Converting HDV to DVD

[This article was first published in the September, 2010, issue of
Larry’s Monthly Final Cut Studio Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.]

Gerry Fraiberg writes:

In your article “Converting HDV Video for a Letter-Boxed DVD” you suggest “import your movie into DVD Studio Pro and place it on a 16:9. This displays your movie at 16:9 on TV sets that support 16:9, and automatically letter-boxes your movie that only displays 4:3.”

 

My question is, what do you set preferences at in DVD Studio Pro – 16:9 Pan-Scan, 16:9 Letterbox or 16:9 Pan-Scan & Letterbox?

 

I shoot HDV at 30P on a Sony Z5U, deliver to client on SD DVD.

Larry replies: Hmmm… Let me be clearer.

You can NOT have DVD SP convert HDV video to SD. It doesn’t know how to transcode it.

You need to convert it to SD first using Compressor, then bring the files into DVD Studio Pro.

To keep the 16:9 format, select 16:9 Letterbox in the DVD Studio Pro Inspector.