Creating a DVD with no bumps, tiling, or pauses

RTR1944 · Post by **RTR1944** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:32 am

I have VS10+ and after spending an enormous time editing a project of both stills and video, I can't figure out how to create a smooth DVD. In addition to using the User's Guide, I'm using Charlie Hills materials for VS9 (he didn't write a "self help" book for the VS10+).

He makes a big deal of having the project output match the input but I'm not sure if that applies to a still/video combo or just video.

Nonetheless, my project properties are:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9.

In the create video file, what do I need to do? I've tried Same as First Video Clip, NTSC DVD (16:9) with and without Dolby Digital 5.1, and Custom - Microsoft AVI files which match up with my video input perfectly but not my stills, obviously. In all cases, my options were:
a.Entire project
b.Play file after creating it
c.I chose to NOT Perform SmartRender because Hills makes a point of not using it for a "perfect output"
d.Perform non-square pixel rendering

My results have been anywhere from jumpy, tiling, no volume, to a slight watery look in spots

Maybe there are some changes from VS9 to VS10+ that affect this that I'm not aware of. I appreciate anyone's help. Thanks

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:36 am

Richard,
Video editing is complicated. The top sticky post lays out a forumula for the new user and I recommend that you follow that procedure. http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=27
From reading your post, I assume the following:
1) Your captured video was AVI(DV) from a digital camcorder. Was that DV Type I (recommended) or Type II?
2) You edited your DV video clips in the EDIT timeline and introduced some still photos. What format? I assume jpeg from a digital camera - mine are 2048x1536 and work perfectly with widescreen video. (select Preference Resampling quality = BEST and Image resampling = Keep Aspect Ratio before inserting the still images in the timeline).
3) When done editing, you tried to make a video file (SHARE/CREATE ViIDEO FILE) and don't know how to set up the output file properties.

If these assumptions are correct, then just follow the steps in the Recommended Procedure - namely, press the Custom button, Select Save as Type = Mpeg Files, then the Options button.

Select the Compression Tab: select NTSD DVD, max quality, Variable bitrate, 8000Kbps, Dolby audio.

Select the General Tab: select Frame type = Lower Field First, Frame Size should be already set to 720x480, Display aspect Ratio - 16x9.

Select the Ulead Video Studio Tab: Check Perform Smart Render and Use Non-Square pixels.

Name the file and have a few beers while Video Studio transcodes your project files from DV to DVD-compliant Mpeg2.

Playback your file on Windows Media Player to make sure everthing is OK. Then burn the DVD as described in the Recommended Procedure.

Good Luck!

RTR1944 · Post by **RTR1944** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:50 am

I captured my DV video in a Type II because I wanted to have the flexibility of using the audio in a different spot than the video if need be.

The stills are JPEG’s from a digital camera and were originally 3008x2000. Some were edited using Photoshop so the size would vary with those. I did NOT do select Preference Resampling quality = BEST and Image resampling = Keep Aspect Ratio before inserting the still images in the timeline.

On the compression, I did everything you suggested except I did 9696 (max allowed) on the video data rate.

The only thing different was on the General tab was I used Frame type = Frame-based and I did not use SmartRender.

I also didn’t play it back on Media Player but I will in the future. Would you still make the same recommendations given these changes?

I will check out the website as well for beginners.

I really appreciate your help – their help desk is so slow

RTR1944 · Post by **RTR1944** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:54 am

Correction - I did do resampling but only at Better and did do Keep Aspect Ratio

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:05 pm

RTR1944,

In addition to what jchunter has said and to further amplify his advice, and based on my interpretation of what I have read, I see two things that are probably causing your stated problem,

My results have been anywhere from jumpy, tiling, no volume, to a slight watery look in spots

First, you said that on the General Tab, you selected "Frame-Based" as your frame type. If you are playing back your DVD movie on a TV, then this should be set to Lower Field First, as Frame-Based is for playback on computer screens. This setting selection alone would cause the type of problems that you describe. Your frame type throughout the entire process (capture, edit, render, burn) should always be set to Lower Field First for digital video played back on a TV.

Second, in your original post, you stated that your project properties were MPEG files. If you are capturing from a digital camcorder, your "Edit File Format" selection in the Project Properties dialog box should be "Microsoft AVI files", not "MPEG files". Capture and edit in DV_AVI, then encode your final edited project file to MPEG2 as jchunter described above.

Do not Smart Render when you create your video file and do not Smart Render when you burn your DVD. Also, when you burn your DVD, in the DVD burn options dialog box, be sure to place a check mark in the box that says "Do not convert compliant MPEG files". Also, burn at 4x speed instead of 8x or 16x, most people have gotten better results with a slower burn rate.

Make these few adjustments and let us know how it turned out.

Hope this helps.

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:49 pm

Robert,
Your properties are significantly different from what I use and recommend. It is always better to start with "vanilla" settings because they have been tried time and time again and are known to work.

