Creating DVD movie with resolution higher than 720x480

[bpr]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member. Just bought my first camcorder: Sony HDR-HC7E. I'm using VS11+ (upgraded with the patch and power pack - thanks to you all in this forum) for editing and creating movies.

Basically I want to create DVD home movies with the same image quality as the DVD movie collections that I have. This is the reason why I bought HD camcorder in the first place. Mind you, I'm talking about standard DVD (NOT HD-DVD or Blu-Ray).

I have a 42" Toshiba LCD TV and my DVD movie collections look very great in this wide screen LCD TV. I love it.

When I burned my first DVD home movie, I was a bit confused to see that the max resolution is only 720x480. I burned it anyway to see the result. I was disappointed to see the result on my big LCD TV. The image is not as sharp. Also, there are black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Yes, I already set to 16:9.

How can I get the same image quality as my DVD collections?

[Clevo]

Something doesn't seem right.

Would you mind inserting a video onto your timeline and typing out the Video Properties (right click video in timeline)

And also your Project settings.

In fact if you have a look at the post titled (Read this first...) and answering those questions we can all have a go at pinpointing the problem.

Those frame sizes just don't look right for true HD video.

[bpr]

Thanks Clevo for the advise. Yes, I have searched this forum, read the manual, etc.

Let me provide more detailed info:

Describe your problem: I need to create DVD movie with resolution higher than 720x480/720x576.

Properties of your source files (format, file size, where did you get it?): I tried different things: using MPEG-2 TS captured from my HDR-HC7, using the result of the Create Video File (DVD).

What devices are involved and their mode of connection?: no device involved, since I want to create DVD from captured files.

Project Settings (important): n/a -> open VS, select tools - create disc - DVD, start adding files. You will see that the max resolution is 720x480 or 720x576.

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD): DVD

PAL or NTSC: PAL

Error Codes (if any): n/a

Product Version: VS11+

[bpr]

More info:

I did according to the best practice recommended in this forum.

1) capture. the result is MPEG-2 Video file, Upper Field First, 24 bits, 1440x1080, 16:9, 25000 frames.sec, 25000 kbps...

2) edit. added titles, transitions...

3) create video file. here I created 2 video files: DVD and HDV.

4) create disc. here I tried 2 times. first using DVD file, second using HDV file. The third time I used the original m2t file captured from the camcorder.

The problem is that when creating a DVD, VS will only give max resolution of 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL). Cannot be better than that.

[lancecarr]

Read this thread:
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=27151

[bpr]

I read that thread already. It's about creating HD-DVD using a standard DVD and standard DVD Burner. Problem is, I don't have HD-DVD player. And it's not my intention to create an HD-DVD.

All my DVD movies are standard DVD. But the image is very crisp.

The captured file (transferred from my HC7) is also very crisp. I view this directly using HDMI cable from HC7 to my 42" LCD TV.

But, after I create a DVD, the quality is downgraded. The image is very poor.

[lancecarr]

Standard resolution for DVD is 720x480 (NTSC), that's it, no higher. That IS SD.
Are you recording in HD? If you are then of course it will look good! When you go to burn a DVD it is going to have to down-res to 720x480 and you will lose quality because you are going back to standard def.
More to the point what bitrates are you using for your DVD files?

[bpr]

Standard resolution for DVD is 720x480 (NTSC), that's it, no higher. That IS SD.
Are you recording in HD? If you are then of course it will look good! When you go to burn a DVD it is going to have to down-res to 720x480 and you will lose quality because you are going back to standard def.

Yes, I recorded in HD, 16:9. And yes, I thought that it would still look good even though it will be downgraded to 720x480 when I burned it to DVD. But that is not the case. Furthermore, it displays the black bar. It should not be the case, right?

More to the point what bitrates are you using for your DVD files?

I did not change the bitrates when I burned to DVD.

[Clevo]

I need to double check this but I thought PAL was lower field first. I'm at work it's late and I'm tired.

