[MMike]

Ok....I shot some video for work in full blown 1080 HD splendor.

I've edited and done all manner of lovely work. It looks great as a stand alone video file.

But now when I burn it to a DVD-R, it looks like crap. Now I know that DVD NTSC resolution is 720x480....but surely to god, it shouldn't look as crappy as it does? I'm positive that my regular DVD's at home don't look this bad.

I'm using Power Director, mpeg-2, HQ - best quality.

Could it be that my computer screen highlights the imperfection more than a TV does?

 

[IH8Rice]

Ok....I shot some video for work in full blown 1080 HD splendor.

I've edited and done all manner of lovely work. It looks great as a stand alone video file.

But now when I burn it to a DVD-R, it looks like crap. Now I know that DVD NTSC resolution is 720x480....but surely to god, it shouldn't look as crappy as it does? I'm positive that my regular DVD's at home don't look this bad.

I'm using Power Director, mpeg-2, HQ - best quality.

Could it be that my computer screen highlights the imperfection more than a TV does?

what format was the original file created in?
i use the Cyberlink software too and havent come across the picture being that horrible.
what version are you using? and are you using PowerProducer too?

your computer screen could be adding to it, but you would probably notice more artifacts with your tv since its a larger screen

 

[MMike]

Just power director 8 ULtra.

And I'm just "creating disc" directly from the project

Would running it through producer help?

 

[MMike]

and as a side note, I'm finding power director to be VERY unstable. It crashes a half dozen times a day.

 

[IH8Rice]

Just power director 8 ULtra.

And I'm just "creating disc" directly from the project

Would running it through producer help?

no, using powerproducer is just another way of making a disc from a existing file. you can do all your editing and burning right from PowerDirector.

is the picture totally unwatchable? you obviously are losing a lot of info/detail dropping res down from 1080i/p to 480p, which is obviously inevitable.

and as a side note, I'm finding power director to be VERY unstable. It crashes a half dozen times a day.

that has happened to me too. especially with v.6
after a fresh install, it usually works fine. try to not keep too many files pre-loaded in the program and you should be okay

 

[MMike]

No it's far from unwatchable. But maybe I'm just a victim of my own ignorance. I guess I was just expecting better. Maybe it just is what it is. But if I watch a Pixar movie (regular DVD on a regular DVD player) on my 1080i TV, it looks a hell of a lot better than what I'm getting right now.

And my home computer, I have a Bluray drive, even if I play a regular DVD in it, it practically looks 3D it's so crisp. Is it upconverting somehow?

 

[MMike]

Will recording at a higher or lower speed affect the picture quality. It defaults to 8.0. Never even though to check it.

 

[IH8Rice]

And my home computer, I have a Bluray drive, even if I play a regular DVD in it, it practically looks 3D it's so crisp. Is it upconverting somehow?

typically yes, if you have it activated of course. usually most BD players will scale the video to output 1080p

Will recording at a higher or lower speed affect the picture quality. It defaults to 8.0. Never even though to check it.

what speed are you referring to?
even if you bump the res down on the cam, you will still be in the same boat...its just a lot more noticeable since you natively recorded it at 1080 and bumping it down significantly to 480p

 

[MMike]

typically yes, if you have it activated of course. usually most BD players will scale the video to output 1080p



what speed are you referring to?
even if you bump the res down on the cam, you will still be in the same boat...its just a lot more noticeable since you natively recorded it at 1080 and bumping it down significantly to 480p

I mean the burning speed on the DVD burner. It defaults to 8x. I'm trying on on 4x right now

 

[IH8Rice]

i doubt that will make a difference but then again, its a computer. no one knows how they work.

 

[MMike]

I just tried 4x and 2.4x......no real difference

 

[MMike]

And the fact that I'm using crappy Staples brand DVD-r's.....would that affect it?

 

[IH8Rice]

And the fact that I'm using crappy Staples brand DVD-r's.....would that affect it?

no that doesnt matter really.
if you have a 480p video recording, see how that looks when burned to a disc. the compression is maybe whats making it look like crap. is there a mpeg4 choice?

 

[MMike]

Only "portable" mpeg 4.

I also tried converting it to mpeg 2 myself, at 480i then burning to DVD and it looks pretty much the same. I think it just is what it is.

Thanks though.

 

[IH8Rice]

try it now