Final Cut Pro Export is Pixelated - PLEASE HELP!

[jrobertson]

Can someone please help me? I am having problems with my export in Final Cut Pro (6.0.6). I am editing footage from a Panasonic HMC150 (AVCHD Files), filmed in 1080 60i, using log and transfer. The clips look fine while viewing them in log and transfer and from the time line, but when I export the movie (using Quicktime conversion), the final product is pixelated anytime there is any movement in the scene. I have edited these kind of files before using FCP and have never had any problems with exporting. I have tried to change the exporting settings, but nothing seems to change this! Any suggestions??? Thank you in advance!

Sequence settings are:

Frame Size: 1920x1080
Vid Rate: 29.97 fps
Compression: Apple ProRes 422
(HDV - 1080i60)

I have tried a couple different export settings, but I first used the default settings, which were:

Compression: H.264
Quality: High
Key frame rate: 24
Frame recording: yes
Encoding mode: multi-pass
Dimensions: 478x268 (Current)

 

[martinX]

No idea.
If it was me, I'd try these steps (not in any particular order):

1. render the timeline
2. export as QT movie not self-contained.
3. Open it in QT and check for quality
4. if OK, export using, say, QT X using a "for iTunes" preset.

Next thing, is it pixelation or is it interlacing? Almost sounds like an interlacing artefact. If so, something somewhere is screwy, perhaps with the sequence setting.

I'm assuming that your sequence settings use ProRes as a render codec too.

 

[jrobertson]

No idea.
If it was me, I'd try these steps (not in any particular order):

1. render the timeline
2. export as QT movie not self-contained.
3. Open it in QT and check for quality
4. if OK, export using, say, QT X using a "for iTunes" preset.

Next thing, is it pixelation or is it interlacing? Almost sounds like an interlacing artefact. If so, something somewhere is screwy, perhaps with the sequence setting.

I'm assuming that your sequence settings use ProRes as a render codec too.

I have completed steps 1-3, but the effect is still there. It may be more of a interlacing artefact. How would I fix this? The footage in the time line looks fine on the viewer and canvas. The effect appears after the video is exported. Thanks in advance!

 

[jrobertson]

When changing the canvas to 100%, I can now see the interlacing in the original footage before it is exported. There is no rapid movement in the scene, just normal, human movements. Can anyone tell me why my footage looks like this, and how I can fix it?

 

[martinX]

What is the field dominance set to in your sequence?

 

[bigbossbmb]

When changing the canvas to 100%, I can now see the interlacing in the original footage before it is exported. There is no rapid movement in the scene, just normal, human movements. Can anyone tell me why my footage looks like this, and how I can fix it?

It looks like that because you shot interlaced... it will look fine on a TV. For web exports, you'll want to de-interlace during compression.

One thing that might be causing pixelation is that you're shrinking your video to a very small frame size (478x268) on your way out. I'd suggest keeping the resolution higher (854x480, square pixel widescreen SD) or using an ipod/ipad/appleTV preset.

 

[KeithPratt]

Can anyone tell me why my footage looks like this, and how I can fix it?

It's interlaced.

and how I can fix it?

De-interlace it.

In interlacing's defence, it isn't a "fault". And I'm curious as to how the combing is still visible when you've scaled the video so small, though...

 

[martinX]

In interlacing's defence, it isn't a "fault".

We'll have to agree to disagree on that point

And I'm curious as to how the combing is still visible when you've scaled the video so small, though...

Ditto. Plus I thought that QT h.264 exports deinterlaced by default.

 

[zblaxberg]

Dimensions: 478x268 (Current)

There's your problem... it's really really small

 

[jrobertson]

Thanks everyone. The interlaced version looks fine on television, and I de-interlaced it to play on the web. Thanks again!

 

[bigbossbmb]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that point

so 100% of SD television and 50-60% of HDTV transmissions are faulty... yup... i disagree with you too.

 

[martinX]

so 100% of SD television and 50-60% of HDTV transmissions are faulty... yup... i disagree with you too.

I mean (tongue-in-cheek) that interlacing solved an engineering problem 50 years ago but I wish it would just go away now.

As for 1080i v 720p transmissions, I'd be happy enough if the standard was 720p. Anybody viewing a 1080 image on a TV <60inches from ~3m away is wasting their time. The human eye can resolve only so well.

 

[bigbossbmb]

As for 1080i v 720p transmissions, I'd be happy enough if the standard was 720p. Anybody viewing a 1080 image on a TV <60inches from ~3m away is wasting their time. The human eye can resolve only so well.

absolutely agree with this... interlacing should've been dropped when we made the HD switch. I just thought calling it faulty was a bit misleading for this forum.

 

[KeithPratt]

Going a little off topic, how does 24p stuff look on 720p60 channels?

 

[bigbossbmb]

just fine... they implement a 2:3 with whole frames instead of fields. same amount of stutter as 2:3 in 1080i. ABC broadcasts in 720p... and I don't think I ever heard any complaints about how Lost looked.