Maximum AVCHD and HDV 1080-line
Resolution
Unless you will
be exporting a 1080-line movie for playback on a WDTV or a
Blu-ray player, there is no reason to use the
iMakeFullHD software.
There are
two types of effects you can apply to video: those that do
not change frame-size and those that do.
Dissolves,
Fades,
Green Screen,
Maps & Backgrounds,
Motion Alter (speed), and
Color Correction effects do not alter
frame-size.
Stabilize,
PIP,
Crop,
a
Ken Burns effect on a video clip,
Wipes,
Ripple,
Zoom,
or
Pseudo-3D transition (such as Swap), do alter
frame-size.
When
interlaced video is scaled by an effect that changes
frame-size, first
only the odd lines
should be scaled and second
only the even lines
should be scaled. Unless this two-step operation is
performed, scaling can result that looks like this.
Scaling
Artifacts
Unfortunately, iMovie does not
perform the two-step scaling procedure described. Instead,
iMovie scales all lines in a frame at the same time—a
process only acceptable with progressive video.
To
prevent scaling artifacts, Version 8.0.0 was modified by
Apple so that when even one scaling effect is used, iMovie
version 8.0.1 (and higher) deinterlaces all interlaced
clips to 540p video. While this certainly does prevent
scaling artifacts, it does so at the cost of lower
resolution for your 1080-line interlaced clips.
When you shoot 24fps that is recorded as 1080p24/60i, unless you remove 2-3 pulldown you will be editing 1080i60. Therefore, although you are shooting progressive video, iMovie will treat it as interlaced.
Why use iMakeFullHD
As we have learned, when a project includes 1080i clips, if you Stabilize a clip, employ a PIP or Crop, add a Ken Burns effect to a video clip, or use a Wipe, Ripple, Zoom, Page Turn, or Pseudo-3D transition (such as Swap), iMovie on-the-fly deinterlaces these 1080i clips to 5400 video.
Therefore, all interlaced 1920x1080 and 1440x1080 anamorphic clips in your project will lose up to 35% vertical resolution.
This loss of resolution will occur even if you add only one of these effects. Your project will now be composed of 540p video. By using the iMakeFullHD software, this loss of resolution is prevented.
When you have Shot 1080i60 AVCHD or HDV
iMakeFullHD tags all the clips in an Event as “progressive.” Now, iMovie will be tricked into not deinterlacing your interlaced HD video to 540p30 video. Therefore, your video clips will not lose resolution.
• After tagging, these clips are called “false 1080p.”
When you have Shot 1080p30 HDV
iMakeFullHD will correctly tag all 25p or 30p HDV clips in an Event as “progressive.” Now, iMovie will not deinterlace your HD video to 540p. Therefore, your HDV clips will not lose resolution.
• After tagging, these clips are called “true 1080p.”
If you use an AVCHD/AVCCAM camcorder, such as the Canon HF200E, that shoots both 50i and 25p and records both as 1080i50 (interlaced 25fps), you will encounter a problem with how iMovie 09 (version 8.0.5) functions.
When iMovie imports AVCHD and converts it to AIC, it erroneously defines 25p clips as interlaced video and 50i clips as progressive video.
When you have Shot 1080i50 AVCHD/AVCCAM
iMovie erroneously tags this interlace video as progressive. Thus, iMovie will be tricked into not deinterlacing this 1080i50 video to 540p25 video when scaling FX are applied. Therefore, your video clips will not lose resolution. However, as described above, certain FX may cause scaling artifacts. If you see objectionable artifacts, either slightly alter the FX—for example, make a transition shorter—or remove the FX. iMakeFullHD will not be used.
These clips are called “True 1080i50.”
When you have Shot 1080p25 AVCHD/AVCCAM
iMovie erroneously tags this progressive video as interlaced. Thus, iMovie will deinterlace this 1080p25 video to 540p25 video when scaling FX are applied. Therefore, your video clips will lose resolution. Use iMakeFullHD to correctly tag 25p clips in an Event as “progressive.” iMovie will now not deinterlace clips to 540p25 so your clips will not lose resolution. Moreover, you can freely use all FX without worrying about scaling artifacts caused by certain iMovie FX.
After tagging, these clips are called “True 1080p25.”
Summary of iMakeFullHD Features:
- No quality is lost by tagging because encoded video is not decoded and re-encoded during the tagging process.
- Tagging is very fast.
How do I get iMakeFullHD
After you have download The Ins and Outs of iMovie 09 eBook (http://home.mindspring.com/~d-v-c/page1/page1.html), email to me the 8-digit Order Code provided to you by ClickBank when you order. By return email, you will receive, at no cost, a Zip compressed folder containing the iMakeFullHD software.
Only OS X 10.5 is supported.