Need help with video card/monitor setup for Film Editing

P

panther05

New Member
Hi guys,

Recently I started using Adobe Premier -a miniDV film editing software -and I'm disappointed with the image/video quality.

I know just enough about computers to put one together, but honestly can't say for sure whether the poor image quality is because of my monitor, or my video card. (or both).

Also keep in mind, what I mean by 'bad quality' is bad color, details, and overall quality when editing/watching my movies. Overall, everything is ok --no ghosting, flickering, and the image is bright. But I'm seeking the HD look, similar quality to what Apple Macs display (I visited an Apple store and almost purchased one for their good video quality)

Here's what I have:
Monitor: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1961555,00.asp
Video Card (EVGA GeForce 6600GT): http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=128-P2-N368-TX

So should I buy a better monitor?
Better video card?
or both?

also, product recommendations would be great! (if a new monitor is recommended, I'd prefer a larger screen 23-26 inches)

My budget for the set up is more or less $800.

thanks!
 
I use a little of Adobe Premiere and, like Adobe After Effects, it relies a lot more on actual RAM for image processing than the Video Card. Even for previews.

Now I have the following questions for you to help you determine what you really need, because maybe you're ok with what you have:
1. How much RAM do you have?
2. What resolutions did you shoot at?
3. What resolutions are you starting the project with?
4. What resolutions are you finalizing/rendering at?
5. What resolution is your display at?
6. What resolution is your "work preview screen" at?
 
Marzeth said:
I use a little of Adobe Premiere and, like Adobe After Effects, it relies a lot more on actual RAM for image processing than the Video Card. Even for previews.

Now I have the following questions for you to help you determine what you really need, because maybe you're ok with what you have:
1. How much RAM do you have?
2. What resolutions did you shoot at?
3. What resolutions are you starting the project with?
4. What resolutions are you finalizing/rendering at?
5. What resolution is your display at?
6. What resolution is your "work preview screen" at?
Click to expand...

Hi,

1) I have (4) 512 sticks --(2GB) of 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400
2) I'm a newbie to the whole filming/post production world, so I hope I answer 2, 3, 4, and 5 correctly, if not let me know
--I shoot with a Canon XL1 at 30fps -not sure about resolution.
3) NTSC 48kHz setting at 720 x 480 frame size
4) same as above
5) same as above
6) I just checked and it was set at 1152 by 864 pixles

thanks
sorry if my answers were not valid.
let me know if so.
 
Grrr...I'm begining to think it's my camcorder (Canon XL1). Obviosuly, it's not a $10k HD camcorder lol, so that might be the root of all this -in which case I can accept.

:o
 
Try this... Play a video directly from your camcorder to your TV. Then take your camcorder, capture some video, and play it back though your TV from the computer. You should be able to have both your computer connect to your camcorder(DV) and then your camcorder connected to your TV using RCA or SVHS. With my cheapish Sony camcorder, I loose no quality what so ever...

Now, you WILL start loosing quality if you re-encode your videos in some format other than DV. You have to be careful about what formats you use, compression ratios, etc etc...

Also, your video card has nothing to do with your capture quality what so ever, so don't even bother changing it. The only thing it might mess it is simply how it displays on your PC, but not the actual video.
 
1. Your RAM is as good as mine, you shouldn't have a problem.
2. It's alright to be a noob. I am too and admit it. That's when the help and learning comes in! You can check the resolution of the footage when you capture it to your hard drive as well as when you import it onto Premiere.
3. & 4. Are good answers, but if you're planning on rendering something in HD quality you're going to have to up that a lot. 1080 x 920 is HD. 720 x 480 is regular TV.
5. I believe I didn't explain myself right. In this question I meant the Computer Monitor display setting which I highly doubt is at 720 x 480, it should be a lot higher than that. If it is higher, then it instantly brings me to tell you that you have found your problem. No new monitor needed, no new video card needed. You are basically looking at 720 x 480 footage on a higer resolution monitor which means this higher resolution monitor will show you square pixels as it stretches the pixels.
6. This setting shows me that YOU ARE indeed looking at normal TV/Broadcast quality resolution (720x480) on a much higher resolution screen, and therefore seeing the "pixel stretching".
 
