec.

My best results were when I resized the images in PI to 4:3 aspect frame size of 1200 x 900 px and saved it as a bmp rather than jpeg. The images are crisp and clear on the DVD afterwards.