Three questions:
First, I have an number of mpeg 1 and wmv files that I would like to edit and then burn to dvd. These files are of varying quality; some good, some decent, some just fair. I am wondering whether there is anyway to improve the quality when editing and then burning to dvd, or am I just stuck with the quality of the original files.
If I am stuck with the original quality, my second question is how can I best maintain this current level of quality in the editing phase. I have read the sticky on recommended procedures for VS and have applied those techniques. I am getting fair to OK results, but I am wondering if there is special techniques available within VS9 (or outside it) to improve mpeg 1 and wmv video quality. (I am prepared to use other ulead or other branded software, whether freeware or commercial, to get improved results).
Third, is there anyway of successfully mixing and matching mpeg 1 files when editing. That means editing together mpeg 1 files of different record date and thus quality. The same question applies to wmv files. (Note, I don't intend to mix and match mpeg 1 and wmv files).
thanks in advance for any responses.
Phil
improving mpeg 1 or wmv quality
No. You can't undo what MPEG-1 or WMV has done. These are not "bad" formats... it depends on how much compression was used.
All of these formats use "lossy" compression. They all throw-away data in order to squeeze the video into a smaller file. Once the data is gone, you can't get it back.
I assume you know that a digital image is made-up of pixels (little color dots). Say you have a photo with a resolution of 720x480. That's 345,600 pixels. If you reduce that photo to a 32x32 icon, now it's only got 1,024 pixels... If you blow the picture back up to 720x480, you will not get-back the missing details! (Video compression is "smarter" than this... it tries to throw-away unimportant data.)
More bad news. Data is lost each time you encode the video. So if you convert from WMV to MPEG-2 (DVD standard) the DVD quality will be worse than the original WMV. Some good news... Probably not noticably worse, if you use a high bitrate for your MPEG-2. (Higher bitrate = bigger file = less compression.)
And, you can degrade a compressed image simply by editing it. For example, if you cross-fade between two videos, the videos need to be decoded and re-coded during the crossfade. For this reason, MPEGs and other highly compressed formats are not meant to be edited... they are "final output" formats (somewhat like a PDF file). One more thing... I have had the infamous "lip-sync" problems when editing MPEG-2s. (I've never tried editing MPEG-1s or WMVs.)
Given the above concerns, yes you can (usually) mix and match different file formats. When you save the file the whole thing will be saved in the format of your choice.
All of these formats use "lossy" compression. They all throw-away data in order to squeeze the video into a smaller file. Once the data is gone, you can't get it back.
I assume you know that a digital image is made-up of pixels (little color dots). Say you have a photo with a resolution of 720x480. That's 345,600 pixels. If you reduce that photo to a 32x32 icon, now it's only got 1,024 pixels... If you blow the picture back up to 720x480, you will not get-back the missing details! (Video compression is "smarter" than this... it tries to throw-away unimportant data.)
More bad news. Data is lost each time you encode the video. So if you convert from WMV to MPEG-2 (DVD standard) the DVD quality will be worse than the original WMV. Some good news... Probably not noticably worse, if you use a high bitrate for your MPEG-2. (Higher bitrate = bigger file = less compression.)
And, you can degrade a compressed image simply by editing it. For example, if you cross-fade between two videos, the videos need to be decoded and re-coded during the crossfade. For this reason, MPEGs and other highly compressed formats are not meant to be edited... they are "final output" formats (somewhat like a PDF file). One more thing... I have had the infamous "lip-sync" problems when editing MPEG-2s. (I've never tried editing MPEG-1s or WMVs.)
Given the above concerns, yes you can (usually) mix and match different file formats. When you save the file the whole thing will be saved in the format of your choice.
[size=92][i]Head over heels,
No time to think.
It's like the whole world's
Out of... sync.[/i]
- Head Over Heels, The Go-Gos.[/size]
No time to think.
It's like the whole world's
Out of... sync.[/i]
- Head Over Heels, The Go-Gos.[/size]
-
heinz-oz
please pardon the punt, no offence intended.