MpegStreamclip Conversion for FCP

[meets]

Hi

I have a challenge for you and I will be very greatful for your help and its pretty urgent

My simple question for you but a complex one for me is that I need to do a small video project for a charity the deadline is 21st of May to finish this video

I have organised all my content ready to be used on Final Cut Pro 7 but the problem is that I was given some original footage by the Charity in MP4 format

When you open the video in Mpegstreamclip the Video looks like HD as it covers the whole interface and looks big

Looking at it right now with Mpegstreamclip the Show stream info shows this

Stream: VIDEO.mp4

Duration: 0:05:26
Data Size: 44.07 MB
Bit Rate: 1.13 Mbps

Video Tracks:
JVT/AVC Coding, 720 x 428, 25 fps, 975 kbps

Audio Tracks:
MPEG-4 Audio stereo, 48 kHz, 158 kbps

Stream Files:
VIDEO.mp4 (44.07 MB)

I have converted this Video using Mpegstreamclip to DVPAL but using the 1280 x 720 (HDTV720p)preset

After conversion when I view the Show stream info it shows as follows

Clip Comparrison when converted to QuickTime Movie

Information for DV-Pal 1280x720 (HDTV 720p) (Visual Results Looks bigger)from a small 2 second converted clip

Stream: VIDEO.mov

Duration: 0:00:02
Data Size: 10.42 MB
Bit Rate: 30.34 Mbps

Video Tracks:
DV - PAL, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps, 28.80 Mbps

Audio Tracks:
16-bit Big Endian stereo, 48 kHz, 1.54 Mbps

Stream Files:
VIDEO.mov (10.42 MB)

I also converted to normal Quicktime DVPAL using the basic 720x576 preset but the Show stream Info is exactly the same except the Video looks smaller

Information for SD-Pal 720x576 (Visual Results Looks smaller)

Stream: VIDEO.mov

Duration: 0:00:02
Data Size: 10.42 MB
Bit Rate: 30.34 Mbps

Video Tracks:
DV - PAL, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps, 28.80 Mbps

Audio Tracks:
16-bit Big Endian stereo, 48 kHz, 1.54 Mbps

Stream Files:
VIDEO.mov (10.42 MB)

The question is what is going to be my Final Cut Pro 7 Sequence Settings to match Clip settings

Will it be DVPAL 25fps @ 1280 x 720p or
Will it be DVPAL 25fps @ 720 x 576 ? cant decide but will like the final video to look like the original one a bigger picture then the usual small basic 720x576

Its quite not right something is confusing me but I have not tried the clip in FCP to see the Matadata in the Browser

I appreciate your help

Some one can help

Many Kind Regards and best wishes

Thanks

Meets

 

[JasonA]

It sounds like only a portion of the footage you have to work with is the MP4 files? What's the rest of the footage like? DV-PAL?

If you're editing mixed formats, the best thing to do is make your sequence settings match whatever settings the bulk of your footage is in. Then convert the MP4 footage to that format. If your MP4s are 720 x 428, then don't convert them to 1280x720. That will just enlarge and result in bloated file sizes. You can't get any more quality than what's in the original.

 

[KeithPratt]

I think you need to ignore that DV PAL conversion you've done and start again.

What format (resolution, frame rate, codec) is the rest of your footage? For simplicity's sake you most probably want to match that.

You should only be using DV PAL for 720x576, 25 frames per second footage.

720x428 is an unusual resolution. Does the footage look right (do people look too wide) in the clips you've converted to 1280x720?