Codecs for Vidding NTSC DVD Source in Final Cut

[frayadjacent]

Hi all,

I vid with Final Cut Pro, and most of my vidding thus far has been with NTSC DVDs, which I rip to my computer and then use MPEG Streamclip to convert clips to mov.  I use the Apple DV/DVCPRO NTSC codec for my clips, but I'm starting to wonder if there's something else that would work better.  In particular, I've had some issues with non-square pixels in my final export, especially when the source's frame aspect ratio is 16:9 (it doesn't seem to happen in 4:3).  My understanding is that the DV codec doesn't use square pixels, and I'm wondering if there's a good, high quality editing codec that works well for NTSC DVDs that does use square pixels, so I can just nip the issue in the bud.

Thanks!
Fray

Comments

[ghost_lingering]

Which version of FCP do you use? I used to have this problem when I used an older version of FCP (would have to go back to check, but I think it was 4?) where you had to adjust the sequence settings manually to match the clip settings. When I upgraded to FCP 7, which is able to automatically match the sequence settings to the clip settings, the problem completely went away. So my advice changes based on what version of FCP you are using. (And if you have access to After Effects I have some additional thoughts as well.)

[thingswithwings]

I don't know that MPEG Streamclip has a codec that'll give you a square pixel - I always just convert my vid from rectangular to square pixels on final export from FCP. (I use the h.264 codec or sometimes the apple component video codec to clip in MPEG Streamclip, for the record).

But, say I've got 720x480 clips that I've made from 720x480 footage . . . I vid in FCP with 720x480 sequence settings (anamorphic 16:9) and then when I go to export from FCP I just export to 720x400 and it comes out fine. You do have to convert from rectangular to square pixels at SOME point, but I just do it on the final export and then don't have to worry about it.

[sanguinity]

I've had problems using DV/DVCPRO NTSC on 16:9 source. (Different details than yours -- on import into my editing program the clips were being interpreted as 4:3 instead of 16:9 -- but as I understood it, that was because of the square-vs-rectangular pixel thing.) Using Apple Intermediate Codec for my clips cleared that up for me.

[laurashapiro]

I used DVCPRO50 quite happily for many years. It's utterly dependable, but the files aren't as shiny as they could be.

For the past couple of years I've been using Apple ProRes. The only downside so far is that LlamaEnc doesn't like it, so when encoding a vid for a con, I need to export in a different codec (usually H.264).

[rhivolution]

If you find one that works effectively, please let me know! I'm an FCP (okay, okay, FCE, it's what I could afford) and MPEG Streamclip user as well, though I rip to DV format where possible, when it's not counterintuitive due to amount of source.