Is my Mini DV tape workflow reasonable?

[bever]

I am Encoding my DV AVI files which I have previously streamed to my windows 7 computer using firewire andScenalyzer (although WinDV seems to be comparable).

My new plan is to save the DV AVI files for Archive, encode an MPEG-2 version for general use / DVD and an H264 (deinterlaced) version for when the video must go on the internet.

I figured out that before importing them into an editor (at least with Womble Video Wizard DVD) I must encode and deinterlace them. If I import DV AVI into WOMBLE first then I forced to use Womble’s encoder to export the edited video.

I want these video’s to be the best quality so I have found an encoder with VBR, 2 pass. apparently more vigorous encoder settings.

Below are some screen grabs of the encoder settings on Adobe Media Encoder CS6 that I am using for H264. I am not really trying to make a guide on how to do it but looking for feedback whether I am on track with my methodology. In other words caveat emptor!

digitalfaqA.jpg

At export settings window I made up the name NTSC DV Standard Def 4 by 3 Aspect which probably is misleading should say “to make H264 from DV use this”

Chose Frame Aspect Ratio 720 and 480 same as the source video.

Where is says field order I have selected Progressive-thinking that this will deinterlace the video as It encodes it to H264. The other two choices were lower first and upper first? Am I wrong in thinking that here is where I can deinterlace and I suppose interlace?

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I had to use 2 screen captures to show all the settings on the video preset. The second capture shows “VBR, 2 pass, render at maximum depth and Use Maximum Render Quality” selected.

digitalfaqB.png

A decision to be made about source scaling choices and audio presets . In the drop down menu top left of the window are scale to fit which is default, scale to fill and stretch to fill. I left it scale to fit thinking that was best chance of not messing up the deinterlacing. Not sure here maybe these settings don’t matter in this case. I set the audio for good quality although mono. Stereo may be just as good or better but my thinking is to keep it simple for compatibility.

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Here is the Gspot info on complete clip scene0004.mp4 at a trim 215MB down from 1.9GB as complete clip scene0004.avi

Maria Christina Falls encoded after edit.mp4

This test video is the easy way importing DV interlaced into the editor and letting it do the work.
To my layman’s eye I don’t see a lot of quality difference between the two methods

Maria Christina Falls encoded before edit.mp4

This is how the same mini DV video came out going through the extra steps of using a dedicated encoder
I see color quality problem with the object in the video that is bleeding red .
Thanks in advance for critique

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bever

My new plan is to
save the DV AVI files for Archive,
encode an MPEG-2 version for general use / DVD
and an H264 (deinterlaced) version for when the video must go on the internet.

Yes.

Quote:

I must encode

Yes.

Quote:

and deinterlace them.

No!

Only deinterlace the streaming copy, not the for-disc copy. I only suggest Womble for basic MPEG editing/cutting. H.264 editing/cutting is what TMPGEnc Smart Renderer is for -- but even then, the H.264 is best save for a final step after all editing.

Quote:

I want these video’s to be the best quality so I have found an encoder with VBR, 2 pass. apparently more vigorous encoder settings.

And that is ... ?

- For MPEG, MainConcept (payware) and Avidemux (freeware) is excellent.
- For x264, Hybrid and Avidemux are both nice freewares.

Quote:

Below are some screen grabs of the encoder settings on Adobe Media Encoder CS6

AME is MainConcept based.

Quote:

Where is says field order I have selected Progressive-thinking that this will deinterlace the video as It encodes it to H264. The other two choices were lower first and upper first? Am I wrong in thinking that here is where I can deinterlace and I suppose interlace?

You can, but Premiere/MC does a lousy deinterlace job. Deinterlace is a task best suited for Avisynth's QTGMC. At worst, VirtualDub's yadif.

Why 59.94fps? The source was 29.97fps DV.

Quote:

A decision to be made about source scaling choices and audio presets
I set the audio for good quality although mono. Stereo may be just as good or better but my thinking is to keep it simple for compatibility.

Why mono? Was the camera recording in mono?
AAC 96kpbs is acceptable, but I prefer to use a minimum of 192, perhaps 224-256 depending on source. But, then again, those are stereo values. Mono at 160 would be 160 per channel, while 192 would be 96 each.

Quote:

This test video is the easy way importing DV interlaced into the editor and letting it do the work.
To my layman’s eye I don’t see a lot of quality difference between the two methods
This is how the same mini DV video came out going through the extra steps of using a dedicated encoder
I see color quality problem with the object in the video that is bleeding red .

I mostly see interlace on a progressive MP4 file. That's not good.

[bever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf
No!

Only deinterlace the streaming copy, not the for-disc copy. I only suggest Womble for basic MPEG editing/cutting. H.264 editing/cutting is what TMPGEnc Smart Renderer is for -- but even then, the H.264 is best save for a final step after all editing.

I get it. Dont deinterlace unless absolutely necessary. I would still like to understand it though.

I will try to find an editor that will edit AVI DV and export without re encoding them during export. This would allow me to save the H264 conversion for last. That way the first change from DV to be performed by a program such as Avidemux.
I am not proficient with Avidemux not even close but will get there. Would I save de-interlace for last on Avisynth's QTGMC. or VirtualDub's yadif after encoding to H264?
Reason for asking the last question is that on Avidemux 2.6.18 at the window that opens up by going to Video>Filters there is an interlace (filter?) icon on the left which gives some options regarding interlace.

Quote:

Why 59.94fps? The source was 29.97fps DV.

Dont know what happened there. Not paying attention I guess. Possibly the program defaulted to that while I was going between progressive. upper field first and lower field first. I will do a quick test and see if fixing that one setting makes a better video with out the interlace problem.

Quote:

Why mono? Was the camera recording in mono?
AAC 96kpbs is acceptable, but I prefer to use a minimum of 192, perhaps 224-256 depending on source. But, then again, those are stereo values. Mono at 160 would be 160 per channel, while 192 would be 96 each.

It is a stereo camera although no remote microphones were used and I figured no stereo effect would be detectable on the final product. This video is for use on our family facebook sharepoint viewed on computes and phones where stereo playback may not be available.

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Why mono?

Experimenting semi blindly with technology I dont fully understand

Above all I am looking for standardization on these very few internet only videos to make playable on the widest range of hardware. I think I will try stereo in the future though.

Quote:

I mostly see interlace on a progressive MP4 file. That's not good.

This observation may have helped me most. I was trying to determine if interlace/deinterlace were up to snuff by playing the end product in VLC and both turning the interlace function off and on and looking for any difference in picture quality.I was not able to detect the problem using that method.

I make some improvements and undoubtedly find more things to ask about thanks for the feedback