Sony HDV 1080i footage not crisp from iDVD

[Tattoo]

I have read the forums and see this same issue arise for many other users.

I see the same standard response:
Computer Monitors look nothing like TV screens.
HDV gets down converted to SD and wont look as sharp and crisp as HD.

As if almost to say - we got what we have and thats the best.

I just find it very hard to believe that with Apple up-selling us on very expensive computers that the end result is one step away from VHS quality!

I have seen Weddings shot on SD cameras with SD tape that look almost like HD when played back on a SD DVD.

How is it that I go from a gorgeous import in iMovie to a final product that looks like I have a $100.00 camera?

 

[MisterMe]

...

How is it that I go from a gorgeous import in iMovie to a final product that looks like I have a $100.00 camera?

You would be much better served by stating a specific problem, describing the symptoms of your problem, and then asking for a solution. Political screeds do you no good and annoy almost everyone else.

If you actually want to solve your problem, then you might begin by stating how you DVD is setup. Is it progressive-scan or interlace?

Are you using iDVD? Which versions? If not, then what are you using?

Are you burning progressive-scan or interlace DVDs?

 

[Tattoo]

You would be much better served by stating a specific problem, describing the symptoms of your problem, and then asking for a solution. Political screeds do you no good and annoy almost everyone else.

If you actually want to solve your problem, then you might begin by stating how you DVD is setup. Is it progressive-scan or interlace?

Are you using iDVD? Which versions? If not, then what are you using?

Are you burning progressive-scan or interlace DVDs?

Sorry about not being clear...
I have imported via FW to iMovie in full 1080i then share to iDVD @ Professional Setting - to create the SD DVD.
I have also imported via HDMI from a Blackmagic Card to Final Cut then also to iDVD with the same results.

Results meaning:
Video that looks similar to VHS quality - very unsharp - text looks jagged.

 

[P-Worm]

It may just be the footage and the text chosen. How well you light your scene has a lot to do with how good it will look in the final SD-DVD. Maybe some color correcting is in order? Also, some fonts don't look good when output to DVD.

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/perfect_titles_phil.html

P-Worm

 

[Consultant]

I have recently used iMovie and iDVD with footage from a Sony HDR-FX1 1080i for a quick project. The result looks great.

Perhaps your camera recording settings are not in HD? Perhaps you messed something else up.

 

[rhett7660]

Perhaps your video footage was to long to be put on a standard dvd, so some compression had to occur to get the whole video on your dvd. As a result, your video is not as sharp.

 

[Tattoo]

Perhaps your video footage was to long to be put on a standard dvd, so some compression had to occur to get the whole video on your dvd. As a result, your video is not as sharp.

Video is only one hour and 15 mins.

 

[Tattoo]

I have recently used iMovie and iDVD with footage from a Sony HDR-FX1 1080i for a quick project. The result looks great.

Perhaps your camera recording settings are not in HD? Perhaps you messed something else up.

All footage in full 1080i. Camera has no other setting.

 

[aaronw1986]

Video is only one hour and 15 mins.

I really don't think 1.25 hours of HD video can fit on a standard DVD at full quality.

 

[TimNiego]

iDVD capacity

I really don't think 1.25 hours of HD video can fit on a standard DVD at full quality.

I think iDVD is restricted to 1 hr at full quality. Everything else gets compressed. iDVD can't handle HD footage, just compressed SD video.

I realize it needs to be quick to DVD, but a roundtrip thru compressor to DVD Studio Pro using presets and templates may not be that much longer.

 

[Consultant]

Video is only one hour and 15 mins.

iDVD encodes HD content at SD DVD resolution but it still looks good.

A standard DVD can only hold about 20-30 minutes of HD footage. Toast can burn it, but to view it you need a Blu-Ray player.

http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1290

 

[Alican]

I have read the forums and see this same issue arise for many other users.


HDV gets down converted to SD and wont look as sharp and crisp as HD.

Well that's essentially the case. There's an awful lot of software crunching going on from HDV to SD DVD and it never looks good.

My work flow is: write the finished movie back to HDV tape. Start a new SD project, turn on your camera's downcoverter and aquire your production in SD. Then send to iDVD. HDV camera downconverters make a much better job