AUTHORING/ENCODING TECHNOLOGIES — QuickTime Pro (QT Pro) Sample

In my original post on Encoding with QT Pro I discussed trying a sample project to explore the editing/encoding possibilities of the software.  This post presents a small project where I tried using the QTPro software package to improve the audio track of an old production that was transferred to the .mp4 format.  Please refer back to my original post for details on the QTPro package.

This is the original production transferred from 1/2 inch UMATIC format tape (obsolete now, but used in 70’s and 80’s) to an mp4 digital file.  The UMATIC tape was also a copy of the master, done at a professional duplicating house back in 1978, and held in storage since then.  Due to the passage of time there has been degradation to the video, which can be restored and worked on with modern video tools, including QT Pro.  But there is also an audio problem in the form of a low frequency hum that is audible on the UMATIC master, and thus was transferred to the mp4 files.  Some of the other video tools that I have edited the video through ( such as wevideo and youtube video editor) provide little or no capability to edit the audio.
I was able to open the file as an .mp4 file in the QTPro software.  It does allow at least a setting bar for Bass and Treble Settings, Balance between Left and Right channels, and pitch control.  It is not as complete as a full fledged audio editor, which would provide a high pass filter to eliminate the low frequency hum, but at least by setting the bass setting lower, I believe I reduced the hum.  Of course, I do not want to completely wipe out the bass either.  It’s a subtle difference, but I believe a slight  improvement was accomplished with QTPro, in addition to putting it into a MAC friendly format.

Please listen for yourself and feel free to comment.