Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1568)

Chapter 16 Exporting Sequences for DVD 217
III
Video for DVD
All DVD video must be MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 encoded, using specific frame dimensions,
frame rates, and bit rates. Larger frame dimensions and higher bit rates result in better
video, but at the cost of larger files.
The most important thing you can do when preparing your material for use on DVD is
to use the highest quality settings available. Any flaws in your material will be revealed
on DVD much more quickly than in other media; if you use high-quality source
materials, you’ll get high-quality results.
Here are some guidelines to help you maintain high quality.
 Capture and edit your video material at the same frame dimensions that you will use
on the DVD (typically 720 x 480 at 29.97 frames per second [fps] for NTSC or 720 x
576 at 25 fps for PAL). DVDs also support 16:9 video that is anamorphically recorded.
This means the video uses the same frame dimensions as standard 4:3 video, and
appears horizontally squeezed when viewed on a 4:3 monitor.
 When saving video material to a QuickTime movie file, either specify no compression
(which requires a lot of disk space) or use a high-quality compression codec like
Animation or Photo JPEG (set to maximum quality). This provides the MPEG encoder
(including those internally used by iDVD and DVD Studio Pro and external encoders
such as Compressor) the best quality video to start with. Recompressing already
highly compressed video results in a noticeable increase in visible compression
artifacts.
 Add compression and chapter markers in Final Cut Pro to help control the encode
quality and make creating chapter selection menus easier. MPEG encoders, such as
Compressor, can use these markers to customize the MPEG encoding process,
directing the encoder to concentrate on those areas of the video that are the hardest
to encode. See “
About the MPEG Format ,” next, and “ Adding Chapter and
Compression Markers to Your Sequence ” on page 220 for more information.