1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?

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1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Daniel Waldron on Mar 7, 2011 at 1:55:30 am

I did not shoot or edit this, but am trying to understand and fix the issue. The footage was shot 720p 24 DVCPro on a HPX170 and imported into Final Cut, edited, and exported. That is the file and info I was given. According to the file properties, the dimensions are 1280x720 and the codec is Linear PCM, H.264.

When I open it in the Quicktime Player, it plays with a squished 4:3 (960x720) aspect ratio, but with Quicktime 7 or VLC Player it plays in the proper 16:9 ratio. Why is that? This is a clip that may need to be given to clients so a solution that doesn't require them to change the actual file or their media player settings is preferable. How can I fix it to open and play properly from the get-go?

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Jason Brown on Mar 7, 2011 at 3:22:11 am

If the exported file is a deliverable, then it should be using square pixels. The file you are looking at has a PAR (pixel aspect ratio). Often referred to as anamorphic. There are several PAR's and the 960x720 is (I believe) the DVCPROHD 720 1.33 PAR.

The reason that some players know and others don't is a simple process of recognizing the PAR in the metadata of a file and applying it appropriately.

If you look at movie inspector in Quicktime 7, you'll notice that the encoded dimensions are 960x720...but "current size" is 1280x720. This is because QT is recognizing the PAR, and multiplying 960x1.33

PAR's should only be used when working in editable formats...by content producers. Once this stuff gets out into non-industry type people...it should always be square pixels.

Hope that helps...

-Jason

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Jeff Greenberg on Mar 7, 2011 at 11:01:31 am

The footage is 100% fine.

The camera used nonsquare pixels to capture the information (at 960x720). QT7, VLC and FCP all read the pixel size metadata and stretch it out to look appropriate.

Compressor (and squeeze, episode) will also read this metadata correctly and when you give it to your clients, it'll look fine.

You can't give them the footage as it was shot anyway - they won't have the DVCProHD codec, unless they have the proapps.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Daniel Waldron on Mar 7, 2011 at 2:00:56 pm

Thanks guys, that makes perfect sense. So the solution would be to export it in a format that uses square pixels so that the client doesn't necessarily have to have a player that interprets the metadata in order to see it correctly. Am I understanding that right?

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Jason Brown on Mar 7, 2011 at 2:11:38 pm

[Daniel Waldron] "export it in a format that uses square pixels "

That is correct.

-Jason

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Jeff Greenberg on Mar 7, 2011 at 6:53:48 pm

Right - and since they won't have the DVCPro Codec, you're going to use compressor anyway...which will do the conversion properly for you.

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Vinnie Urgo on Oct 17, 2011 at 2:20:20 pm

Can this be exported through FCP somehow without compressor?

Vinnie Urgo
Photo and Video Professional
vincenturgo@gmail.com

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Re: 1280x720 opens as 960x720 in Quicktime Player?
by Jeff Greenberg on Oct 17, 2011 at 4:17:05 pm

Yes, Vinnie, you can. Can I ask, why?

Compressor has better frame controls than QuickTime does directly and a nice, easy, happy preset. I can give you the details on how to do this in QuickTime, but since it's messy - why?

Best,

Jeff G

Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
------------
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
New- my book (with Richard Harrington and Robbie Carman)- An Editor's Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website

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