To interlace or deinterlace that is the question...

Apart from all the other issues the SC-MX20 has, there is the issue of interlacing. If you plug your camera into an "old" style TV (the kind with a tube, which many of us still have) with the supplied cord and play your video directly from the camera, you probably won't notice the interlacing. However, when you transfer your video to your computer (unless you have an "old" style computer monitor) you will see it.

What exactly am I seeing do you ask? What is this interlacing and why is it an issue?

Here's a definition:

Interlacing - Interlacing is a method 'borrowed' from television, for refreshing an image on a computer monitor. Interlacing refreshes an image on the screen by scanning every other line, and alternately scans every opposite line. This allows a faster refresh rate, and less information during each scan. Unfortunately this may cause flickering or noticeable line movements in some situations. - http://www.systemax.co.uk/contentModules/htm/monitors/videoGlossary.htm

In a nutshell, you might see something like this:


Is this bad? Well, no, not really in itself. If you transfer your videos straight to DVD without any editing, and play them on a "tube" TV, then you're OK. But most computers now use a flat screen display and almost all new televisions are flat panel as well. They no longer use the "scan" method to provide your picture and the interlacing will be very noticeable.

So what to do? Here comes my handy dandy tool to the rescue again. The latest version deinterlaces your video, if you choose, allowing for a smoother, sharper image. You can even leave them in MP4 format for working with Cyberlink MediaShow.

You can download the fix here. I'm still trying to come up with a creative name and icon for it, but it does the job. I have given a how-to for it here.