3D rendered images turn ugly in Editor

[silver bullit]

I decided to see how some 3D rendered in my favorite 3D package (Truespace, if it's relevant) would look on DVD.

First step: rendered out a series of images that would later be made into avi's.

Second step: opened Video Editor.

Third step: imported the image sequence.

Now this is when it gets ugly: I create an AVI so that I could edit other sequences together, but the image quality torns to garbage.

Now as a contrast, I load an image from my digital camera. However, it doesn't turn to garbage.

I personally think it is a CODEC problem, but I don't know what to do.

I am using Media Studio Pro 6.

Chris

[heinz-oz]

You don't give us much to work on. Have you considered the image resolutions you should use for DVD when you created your images? What are they? Properties?

[silver bullit]

So far, none of my 3D renderings have made it to DVD. When I load a series of frames into Video Editor and create an AVI, they turn to garbage right there.

The stills I use are 720x480, and they render out at 96 pixels / inch.

Chris

[rwernyei]

Chris,
Have you tried converting your image sequence into .uis format? This allows your image sequence to be treated as a video file on the timeline. Right click and set media source properties to frame-based. Do this with all your image sequences and edit. When it comes to rendering out to avi, Create video file>select compression None, 24 bit 720x480, frame-based. When creating MPEG2 file, make sure to use the frame-based option for field type as well. Hope this helps.

[Terry Stetler]

DEFINITELY import them as a Ulead Image Sequence (*.uis).

That said you also have to watch the color gamut you're using in the images. If they are too saturated they won't look correct on a TV be it DVD or recorded to tape. Full 24 bit export from trueSpace is a no-no for this reason.

Using a max RGB saturtation of 235 will give the best results, especially in the red channel. This can be achieved using the MSPro NTSC/PAL filter with full color images (it's in MSPro's Preferences/Edit) or by limiting the colors in trueSpace.

[silver bullit]

This seems to be the information I've been looking for.

I did the UIS thing... I even took it one step further and opened the UIS in Video Paint. That may have helped just a smidgen.

Not going to DVD like my original plan, I just went to DV Tape. Of course, I had to use the DV CODEC's... and that is when the image turned to poo.

Terry, I'm gonna do what you suggested.
rwernyei, thanks too for your input.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Chris

[silver bullit]

Nope. Same problem.
Now, in MSPro's Preferences/Edit tab there is a check box for NTSC, but nowhere to specify any RGB saturation.

But this is not a problem with MSP. For the heck og it I took a clean, clear avi rendered in DIVX to Win XP's movie maker and tried it there. Same problem.

I guess I just have to face the fact that nice images originated on the computer more than likely will fuzz and blurr when going to tape.

Chris

[Terry Stetler]

The NTSC & PAL filters in Preferences clips the RGB saturation to the acceptable levels, but as you've noticed outputting to a TV/DVD legal gamut does not give the quality of a file intended for computer playback.

[silver bullit]

What stinks is that I can accept the reality that my CG won't look good on TV... and then I turn on Jimmy Neutron and see that a few million more dollars can make their CG look good. Or Enterprise.

SB

[Terry Stetler]

There's a slight difference: they are using soruce files much higher in resolution than anything you're going to use plus their encoding software can control its settings down to the individual GOP level. In addition they can encode not with 1 or 2 pass but up to 20 pass encoders.

If you want give me a link to a seconds worth of TGA frames and I'll see what settings I can come up with.