NTSC SD Projects - 480 or 486?

[andris]

When is it appropriate to use NTSC 720 x 486 vs. 720 x 480 as a Project Preset?

Much of my source material comes off NTSC DVD (which I presume is always 720 x 480) and will end up back onto SD interlaced NTSC DVD.

[antonsvideo]

when you make analogue video such as VHS, use 486

[Andreas_Gumm]

....or for DigiBETA playout! ;)

[andris]

I don't understand the answer.
What has VHS to do with what is the best Project Presets to use for making an NTSC DVD?

[antonsvideo]

I don't understand the answer.
What has VHS to do with what is the best Project Presets to use for making an NTSC DVD?

486 is for analogue NTSC video and broadcast, it can be VHS, Betacam, Video8, U-matic, S-VHS etc etc

so, for NTSC DVD or DV, use 480

[andris]

Project Setting Wizard & NTSC Field Order

Using the Project Preset Wizard, when I select SD 59.94i 8bit / 720 x 480 it results in a Preset with Field Order = Upper.

However, if I choose to go the [New Preset] route, this setting is not listed.
720 x 480 59.94i is only there as SD NTSC DV with Field Order = Lower.

Why is this?

[antonsvideo]

NTSC SD D1 is 720x486 upper field
NTSC SD DV is 720x480 lower field
NTSC SD DVD is 720x480 upper field

what do you want to make? a DVD? or other?

[andris]

DVD.
My source material is from off PAL & NTSC DVDs and generally I try to avoid PAL/NTSC format conversions.
eg: If I'm working with NTSC source material, my Project will be SD NTSC and I will burn an NTSC DVD.

[antonsvideo]

in that case, use a 720x480 upper field project setting

[Thor]

Follow-up question:

If my source is an NTSC analog tape (VHS, Betamax, Video 8, etc.), should I capture it with a project setting of 720x486 ?

And then when I output to DVD from the timeline, the DVD spec will make it 720x480?

[JohnnyD]

Follow-up question:

If my source is an NTSC analog tape (VHS, Betamax, Video 8, etc.), should I capture it with a project setting of 720x486 ?

And then when I output to DVD from the timeline, the DVD spec will make it 720x480?

If your making a DVD, use 480 project setting. That is what works better for me.

JohnnyD

[antonsvideo]

Follow-up question:

If my source is an NTSC analog tape (VHS, Betamax, Video 8, etc.), should I capture it with a project setting of 720x486 ?

And then when I output to DVD from the timeline, the DVD spec will make it 720x480?

you can capture 486 and place it in 480 project, then in layouter, you need to zoom in a bit in order to crop the video head switch points, so capturing 486 gives you more lines, so less to crop as compared to capturing 480

[GrassValley_PS]

In general, I think you can pretty much stay 480 in everything and work out fine. That is what we do.

[Thor]

Thanks very much for your responses.

From all of the above input, it seems that the difference between 486 and 480 is miminal, and probably isn't worth worrying about.