DVD video and sound quality

[rmbarr]

My project is to make a film using a ZOOM Q3HD, edit in iMovie and burn in iDVD. I'm aware but uninformed that I can only except a certain level of quality on the DVD. Therefore it doesn't make sense to film in a higher quality than the DVD process will accept.

My video choices are:
HD1080/30
HD720/60
HD720/30
WVGA/60
WVGA/30

My sound choices are (most important):
PCM at 44.1, 48, or 96kHz, and at 16 or 24 bit. (any combination)
AAC at 48kHz (no kHz choice), and 10 choices of bit rate from
64kbps to 320kbps.

I'm a total novice. I don't even understand some of the terms used above. Just tell me what settings to use. I don't need a long explanation unless you want to give me one. To summarize:
Video format? Shutter Speed?
Sound Format? Sample rate? Bit Rate?
Thank you,
Richard

 

[MisterMe]

My project is to make a film using a ZOOM Q3HD, edit in iMovie and burn in iDVD. I'm aware but uninformed that I can only except a certain level of quality on the DVD. Therefore it doesn't make sense to film in a higher quality than the DVD process will accept.

This assertion is illogical. The highest quality DVD video is 480p60. By your logic, it makes no sense to shoot DVD source at a resolution higher than 480p. However, film has substantially greater resolution. Is is your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film?

My video choices are:
HD1080/30
HD720/60
HD720/30
WVGA/60
WVGA/30

I assume that you want to minimize scaling of the video when it is transcoded from source to DVD. However, the pixel density for standard DVD is 720x480. Whether 4:3 or 16:9, DVD uses rectangular rather than square pixels. Each of your options requires that the pixels be scaled.

My sound choices are (most important):
PCM at 44.1, 48, or 96kHz, and at 16 or 24 bit. (any combination)
AAC at 48kHz (no kHz choice), and 10 choices of bit rate from
64kbps to 320kbps.

I'm a total novice. I don't even understand some of the terms used above. Just tell me what settings to use. I don't need a long explanation unless you want to give me one. To summarize:
Video format? Shutter Speed?
Sound Format? Sample rate? Bit Rate?
Thank you,
Richard

Having checked out your camcorder on the manufacturer's website, your options are clear. You have an AVCHD camcorder. It records 1920x1080 AVCHD video/audio. You have the option to record in downsampled formats. However, I strongly recommend against this. If you record in 720p, then your video must be downsampled within the camcorder. When you create your DVD, your video will be downsampled for a second time. You should downsample only once. This means that you should record at the highest resolution supported by the camcorder in both video and audio. Edit in iMovie or your favorite video editor. Let iDVD or your favorite DVD editor handle the downsampling.

 

[rmbarr]

This assertion is illogical. The highest quality DVD video is 480p60. By your logic, it makes no sense to shoot DVD source at a resolution higher than 480p. However, film has substantially greater resolution. Is is your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film?

I assume that you want to minimize scaling of the video when it is transcoded from source to DVD. However, the pixel density for standard DVD is 720x480. Whether 4:3 or 16:9, DVD uses rectangular rather than square pixels. Each of your options requires that the pixels be scaled.

Having checked out your camcorder on the manufacturer's website, your options are clear. You have an AVCHD camcorder. It records 1920x1080 AVCHD video/audio. You have the option to record in downsampled formats. However, I strongly recommend against this. If you record in 720p, then your video must be downsampled within the camcorder. When you create your DVD, your video will be downsampled for a second time. You should downsample only once. This means that you should record at the highest resolution supported by the camcorder in both video and audio. Edit in iMovie or your favorite video editor. Let iDVD or your favorite DVD editor handle the downsampling.

MisterMe,
You really sound like you know what you're talking about and I appreciate the extra effort you went to. Although I don't understand the details of your answer fully I read your solution loud and clear. One statement I don't understand at all is "Is it your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film?" Well, I don't know because what else would you shoot with? If you care to answer, great. If not, thanks again.
Richard

 

[MisterMe]

... Well, I don't know because what else would you shoot with? If you care to answer, great...

