Making a DVD... Should I edit in 720p or 1080p at DVinfo.net

Jordan Hamelin · August 30th, 2010, 01:02 PM

Hi guys,

I'm currently in the making of a DVD (i am shooting with a Sony HVR-V1U) and I would like to know if I should do it in 720p or 1080p ?

Thanks you !!

Perrone Ford · August 30th, 2010, 01:12 PM

DVDs are 480p or 480i. Not sure what you mean.

Robert Turchick · August 30th, 2010, 01:31 PM

I've settled on shooting everything 1080 30p unless the client specifies something else. Progressive is the key no matter what size as you don't have to deal with interlace scaling.
By doing this, I'm covered if the client suddenly wants their web or DVD videos on a bluray or broadcast in full hd. Plus if it is to be presented smaller, I can use the extra resolution to zoom and pan in post.
The actual scaling I do happens from the final output of FCP which is a Prores 1080p file. It gets scaled down in QT7 to an 853x480 h264 file then in compressor goes to the mpeg2 for DVD.

The extra step looks better than using compressor to do all of the functions and is actually quicker. Don't ask me why...it just is! A friend who writes code for video compression company recommended this to me after I was pulling my hair out to get a good looking DVD filled to the brim with 3.7mps video.

Adam Gold · August 30th, 2010, 01:33 PM

With a V1, shoot and edit in 1080i, then downconvert to anything you like when burning. Regular DVD = 480i. Web (SD) viewing = 480p. Blu-Ray, 1080i, no down-conversion.

With a V1, 720p(anything) isn't an option.

Edit: And there you go, two completely different viewpoints on i vs. p. My understanding was DVD doesn't support 30p, only 60i and 24p.

Peter Manojlovic · August 30th, 2010, 09:06 PM

The problem lies with getting 1080i downconverted correctly...
It requires a proper deinterlace and scaledown. Even with expensive NLE's, you still need to go to a third party source (ironically free) to get a proper deinterlace...
Anything less than this, and you're sacrificing the quality of the original material...

And yes, if you shoot 30P, proper downconversion is much easier, and DVD's simply display the upper and lower fields of an otherwise progressive picture....

August 30th, 2010, 01:02 PM	#1
Jordan Hamelin New Boot Join Date: May 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 17	Making a DVD... Should I edit in 720p or 1080p Hi guys, I'm currently in the making of a DVD (i am shooting with a Sony HVR-V1U) and I would like to know if I should do it in 720p or 1080p ? Thanks you !!

August 30th, 2010, 01:12 PM	#2
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	DVDs are 480p or 480i. Not sure what you mean. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

August 30th, 2010, 01:31 PM	#3
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	I've settled on shooting everything 1080 30p unless the client specifies something else. Progressive is the key no matter what size as you don't have to deal with interlace scaling. By doing this, I'm covered if the client suddenly wants their web or DVD videos on a bluray or broadcast in full hd. Plus if it is to be presented smaller, I can use the extra resolution to zoom and pan in post. The actual scaling I do happens from the final output of FCP which is a Prores 1080p file. It gets scaled down in QT7 to an 853x480 h264 file then in compressor goes to the mpeg2 for DVD. The extra step looks better than using compressor to do all of the functions and is actually quicker. Don't ask me why...it just is! A friend who writes code for video compression company recommended this to me after I was pulling my hair out to get a good looking DVD filled to the brim with 3.7mps video. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

August 30th, 2010, 01:33 PM	#4
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	With a V1, shoot and edit in 1080i, then downconvert to anything you like when burning. Regular DVD = 480i. Web (SD) viewing = 480p. Blu-Ray, 1080i, no down-conversion. With a V1, 720p(anything) isn't an option. Edit: And there you go, two completely different viewpoints on i vs. p. My understanding was DVD doesn't support 30p, only 60i and 24p. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error." Last edited by Adam Gold; August 30th, 2010 at 02:04 PM.

August 30th, 2010, 09:06 PM	#5
Peter Manojlovic Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hamilton Ontario Posts: 769	The problem lies with getting 1080i downconverted correctly... It requires a proper deinterlace and scaledown. Even with expensive NLE's, you still need to go to a third party source (ironically free) to get a proper deinterlace... Anything less than this, and you're sacrificing the quality of the original material... And yes, if you shoot 30P, proper downconversion is much easier, and DVD's simply display the upper and lower fields of an otherwise progressive picture....