Help! Exporting from Z1U to DVD

[Sprite]

I posted this under Freelance, but I think it should be here under Editing...

After years of waiting, I finally bought my first baby -- a SONY Z1U. I love it and I've invested in a few extras like a shoulder mount, etc., but after shooting my first small project my fiance and I have yet to figure out how to transfer correctly to DVD:

WHEN EXPORTING VIDEO FROM A Z1U TO FINAL CUT PRO, I AM TRYING TO MAINTAIN WIDESCREEN FORMAT. DO YOU EXPORT IN LETTERBOX OR IN SQUEEZE?

We're downconverting from HDV to DV via I-link convert (according to SONY the correct way is to select "squeeze" not letterbox for export) into Final Cut Pro... anamorphic capture... and it looks OK, but when you try to move the video elsewhere is where the problem lies.

We've been trying to get this to DVD for about 3 weeks now, and tried the capture 4 different ways (squeeze-amorphic, squeeze-anamorphic, letterbox-amorphic and letterbox-anamorphic) with the help of a studio owned by a friend of ours. The editor is trained in Final Cut, but the studio normally works with DV equipment.

We've all been on the phone with SONY for the camera and Apple for assistance with Final Cut. No one is really familiar with each other's program.

DO WE NEED TO USE COMPRESSOR IN ORDER TO CREATE A PLAYABLE DVD OR CAN WE USE DVD STUDIO PRO STRAIGHT FROM FINAL CUT?

Can anyone who has a Z1U shed some light? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[BluesCam]

You don't want letterbox if you are rendering for wide screen. Unless you are rendering to Blu-ray etc. you will be rendering mpeg2 for standard widescreen DVD.
There should be a template for that in FCP. The Z1 is not the issue, it is your project and rendering settings. I don't use FCP so I can't help you with the template.

 

[justashooter]

Sprite,

I use Vegas but I think I can help.

My work flow is to capture and edit in HDV with Sony Vegas and I downconvert to standard def anamorphic DVD as the final step when I render the project.

Here is a step-by-step on how to do this using Macintosh programs Compressor and DVD SP:
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/hdv_to_sd_dvd.html .

If you still want to use camera downconverted files my research has come up with the following: The setting is squeezed-anamorphic in the camera. The settings for the sequence in FCP are 720 X 480, NTSC DV(3:2) Aspect ratio, Anamorphic 16:9 is checked, Compression is DV/DVCPRO NTSC. Also, in the Quick Time Video settings, in the advanced settings under "Compressor" the aspect ratio should be set to 16:9.

I hope this helps,
Duane