[lancecarr]

Clevo, the fielding is irrelevant to the TV system. As long as the original field order is maintained it doesn't mater if it is Pal or NTSC.

bpr: You are simply not providing the info being asked for. We really need to know your exact workflow and the actual properteis of the original video files, the actual properties of the project in VS and the actual properties of the final output. Furthermore you report it loks bad...looks bad on what? You computer your SD TV, your HD TV, your mantlepiece!
Please read the sticky at the start of the forum and really take the time to provide the technical data asked for and you workflow. If you need to find file properties then right-click on them in VS and select properties.

[skier-hughes]

You say you are woring in PAL, but quote ntsc sizes in your first post.

Do you by chance have an ntsc cam and live in pal land?

[tommytucker]

I have a Phillips Upconvert DVD player running out into a 50" Samsung 1080i Plasma....standard DVD and my VS10+ standard burns look crisp.

[bpr]

Clevo, the fielding is irrelevant to the TV system. As long as the original field order is maintained it doesn't mater if it is Pal or NTSC.

bpr: You are simply not providing the info being asked for. We really need to know your exact workflow and the actual properteis of the original video files, the actual properties of the project in VS and the actual properties of the final output. Furthermore you report it loks bad...looks bad on what? You computer your SD TV, your HD TV, your mantlepiece!
Please read the sticky at the start of the forum and really take the time to provide the technical data asked for and you workflow. If you need to find file properties then right-click on them in VS and select properties.

I thought I have given all the details. Here we go again.

I did according to the best practice recommended in this forum. The following is the exact workflow:

1) capture (or transfer from the camcorder to my laptop). the result is MPEG-2 Video file, Upper Field First, 24 bits, 1440x1080, 16:9, 25000 frames/sec, 25000 kbps... -> so this is the properties of the source file

2) edit. added titles, transitions... -> do you really need to know what titles and what transitions?

3) create video file. After adding all the titles and transitions, I saved as project. then I click 'Share' and create video file. here I created 2 video files: DVD (click 'Share' -> 'Create Video File' -> 'DVD/VCD/SVCD/MPEG' -> 'PAL DVD (16:9)') and HDV (click 'Share' -> 'Create Video File' -> 'HDV' -> 'HDV 1080i (50i)').

The results are 2 video files of the same project. Let's say I called it MyMovieDVD and MyMovieHDV.

4) create disc. here I tried 2 times - no, 3 times. first using MyMovieDVD file, second using MyMovieHDV file. The third time I used the original m2t file captured from the camcorder (not from project, but directly using one of the source clip). How did I create disc? I clear the timeline. Click 'Share' -> 'Create Disc' -> 'DVD'. VS opens a new window. I add MyMovieDVD. then I created the menus, etc. then I click burn. I did not change the default properties: MPEG files, 24 bits, 720x576, 25fps, Lower Field First, DVD PAL, 16:9, video data rate variable 8000kbps, audio data rate 256kbps, dolby digital, 48khz, 2/0(L,R).

The problem is that when creating a DVD, VS will only give max resolution of 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL). Cannot be better than that.

Furthermore you report it loks bad...looks bad on what? You computer your SD TV, your HD TV, your mantlepiece!

Whoa! lancecarr, you've got to admit that you did not ready my postings clearly. I wrote that:

I have a 42" Toshiba LCD TV and my DVD movie collections look very great in this wide screen LCD TV. I love it.

When I burned my first DVD home movie, I was a bit confused to see that the max resolution is only 720x480. I burned it anyway to see the result. I was disappointed to see the result on my big LCD TV. The image is not as sharp. Also, there are black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.

[bpr]

You say you are woring in PAL, but quote ntsc sizes in your first post.

Do you by chance have an ntsc cam and live in pal land?

It's because i tried both format. i quoted both: 720x576 is PAL and 720x480 is NTSC. or the other way around. anyway, the point is I tried both. the result is the same.

My camcorder is PAL. of course by default I set everything to PAL. When I saw the result, I tried to set it to NTSC.

[bpr]

I have a Phillips Upconvert DVD player running out into a 50" Samsung 1080i Plasma....standard DVD and my VS10+ standard burns look crisp.

really? hmmm... I'd like to know how did you achieve that quality? did you use 720x576/480?

Do you get the black bars on top and bottom of the screen?