URGENT HELP NEEDED

[kaisin]

hi, am new to this forum.

i need urgent help on this

am cutting a vcd up but i realised that once i cut the portion which i have wanted, the quality would be much worse than what was the original quality, the clips would be choppy,pixelated etc.

Is there any way i can get the best optimum quality.

what is the best output option to choose under the "share" tab, is it mpeg 720x 480? i am creating a vcd/dvd and i need the best quality possible.

anyone?

[Ron P.]

Hi Kaisin, and welcome to the forums..

First we need to get some additional information, so please Read This First Sticky.

You might also want to view the Recommended Procedures.

Then please go to your Profile and complete your system information.

Currently we know the following:

1. Your editing a video that you imported from a VCD. How did you get the video file(s) into your computer?
2. You are having a loss in quality after cutting (editing) your clips.

The first link above "Read this First Sticky" will better explain the information needed for us to help you.

Ron P.

[kaisin]

wow thats a prompt reply
ok

Nature of the problem :poor quality in output video

Properties of your source files (format, file size, where did you get it?) from vcd. DAT file dragged over to windows. (in window media player the original DAT file is screened in the same quality as the vcd.

What devices are involved and their mode of connection? No other devices other than pc

Project Settings Not sure and need your good advice

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD) VCD/DVD

NTSC

Error Codes (if any) NIL


Hi, hope the info given is enough. In short, how do u edit a video such that it comes out in really same quality as its source. Planning to cut a few movie clips together from original vcds, however seems like when i do it, the quality goes down big time and there will be horizontal flickers in the video.

[Ron P.]

Kaisin,

VCD is a low quality format to start with. I'm not sure what the actual video format is in the .dat file. I suspect it to be some form of an MPEG, which are compressed.

Anytime you edit a highly compressed video format, such as MPEG2, MPEG4, then you will lose quality when it has to be re-encoded. You can't get any better quality then what you start with. So if your intention is to produce a DVD from the VCD, don't expect a nice crisp clear video, it's not going to happen.

Check your Project Properties, go to File>Project Properties or press Alt + Enter on your keyboard. These properties should match your video clip properties. To determine what they are, with a clip on the timeline, click on it to highlight/select it. Then Right-click and choose Properties. It has to be something other then DAT.

Could you please post what those are?
What program are you using, Video Studio (version ?) or some other?

Ron P.

[Ken Berry]

VCD files are mpeg-1, and as Vidoman has already says, are low quality. A good VCD will give you only as good quality as a good VHS tape. And again, as Vidoman has said about other mpeg formats, mpeg-1 is a lossy format too. Any further re-encoding of it causes a further loss in quality.

To burn a DVD, you will need to re-encode your edited mpeg-1 source material to DVD-compatible mpeg-2. That will entail re-encoding and the loss of quality I mentioned.

And finally, there is the old adage: you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. In other words, if you start with low quality material, you won't improve the quality by using a sophisticated process. Just because you're burning it to a DVD -- which normally is much high quality than a VCD -- doesn't mean you are going to produce any better quality output than the original. And in this case, it is liable to be worse. Sorry.

[kaisin]

hi vidoman, thanks again.

i am using ulead videostudio 9

these are the properties from my vcd
mpeg 1 video
84066 frames
24bits 352x 288 4:3
25.000 frame
1140 kbps

Sound Mpeg layer 2
148292424 Sample
44100 16bit stereo
224kbps

these are the settings on my ulead project properties now
PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 352 x 288, 25 fps
Frame-based
(MPEG-1), 4:3
Video data rate: 1140 kbps
Audio data rate: 224 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 44.1 KHz, Stereo

does that mean that when i edit, there shud not be any drop in quality?kindly advise.
do i offset smart render also? what other configurations do i need to take note or change?

[Ron P.]

Kaisin,

does that mean that when i edit, there shud not be any drop in quality?

.

The only way that there May not be a drop in quality, is if you render your project to the exact properties of your project. That also means that if you try to burn a DVD then yes it will be re-encoded and yes there will be a loss in quality. I just checked in VS9, using an MPEG file I have and NTSC format. VS does allow for a 352 x 240 as DVD Compliant. So I think for the PAL region, your 352 x 288 would burn to a DVD.

