I'm looking to retain highest image quality possible.

I shoot with my GL2 in frame mode (Supposedly 30P) capture in Premiere with dv ntsc settings (Lower field first) Edit my project, export via the the windows dv codec to a file at 29.97fps, no de-intelacing and still lower field first. I then run After Effects, apply magic bullet to convert my footage to 24P do all my effects, then export out to a file in the animation codec as to not lose any quality at 24fps. Once in Adobe Encore, I build my dvd as ntsc progressive dvd.

Does anybody see any flaws in my above described pipeline? Is this how I should be doing it?

Supposedly the GL2's frame mode degrades quality somewhat.

Also, the Windows DV codec isn't the best. Someone mentioned a different codec that's supposed to be better and retains more image quality but I can't remember what it is for the life of me.

That's all I've got.

Well, I use Sony Vegas to transfer video into the computer, since their DV codec doesn't get very much noticable generation loss until about the third generation.

Using Frame mode doesn't contribute anything, and infact, probably makes a worse quality image, but I can't say 100% since I don't use a GL2.

I'm sure outputting from Premiere as an NTSC DV File isn't a horrible idea, especially if you use a decent DV codec. It's faster and probably uses significantly less space. Also, why not use Magic Bullet and export 24p right from Premiere? Why use After Effects? Surely Premiere is able to do it.

My work flow is:
Transfer with Vegas, Edit with Vegas, Magic Bullet with Vegas, export to Mpeg2 with Vegas in either 24p or regular interlaced. Premiere is just as capable.

If you've never used Vegas, my advice is to download the trial and test it out. It sort of streamlines everything so that you don't have to jump from one piece of software to the other, and you'll only need to render once.

Vegas=God
Paul=The Messiah

Last time I used the vegas demo it crashed my computer, and I gave up since then.

Premiere can't do everything,(I do other things other than MB in AE) and I don't think the version of MB that I have works in premiere anyhow.

I have another question at this point, If I output from premiere in MPEG2 at 24fps progressive, and then make a progressive DVD in encore at 24fps will it work in any DVD player?
And does making a progressive DVD from 24p footage in encore convert my footage to 29.97fps NTSC anyhow?

I'm so confused....

Yeah, it'll work but you'd be better off to not encode mpeg2 progressive. If a DVD player is connected via component, it'll convert interlaced mpeg2 to progressive. A player connected via RCA or S-Video, which don't do progressive, have to reconvert the footage to interlace, which sometimes causes weird issues.

Making a progressive DVD should leave your footage at 24p if thats how you encode it.

mark, thanks for the props.

Mark Denega = A Disciple? A Saint?