Help with HD Export

[bthompson]

Hi everyone! This forum has been so helpful as I am diving into the world of HD video production. I am shooting with a Sony HVR-V1U in 1080i HD. I am shooting with no gain, and using a light meter to get the exposure correct. I edited my first project in iMovie and I am unsure of what settings will get me the best quality to export out of imovie. I have tried a couple and my video looks grainy, and not crystal clear HD. Can you all help me with figuring out the right export settings? Also, I tried to export my project to iDVD and the quality is TERRIBLE---I have a photo slideshow and it looks really amateurish. Any ideas? Your help is SO APPRECIATED!
Thanks

 

[CaptainChunk]

Okay. You haven't really said much about what steps you are taking in your workflow.

If you edited in iMovie, the HDV video all had to be converted to AIC prior to editing. Are you exporting the edited project at "Full Quality?" If so, it should export using the original editing format (AIC). You would bring that file into iDVD, which will do its own compression to DVD video.

That would be about the best quality obtainable with an iMovie/iDVD workflow. If you need more control than that, I would suggest upgrading to FCE.

 

[bthompson]

Very helpful, thank you. I am going to try and send it out AIC. Should I use the current frame rate or change it? I didn't shoot progressive.
Thanks!

 

[CaptainChunk]

Leave the frame rate of the QT export alone. iDVD will adjust to 29.97 for DVD if need be. If the video was shot interlaced, leave it interlaced. Typically, deinterlacing HDV within iMovie/FCE/FCP will make the video look worse.