Slow motion quality using MSP

[Alexei]

I've just run some tests. I have footage recorded from a Betacam VCR with timecodes overlayed in the picture. The timecode includes frame numbers as well as field numbers, so it looks something like this: 01:23:13:08.1, where the last digit represents the field number.

Normally, when I play this footage captured in Field A mode, on the TV screen the field numbers flicker 1-2 per each frame. On the monitor, its is just 1 or 2 all the time. Is it that it shows only one field per frame on the monitor?

Anyway, I tried changing the speed (to 50%) of such clip in Field A mode or Frame-based mode (as I said, the clip originally captured in Field A mode).

What I found when I looked on the field numbers:

Frame-based mode - frames are duplicated, while both fileds per frame are preserved. So when scrubbing frame-by frame, it goes 23.1-2 23.1-2 24.1-2 24.1-2 00.1-2 00.1-2 etc. Where 23 is the frame number ,and 1-2 are flickering field numbers.

Frame A mode: EACH FIELD IS TURNED INTO A SEPARATE FRAME!!! So when scrubbing frame-by-frame it goes 23.1 23.2 24.1 24.2 etc.

So, this explains it all. The visual quality is better in frame-based mode, as you still get two original fields per frame, but you get flickering, as the frames are duplicated. In Field A mode you get fields turned frames with half the original resolution on the TV screen. Hence the deteriorated quality but less flickering.

Now, I did not try other sped settings (like 30% etc.) cause I still have some actual editing to do today.

P.S. This might deserve a separate discussion, but can you accelerate or decellerate the speed of a clip in MSPro? I mean, gradually within one clip. Like they now do in music videos or commercials, you know.

[fluggo99]

I don't think there's accel/decel ANYWHERE in MSP - I want to use it in CG Infinity, but I'm not allowed. What's awful is, I think our Premiere friends can do accelerations of sorts. Is that true, and if so, why did Ulead leave it out of MSP? (grumble, grumble...)

[Biker]

Hi Chaps

Thanks for this thread everyone, it is all good stuff and I am hopefully learning a lot!!!

Patrick: I have not had any time to try out your suggestions yet - but I will over Christmas and report back.

Jeff B: Err, I have only used frames, not fully understanding the field order A & B stuff.I do undersatnd 50 fields/sec and how they interleave. But was not aware that G200 Marvel would use 50fps, or which to use, so I stayed clear of it!!!

This is probably why my sport footage is sooo jerky when slo mo'ed.

Keep writing all, and thanks for the education.

If I discover out - I will post, but you are all way ahead of me at the moment.

Byeee

Biker

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[Keith Wiebe]

When changing speeds on clips it sort of accelerates and decelerates. At least it isn't real abrupt like you would imagine.
Back on slo mo. I haven't gotten a smooth background when not settng the field order to frame and then rendering to field order A. The movement is better when putting field order A all the way through but the vibrating backgrounds drive me crazy! I did find though that at around 33% with the right settings it turns out acceptable (or was it 25%?) More experimenting to do! When creating still freeze frames also I have to set the field order to frames first. The big disadvantage of that setup is that the whole avi file gets changed and if it's real long it can take forever! Another reason to keep captured clips short!
Keith Wiebe

[Patrick]

Alexei, I believe I understand what you're saying, and I think we're in complete agreement. However, I just want to point out that you've made a typo error which might confuse people. You stated:

"Frame A mode: EACH FIELD IS TURNED INTO A SEPARATE FRAME!!!..."

I believe you meant Field A mode. Am I correct? It's confusing, isn't it?

Keith, you mentioned in your previous post about selecting flicker reduction when you switched the clip properties to frame based. I hope you've tried this procedure WITHOUT selecting it. I have found that with flicker reduction NOT selected that the image quality is not only superior, but the rendering time is more than 14 times faster! (Check the chart above.) I'm not exaggerating.

[Alexei]

Oops! Patrick, you're right.

BTW, how did you get that nifty red-cheeked face?

[Patrick]

By exercising outside in the fresh air.

Oh....you mean the smiley face I used!

Make it the same way as the regular smiley, except instead of using a ")", you use a "D".