Exporting QT Movies to Compressor for DVD

[mikeyPotg]

I've been doing a ton of videos recently and I want to put them all on DVD using DVD SP.
I've export edited files from FCP to Compressor to use with DVD SP and the quality was great.
However, I exported a lot of older videos out of FCP as Quicktime Movies. What I used to do was just drag the QT movies to iDVD or DVD SP but I noticed the quality was much better if I use Compressor settings.

If I re-export those QT movies using Compressor to send them out as high quality files for DVD SP, will the quality not be the same as if I exported straight out of FCP? I assume it won't, but I'm hoping I'm wrong.

The reason I ask, is because I deleted some of the files from FCP already since I exported them as QT movies.

Thanks.

 

[Poeben]

Just for reference, DVD requires MPEG-II video and either uncompressed PCM audio (AIFF 48k/16bit usually) or AC-3 (stereo up to 5.1). So, if you have exported QT movies as any other format, DVDSP will convert them when you import them. I can't say for sure if there is a difference between Compressor and what DVDSP does. However, you cannot regain quality; it's gone forever. There should be little, if any, difference if you run them through compressor again.

Also, when you say you deleted the files from FCP, what do you mean exactly (in order of not so bad to Disaster..)? Did you delete the render files? Capture scratch? Project files? Original master tapes (yikes!?) If you still have the project files and master tapes, you can always recapture.

 

[mikeyPotg]

Just for reference, DVD requires MPEG-II video and either uncompressed PCM audio (AIFF 48k/16bit usually) or AC-3 (stereo up to 5.1). So, if you have exported QT movies as any other format, DVDSP will convert them when you import them. I can't say for sure if there is a difference between Compressor and what DVDSP does. However, you cannot regain quality; it's gone forever. There should be little, if any, difference if you run them through compressor again.

Also, when you say you deleted the files from FCP, what do you mean exactly (in order of not so bad to Disaster..)? Did you delete the render files? Capture scratch? Project files? Original master tapes (yikes!?) If you still have the project files and master tapes, you can always recapture.

I figured I couldn't regain quality but I was hoping to hear otherwise, haha. The main difference I noticed with going through compressor was the texts were a LOT sharper than just exporting as a QT movie. I didn't study the video too much but.... but I assumed it would be sharper too, haha.

I deleted the capture scratch. I still have the master tapes of course... but I just dont ever want to recapture and edit haha. It was all just simple family videos so far though. I dont delete client edits until they get back to me and say they're pleased.

I was under the false impression that exporting as QT movies was the best quality it could be, it just bums me out to find out it's not. I really don't feel like exporting everything back to tape either. Ah well.

 

[bigbossbmb]

exporting by going to File>Export>Quicktime Movie with "Current Settings" checked is as good of an export that you can get. if you exported by doing a QT Conversion, then you've lost quality that you can't get back.

but if you have a QT Movie that was done at "Current Settings" then that is exactly what you should be bringing into Compressor.