Progressive Scan question

[Aryko]

I just did what Doc mentioned last night. My source footage for a project I'm working on was all taken with progressive scan mode. My final output (sigh... took 3 hours to edit 1 minute 52 seconds!) I used field order A, and it looks perfect when viewed on a television (but you can see scan lines when viewing on a monitor). I guess if I was preparing something for the web I'd output a second file that's frame-based.

Canon Optura / ADS Pyro / Matrox G400 / Ulead MSP6.0 - Field order A is the correct choice? Maybe I should try with order B and see what it looks like...

- Aryko

[Dr Mordrid]

Well...

the Marvel uses field order B so if it's going to the vidout you might want to use that instead.

Dr. Mordrid

[Aryko]

If I was using a Marvel, which I'm not... confirmed it on another site. When you're using DV Smartplay through MSP6.0 and a firewire connection, you want field order A.

- Aryko

[Patrick]

Aryko, the thread is now MUCH easier to read! Thanks.

[Brian Ellis]

As I understand it, imagine a round ball passing in front of the lens. With the ordinary interlaced television, for one frame, on the first field you will get an ovalised image and on the second field you will get another one which is displaced. When you combine these into a frame, alternate lines will show the ball in two different positions. With progressive scan, the ball will be in the same position for both fields and will be consequently sharper.

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Brian (the terrible)

[stran]

Hulk,

I can only respond based on experience.

On the differences between Progressive and Interlaced video, Patrick has it right.


If you are trying to compare the Cannons and Sony here is what I can say:

As *implemented* Sony Camcorders with Progressive Scan is pretty much useless for making videos, as the final result is extremely jerky. (it has a strobing effect) The "ONLY" advantage 15fps Progressive Scan has is (and it is the intention of Sony) to capture a series of digital "pictures", not video. (Unless you wish to create the strobing effect, most do not)

I guess the other use could be to create streaming video over the internet where frame rate is extremely poor. BUT I am not sure that 15fps Progressive Scan does NOT hurt when compressing video, typically compression (like image compression) losses image size and quality (the pixelated(sp?), extreme digital zoom look) and may give the appearence of loss in frame rate to get the file size down(from what I understand).


As I understand it, the Cannon GL1 and under, does create 30fps in Progressive Mode, BUT they interpolate two fields to get 30fps Progressive Scan. So it is useful IF you follow there suggestions. Just don't expect to use their cams in progress mode as you would in interlaced mode. One thing I notice when test driving the GL1 is that you CANNOT pan too fast or the image is blurred. I am not sure if the XL1 is the same.

Sam


[This message has been edited by stran (edited 23 November 2000).]

[Patrick]

Sam and Aryko, thanks for the votes of confidence. I'm glad I got it right.

I'm a little surprised to hear that 30fps in the Progressive Scan mode still produces blurring during a quick pan. I guess there had to be some good reason why we've been using interlaced video all these years!

[Aryko]

Well, any camera is going to blur if you have the shutter speed low enough and the movement fast enough.

With the Optura you can adjust the shutter speed; if someone's really concerned about blur, they could just up the shutter speed to 1/250 or 1/1000. No blur, but there better be lots of light or it's gonna be dark as all heck.

Glad to be of any help.

- Aryko

[Hulk]

Thanks for all the replies!

This discussion helped a lot.