I am editing my AVCHD files with Final Cut Pro... the files look great on the computer. When I try to convert the 20gig file to play on an Apple TV I get a 800mb file that loses a lot! There should be a way to convert to an HD file that will look great as the HD movies I buy from Apple look great. Any suggestions?
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AVCHD to apple tv
- Thread starter ronniestern
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I'm on the same boat as you.... I tried experimenting the other night but i just couldn't get it to work. the only way I've found to get the video on the ATV is using the "Apple TV" preset when using quicktime conversion but the video is still pretty poor.
TV setting.That would depend on your settings. Sounds like you're using a very savage encoding process (low bitrate, low resolution).
You should encode to 1280x720 resolution, bitrate of around 3,000kbs - 5000kbs.
Most AVCHD cams records interlaced videos, usually bottom (lower) field first. When export, it is best to keep the same field order (i.e lower) and de-interlacing should be a very last resort (if not AVOID), you WILL ALWAYS lose picture quality if you deinterlace.
You should encode to 1280x720 resolution, bitrate of around 3,000kbs - 5000kbs.
Most AVCHD cams records interlaced videos, usually bottom (lower) field first. When export, it is best to keep the same field order (i.e lower) and de-interlacing should be a very last resort (if not AVOID), you WILL ALWAYS lose picture quality if you deinterlace.
I don't think so.
You don't lose quality it just up converts it, you have to lose a digital generation by recompressing anyway. Deinterlacing will get rid of the interlace artifacts when viewing on a progressive monitor.
Yes, that is true, but in the process, you always lose picture quality. I have yet to come across a deinterlacing filter that does not kill of a certain degree of the original's picture quality. Some deinterlacing filter work better than others.
All CRT Tv's are interlaced, so interlaced movies look perfect on them. Most decent LCDs and plasma screens will handle interlaced video fine (e.g most of the Beijing Olympics was interlaced). All players should be able to handle interlaced contents.
I have no suggestions, but have been wondering this myself. Even when using the export to ATV option from FCE or QT Pro, while quality is OK, it is not on par with say movies downloaded from iTunes. What exactly do you need to do to get say, the quality of a downloaded HD movie from a home movie? I'm recording and editing in full quality, both from an HDV cam, as well as AVCHD on a Canon HF10. The vid looks fantastic when played back directly, or even as a full quality Quicktime movie on the comp, but as soon as exported, quality goes from great, to merely OK.
I'm thinking there is a better way to encode than using the "export to apple tv" option, but I have yet to find it.
Isn't the vertical res on AppleTV something like 480 or 540 lines? Surely it's just not ever going to cut it compared to your source video with numbers like that.
Andrew.
Andrew.
The aTV supports 480i/p, 720p, and 1080i output resolutions and I think 525i/p for PAL countries.
It also supports 720/24p and 540/30p for content, as well as the gaggle of SD resolutions.
ft
Fool Atv
This is what I do to get 1280x720p at 30fps, the best you can get on ATV...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Capture & Edit 1920x1080i in FCP or other...
Open MPEG Streamclip (free)
Settings: Export to Quicktime
Compression: H.264
Quality: 100%
Limit Data Rate: 5,000 Kbps
Sound: MPEG-4 AAC
Frame Size: 1280x720 (HDTV 720p)
Frame Rate: 29.97
Better Downscaling
Deselect for progressive movies: deselect ALL
Upper Field First
Make Movie
Save Your Movie
Creating a 'blank' movie
* Create an image of solid black, 100 x 100 pixels and import it into
Quicktime Player using the open image sequence command with a
duration of 1 second.
* Record silence into Quicktime Player by disconnecting the microphone.
* Combine these two into one movie.
* Export this movie into a .mov file using H.264 video and AAC audio. It
should be a second long or less.
* Lock this file in the Finder so you don't write over it by accident.
Use the blank movie to create syncable files
* Open the blank movie.
* Open your video.
* In your video select all and copy.
* Switch to the blank movie.
* Push playhead to the end of 1sec.
* Select 'Add to Movie' from the edit menu.
* Optional: Open the "Movie Properties" window, select the blank video
track, and alter its scaled size to match the main video track.
* Save a copy of this movie, self contained, to your hard drive.
* Import the movie into iTunes.
* Change the title or other tags as appropriate.
* Sync with your Apple TV (Streaming will work too).
Apple TV will be fooled into thinking the movie is NTSC but it will be at the
best resolution you can get out of Apple TV.
This is what I do to get 1280x720p at 30fps, the best you can get on ATV...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Capture & Edit 1920x1080i in FCP or other...
Open MPEG Streamclip (free)
Settings: Export to Quicktime
Compression: H.264
Quality: 100%
Limit Data Rate: 5,000 Kbps
Sound: MPEG-4 AAC
Frame Size: 1280x720 (HDTV 720p)
Frame Rate: 29.97
Better Downscaling
Deselect for progressive movies: deselect ALL
Upper Field First
Make Movie
Save Your Movie
Creating a 'blank' movie
* Create an image of solid black, 100 x 100 pixels and import it into
Quicktime Player using the open image sequence command with a
duration of 1 second.
* Record silence into Quicktime Player by disconnecting the microphone.
* Combine these two into one movie.
* Export this movie into a .mov file using H.264 video and AAC audio. It
should be a second long or less.
* Lock this file in the Finder so you don't write over it by accident.
Use the blank movie to create syncable files
* Open the blank movie.
* Open your video.
* In your video select all and copy.
* Switch to the blank movie.
* Push playhead to the end of 1sec.
* Select 'Add to Movie' from the edit menu.
* Optional: Open the "Movie Properties" window, select the blank video
track, and alter its scaled size to match the main video track.
* Save a copy of this movie, self contained, to your hard drive.
* Import the movie into iTunes.
* Change the title or other tags as appropriate.
* Sync with your Apple TV (Streaming will work too).
Apple TV will be fooled into thinking the movie is NTSC but it will be at the
best resolution you can get out of Apple TV.
More Help...
By the way, this is where I got most of this info.
You can also download his "Blank" movie!
http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/How_to_get_iTunes_to_sync_other_video_formats_to_Apple_TV
Works great, sharp pictures on ATV.
Good Luck
P.S. Spread this info around, I'm sure not too many people realize you can get 1280X720 30p. I also tried it with 1920x1080i and had to severely limit the data rate... it turned out LOUSY! Ha, Ha, Ha.
By the way, this is where I got most of this info.
You can also download his "Blank" movie!
http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/How_to_get_iTunes_to_sync_other_video_formats_to_Apple_TV
Works great, sharp pictures on ATV.
Good Luck
P.S. Spread this info around, I'm sure not too many people realize you can get 1280X720 30p. I also tried it with 1920x1080i and had to severely limit the data rate... it turned out LOUSY! Ha, Ha, Ha.