You misunderstood. I was trying to make it very clear that you should minimize the number of times that your video is downsampled. Any source material that shot in a format other than 480p/i will be resampled to 480p/i by iDVD or whichever DVD editor you use. Your AVCHD camcorder's native resolution is 1080p. If you record at 720p, then your camcorder must downsample the video internally to record at the lower resolution. The downsample will result in a generational loss. When your video is recorded to DVD, it will be downsampled again, resulting in a second generational loss. However, if you record in 1080p, then there is only one step at which your video is downsampled, resulting in only one generational loss. Downsampling once is better than downsampling twice. Ergo, you should record in 1080p if that is the native resolution of your camcorder. In your case, it is.

 

[rmbarr]

MisterMe,
Maybe we could go one more round because it's clear to me that I've located someone who really knows what he's talking about and I've been on multiple forums for months getting many different answers. I am totally clear on downsampling. I get it. I didn't know that cameras have native resolution and I take it that the camera's native resolution is the highest resolution it can shoot on.

However, just for the sake of clarity I still don't understand the original comment you made: Is is (sic) your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film? Remember, I'm dense. Could you explain this statement?

And while I have your attention could you explain the difference between shutter speeds? Like what is the practical application of using 720/30 vs. 720/60?

Are you a computer consultant? If you are and do that for a living and are familiar with Mac OSX and their more popular software programs, I'd be happy to compensate you for your time when I have problems with my projects. Just thought I'd ask. I really appreciate your help so far.
Richard

 

[MisterMe]

... Is is (sic) your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film? ...

This is not what I said. In fact, I asked you a question in response to the following statement in your OP:

... I'm aware but uninformed that I can only except a certain level of quality on the DVD. Therefore it doesn't make sense to film in a higher quality than the DVD process will accept.

...

This was my response:

... By your logic, it makes no sense to shoot DVD source at a resolution higher than 480p. However, film has substantially greater resolution. Is is your contention that direct-to-DVD should not be shot on film?

...

Note the question mark? In asking the question, I hoped that you would see that the statement in your OP made no sense. Film is probably the highest resolution medium available to you. You should not eschew film as a recording medium just because your delivery medium is DVD which is limited to 480p.

If you were in the position to digitize film for distribution via DVD, then you would want to perform the digitization in one step. As I stated in my previous post, this minimizes generational losses. However, your recording medium is AVCHD video, not film. The native resolution of the camcorder is determined by the pixel density of its imaging element. It is becoming ever more difficult to find the locate the specifications of devices such as the pixel density of the imagining element. However, c|net gives the imaging element as 5 Mpixel, which is substantially greater than 1920x1080 which is required for 1080p square pixels. A reason not to record in 1080p is that you need an uninterrupted record of an event that exceeds 3 hours. 32 GB SDHC cards, the highest capacity accepted by the ZOOM Q3HD can't store more than 3 hours of 1080p video. I have already explained about downsampling. The other issue is that all too often desires expand after the fact. You think that 480p is good enough because all you want to do is to make a DVD for grandma. You then buy a Blu-ray burner and you want to show-off the video on your best friend's Blu-ray player. If your source is 480p, then you are stuck. You can't go back and re-record.

 

[rmbarr]

MisterMe,
When I used the word film, I used it as a verb. As in "I'm going to film my band with my video recorder." I have yet to meet any knowledgeable person that realizes what it's really like for a non-techinically oriented beginner. It's like a foreign language to me. Your latest reply to me explains things using words I don't even know the meaning of. But thanks for trying. As I wake up every day and try to engage a new piece of software or try a new process (like uploading to Vimeo which just won't happen for me), or trying out the iRig mike on my iPhone (which won't work), it's a struggle not to just chuck the whole multimedia reproduction experience and go play my music which is most important to me. Just thought I'd share that little side bar.

And yes, you're right, the amount of time I need for uninterrupted shooting (is that a better term than filming) with the Zoom is a consideration which was one reason why I started asking questions. I didn't want my file sizes to be any larger than they had to be.
So thanks again for trying to explain things.
Richad

 

[MisterMe]

I take it that the camera's native resolution is the highest resolution it can shoot on.
...

This turns out not to be the case. The ZOOM Q3HD's native resolution is reported to be 5 Mpixels which is substantially greater than 1920x1080, the highest resolution of video that it can record.