Last edited:
Marzeth said:
1. Your RAM is as good as mine, you shouldn't have a problem.
2. It's alright to be a noob. I am too and admit it. That's when the help and learning comes in! You can check the resolution of the footage when you capture it to your hard drive as well as when you import it onto Premiere.
3. & 4. Are good answers, but if you're planning on rendering something in HD quality you're going to have to up that a lot. 1080 x 920 is HD. 720 x 480 is regular TV.
5. I believe I didn't explain myself right. In this question I meant the Computer Monitor display setting which I highly doubt is at 720 x 480, it should be a lot higher than that. If it is higher, then it instantly brings me to tell you that you have found your problem. No new monitor needed, no new video card needed. You are basically looking at 720 x 480 footage on a higer resolution monitor which means this higher resolution monitor will show you square pixels as it stretches the pixels.
6. This setting shows me that YOU ARE indeed looking at normal TV/Broadcast quality resolution (720x480) on a much higher resolution screen, and therefore seeing the "pixel stretching".
Click to expand...

Thanks,

Well, I'm still a little confused on #2. Where do I check for the resolution?

Also on #5. Is this an internal setting on Premier? otherwise wouldn't it be the same question as #6?

In regards to #6, what setting would avoid the "pixel stretching"?

thanks a lot!
 
2. You can check this almost anywhere. Open the Movie file in any software (WMP, QT, RP) then go to "File", "Properties" and it should say the resolution somewhere. Before you do any of the following points, make sure you not only recorded in HD, but also and most importantly CAPTURED in HD. Because you can record in HD but Capture in lower res.
5. Different than 6. Right click on your desktop, choose "properties" and then "settings". That's the resolution I'm asking for.
6. This is the resolution you give your preview screen in Premiere. You can adjust this in case your ram/video card/processor are slow to show less resolutions for faster previews.

So. First: See what resolution the footage is in.
Second, if you did capture in HD: Start the project again in HD settings with 1080 x 920 resolutions. That should improve everything and give you the results you want. Instead of using the DV option, feel free to mess around with the NTSC option as long as you do it 1080 x 920.

Hope I was clearer and that it helps!
 
Marzeth said:
2. You can check this almost anywhere. Open the Movie file in any software (WMP, QT, RP) then go to "File", "Properties" and it should say the resolution somewhere. Before you do any of the following points, make sure you not only recorded in HD, but also and most importantly CAPTURED in HD. Because you can record in HD but Capture in lower res.
5. Different than 6. Right click on your desktop, choose "properties" and then "settings". That's the resolution I'm asking for.
6. This is the resolution you give your preview screen in Premiere. You can adjust this in case your ram/video card/processor are slow to show less resolutions for faster previews.

So. First: See what resolution the footage is in.
Second, if you did capture in HD: Start the project again in HD settings with 1080 x 920 resolutions. That should improve everything and give you the results you want. Instead of using the DV option, feel free to mess around with the NTSC option as long as you do it 1080 x 920.

Hope I was clearer and that it helps!
Click to expand...

Great, that did help.

Well, I think I confused you guys with my other post. I don't have a HD camcorder. Though it records excellent footage (1/3 inch CCD's :D ) --it only records at 720 x 480. Which is what I record, capture, and watch with.

#5 --haven't notice a difference in the preview screen quality and the original footage quality -so I'm assuming it's at it's highest setting.

#6 --it was at 1152 by 864 pixles, however, I have just changed it to 1280 x 1024 (quality of video was unchanged to my knowledge)
 
Basically, 720 x 480 is not a High Definition Setting, it's a normal broadcast setting. CCD will give you an excellent quality for the resolution you're talking about, but it is not to be confused with HD Widescreen quality (1080 x 920).

In order to see a difference with the video quality, you would have to lower the screen resolution to 720 x 640, which is the resolution a standard television set has.

The best you can do is render a short sample, burn it on a DVD-RW (to not waist a DVD) and see the results on your TV which should be great HD Widescreen or not.
 
I think what happened here was...

-I went to an Apple store, got on a Mac with HD Display,
-Opened up their video files, which all happen to be recorded on an expensive HD camcorder.
-convince myself that I needed to match the quality of those videos thinking it was just a matter upgradding my set up lol..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top