Do I offset smart render also"

No I would make sure "Do not convert compliant MPEG files" and "Treat MPEG audio as non-DVD compliant" are both checked. Now the key is, if you want to maintain as much quality as you can, then you do not want VS to re-encode it.

However, if you just cut the video and did not add transitions, or add effects, basically you did not edit the video clips, then VS may not re-encode, then again it probably will if you did do some editing.

What you need to do before trying to burn a disc. or creating DVD folders, is to render your project. In other words, create a video file. Go to Share>Create Video File, and choose "Same as Project Settings".

Try creating a short video file, and see what the results are. This will give you an idea at what your finished project will be.

Ron P.

[kaisin]

yah am doing it now...trying to keep to the same settings...quality improved but the pixelation is still rpetty bad..not sharp.
and occassionally, not that frequent though, the flickering still comes back..horizontal flickers that looks like a ripple..moving from top of screen downwards. sorry for all the trouble..really looking for urgent help. =) millions of thanks

[Ron P.]

Ok,

The flickering maybe due to not having the "apply anti-flickering filter" checked. When you go to Share>Create Video File, there is an Options button. Click on it, and at the bottom you should see that, make sure it is checked.

It also sounds like the Field Order is reversed. That may be the majority of your quality problem. Go to Project Properties and change the Field order from Frame Based to Lower Field First. That may clear alot of it up.

Ron P.

[kaisin]

sigh not sure what the real prob lies, did everything and it is still pretty pixelated and bad...

[Ron P.]

wow thats a prompt reply
ok

Nature of the problem :poor quality in output video

Properties of your source files (format, file size, where did you get it?) from vcd. DAT file dragged over to windows. (in window media player the original DAT file is screened in the same quality as the vcd.

What devices are involved and their mode of connection? No other devices other than pc

Project Settings Not sure and need your good advice

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD) VCD/DVD

NTSC <----- That setting

Error Codes (if any) NIL


Hi, hope the info given is enough. In short, how do u edit a video such that it comes out in really same quality as its source. Planning to cut a few movie clips together from original vcds, however seems like when i do it, the quality goes down big time and there will be horizontal flickers in the video.

Kaisin,

I went back and read this post of yours. Did you change that setting? You should be using PAL not NTSC..

Ron P.

[kaisin]

Thanks but whats the difference?

[Ron P.]

Thanks but whats the difference?

Big, major difference.

Here in the USA, we are in the NTSC region, where video is based on 29.97 fps, with a common resolution of 720 x 480. However where you are located it is in the PAL region, where the video is based on 25fps, with a common resolution of 720 x 576.

You can not mix and match those formats. They get along, as we would say, about as well as the Hatfields and McCoys.. (2 families living beside each other that were constantly feuding).

So you can see, it is impossible to have a single video, that contains a clip that plays at 29.97fps (frames per second) and one that plays at 25fps, not to mention the different resolutions....

Ron P.

[kaisin]

Check with you, if i am combining 2 vcd movie clip but they are of diff configurations in terms of properties. What should i do? I tried and the clip frm the 2nd vcd is a bit jerky meaning they will repeat 2seconds of the clip for >3times

[sjj1805]

Check with you, if i am combining 2 vcd movie clip but they are of diff configurations in terms of properties. What should i do? I tried and the clip frm the 2nd vcd is a bit jerky meaning they will repeat 2seconds of the clip for >3times

Please details the properties of the different clips.
Are they all PAL, or are you trying to mix PAL with NTSC?

What about screen sizes, bit rates, audio settings?
What is it that you are attempting to achieve in the finished product.
Are you simply trying to archive several existing VCD discs onto a single DVD or are you trying to extract items from those VCD discs to combine them together into a new DVD.

There are many types of "VCD" which include amongst others
VCD, CVD, SVCD, KVCD, KSVCD, XVCD, XSVCD
Think of them as you would different languages
English, French, Dutch, German, Russian, Punjabi etc.