24p and Panasonic AG-DVX100 and AJ-SDX900 camcorder support in Vegas and DVD Architect Software
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DVD Architect
24p on DVD
Putting 24p instead of 60i on DVD offers up to 20% more efficiency, which can be used for storing more video on a
DVD or for a higher bitrate (and therefore better quality) video. For these and other reasons, many people are
interested in putting 24p on DVD, just like the movies you can buy or rent on DVD.
While the MPEG-2 standard supports “progressive” frames at arbitrary frame rates, the DVD specification does not
allow it. NTSC DVD MPEG-2 is strictly 60i. However, due to a pair of MPEG-2 flags called “top field first” and
“repeat first field,” only four frames need to be encoded for every 10 fields of video (just like pulldown). The player
effectively creates the 2-3 pulldown to 60i while decoding these flags. The Vegas 4.0 MPEG-2 encoder can create
these flags during encoding of 24p material for DVD. The final DVD is completely compatible with any standard
DVD player, and so-called “progressive” output DVD players can use the TFF/RFF flags to decode the original 24p
material. Most theatrical movies released on DVD use this method of encoding.
Writing 24p MPEG-2 for DVD from Vegas
The MPEG-2 “DVD Architect 24p NTSC video stream” or “DVD Architect 24p NTSC Widescreen video stream”
template will render 23.976 fps progressive video from Vegas and will use the TFF and RFF flags to create DVD-
compliant MPEG-2. When you bring the rendered file into DVD Architect, it will detect it as a DVD-compatible file
and will not recompress it.
Production workflow for 24p DVD
Here are the things to know when planning for and executing a production for 24p DVD:
1.
With the AG-DVX100 or AJ-SDX900, use 24pA mode (24p will work, but will be less efficient).
2.
Use the Vegas project template “NTSC DV 24p (720x480, 23.976 fps).”
3.
On the General tab of the Preferences dialog, select the “Allow pulldown removal when opening 24p
DV” check box.
4.
Edit your project.
•
For prerenders, use the “NTSC DV 24p (inserting 2-3-3-2 pulldown)” template.
5.
If you need to create approval previews of your project use the following templates:
•
For AVI/DV renders, use the “NTSC DV 24p (inserting 2-3 pulldown)” template. You can
print these to tape using the Video Capture application.
•
For print to tape from the timeline, use the “NTSC DV 24p (inserting 2-3 pulldown)”
template. Before printing to tape, prerender the project using 2-3-3-2 pulldown so the
“conform” step doesn’t create any prerenders with 2-3 pulldown.
6.
Render 24p for DVD.
•
Render video to the MPEG-2 format using the “DVD Architect 24p NTSC video stream”
template.
•
Render audio to the AC-3 format using the “Stereo DVD” or “5.1 Surround DVD” template,
depending on your project’s audio mode.
7.
Open the MPEG-2 file in DVD Architect (it will automatically detect the associated AC-3 soundtrack).
8.
Author your DVD using menus, buttons and themes.
9.
In the Optimize DVD dialog, verify the 24p MPEG-2 is set for no recompression.
10.
Burn your DVD.
