proRes change project from 24p to 23.98?

[Dennis Hingsberg]

In FCP X once a new project is created in 24p can it easily be switched to 23.98?

I have a final rendered HD 24p file from a client out of FCP and am going to author Blu-Ray and DVD's for him. The Blu-Ray's will be no problem, but in Encore the DVD project setting default is locked to 29.97i because normally a pull-down is employed.

I burned a test DVD and I observed some strange stuttering and I think it the reason is the file he gave me is 24p.

Anyone know anything about changing the project settings in FCP and if that sounds like the right approach?

[Chris Medico]

Those are not valid frame rates for DVD. You will need to convert to 29.97 by adding 2-3 pull-down for encoding onto DVD.

If the software sets the flags correctly the DVD player should do the pull-down removal when its played. If you play it back on a computer the stuttering will be worse than on a real DVD player.

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[Dennis Hingsberg]

yes I can apply my own pull-down no problem to achieve 29.97 but do you know if it matters if the source is 24p or 23.98p?

thanks,

[Chris Medico]

That won't matter. The difference in frame rate is so slight that the software will do a speed adjustment and that's it.

[Dennis Hingsberg]

I just think its better to use 23.98 to get 29.97 with 3-2 pull down to ensure no audio issues, so I wonder if its easy in FCP X to change the base frame rate in the project setting.

[William Hohauser]

24p or 23.97p are valid frame rates for DVDs. Just export the file and convert to MPEG2 in Compressor or use the Share function.

Switching frame rates in FCPX is limited with edited projects although it's easy to cut and paste entire sequences into new projects (sequences).

[Dennis Hingsberg]

I dont have the FCP project, only the rendered output from the client. Also in FCP X you need to buy the compressor add-on for $50 in order to use it.

So I am taking the final render from Apple/FCP then using Adobe Encore on my PC to author discs.

I don't really want to re-transcode anything but I thought I could just apply my own pull-down using AE to derive 29.97 but it will not open the ProRes MOV file.

[Chris Medico]

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

24p or 23.97p are valid frame rates for DVDs. Just export the file and convert to MPEG2 in Compressor or use the Share function.

Switching frame rates in FCPX is limited with edited projects although it's easy to cut and paste entire sequences into new projects (sequences).

Unfortunately that isn't the case. The one and only framerate supported with NTSC DVD is 29.97i. If you send the DVD encoding software anything else it will be conformed to 29.97i.

You can take a 23.98p project and if the encoding is done correctly the DVD player will output a 23.98p stream. But the video on the disk itself will be 29.97i.

[William Hohauser]

Here is a 24p HD file after being transcoded into m2v for DVD as interpreted by MPEGStreamclip:

Type: MPEG elementary stream
Duration: 0:02:44
Data Size: 115.32 MB
Bit Rate: 5.88 Mbps
Video Tracks:
224 MPEG-2, 720 × 480, 16:9, 23.976 fps, 9.00 Mbps, upper field first

QuickTime 7 also gives the same characteristics to the file although QuickTime 10 correctly shows the file as 29.97. If I were to extract the file using MPEGstreamclip back to a standard mov file, it would create a 24 frame file. The DVD standard is either 25 or 29.97 but the track is flagged for pulldown or not. (Actually in 25f land they usually don't use pull-down, the 24f file is sped up to 25f.) Yes, you are correct but transcoding a 24p file directly into DVD should work fine, the near invisible trip into 29.97 land is going to happen anyway.

[Arnie Schlissel]

24P is allowed as a frame rate, but the DVD player will add pulldown or speed it up to conform to either the 29.97fps or 25fps frame rates:

DVD FAQ