It would have been safer to capture DV Type I. Users have reported a variety of problems with Type II. Someone with specific experience should chime in with additional information. AFAIK, you can split audio from video in any format.

Yes, it would have been better if the Project Properties had been set to match the captured video properties (AVI(DV)) but I doubt that this is fatal. AFAIK, Project Properties only affect project playback within Video Studio, although I have not tested this specifically.

Inserting jpeg stills with Resampling Quality set to Better probably limits the still picture quality. The last time I tested, version 8, the Preference had to te set prior to insertion into the timeline to take effect - you couldn't change it later, without reinserting. Your aspect ratio is different from mine but with Keep Aspect Ratio checked, this should not be fatal.

Video DataRate of 9696 should not be a problem and converting to Frame-Based probably should have been avoided until you have more experience but should only reduce resolution slightly.

Doubtful if checking Smart Render has any effect because you are transcoding from DV to Mpeg2. Its primary effect is to avoid re-encoding the entire video stream when only spot edits have been made. I leave it on all the time and do not experience problems.

All in all, managing video properties is critical to good video quality. You have made quite a number of changes to the recommended settings. If it were me, I would start over: recapture with DV Type1, edit with Project Properties that match the video exactly, insert stills with Quality set to Best, transcode to Mpeg2, preserving Lower Field First, bitrate 8000Kbps. After you get one good video file, you can easily make another with higher bitrate or deinterlaced and you will be able to examime the differences.

RTR1944 · Post by **RTR1944** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:34 pm

I appreciate everyone's help. I am not going to start over because my target audience will be glad to get anything they can. None of them took a camcorder on our trip which is the subject of the projects I'm doing now. However, on future projects, I have learned the hard way and things will be better.

I'm currently implementing your suggestions and will let you know how it came out. One other question is in the burning step re: Disk Template Manager - set it to HQ 16:9 (Dolby Digital)?

On another unrelated question. When I first got the software I imported sound tracks from several CD's with no problems. Now, a few months later, I wanted to add another track from one of those same CDs and it wouldn't let me. Any thoughts as to why?

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:01 pm

RTR1944,

Good question. I just recently started experiencing the same thing. I used to be able to import tracks from a CD, but now my VS10+ is acting very tempermental with this. Sometimes it will import a track, other times it will crash the program. I hope there is a good answer.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:22 pm

I know that this will not be the answer that either of you will want to hear. But I have never used this feature of VS (apart from a brief flirtation with the much more basic version of it way back in VS7). I always rip my CDs with another program (these days, mainly WMP) and edit them in yet another program (Nero's Wave Editor) to fit the time (and mood) of the video it is to accompany. I find I have greater control and flexibility this way.

RTR1944 · Post by **RTR1944** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:55 am

I'm running off 9 copies as I write this!

Thank you for all your suggestions. They really helped. I had a total of 3 small "blemishs" and the sound was balanced exactly the way I had it in the original project. Is the latter due to the 4x burn or the Lower Field First correction or both?

Now, if I can get the import audio CD problem figured out. The company response to this problem was "Maybe some of the files in your VideoStudio's installed software are not functioning, or one of the file is missing or has been corrupted and need to be replaced. Then please logon as Administrator and try the following suggestions to fix:

1)Clean up temp files from\Start menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools\Disk Cleanup.
2)Uninstall UVS 10 from control panel Add/Remove programs
3)Please del the folder "Ulead Ulead VideoStudio 10" folder in C:\program files\ulead system
4)Install UVS 10 and the content installer again
5)Make sure you have the latest WinXP compliant driver for your VGA card, sound controller and capture device which you can download from the internet.

Please avoid the unnecessary conflict, temporarily turn off all applications includes anti virus, norton utilities, or the other memory resident program and the Internet connection etc. before you run VideoStudio 10"

I did all that and I still have the same problem. I wrote them back about a week ago that this didn't seem to help and I'm still waiting for a reply.

I'm a big believer in this forum so I hope I can get an answer to this problem as well

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:11 am

Like Ken, I have never used Ulead products to rip CD's, unlike Ken, I don't use VS either.

There are better products and processes to extract audio from CD's than a video editing program. After all, I like the comfort of my car but I don't use it to go around the corner buying bread either.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:20 am

... or give the mechanic all the necessary information if it breaks down, eh Heinz

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:00 am

Naaaa, Ken, I usually tell him the fu****g thing doesn't work and he knows straight away which of my two cars is sick and what I did to it to make it so

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:34 pm

Richard,

Try Audacity. It will do what you want, plus a whole lot more, and it's free!

andrewt · Post by **andrewt** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:56 pm

Hi

I use Real Player to copy my audio Cd’s to(wav) my hard drive.

Then create a new library page (audio) and import the clips.

Like most other responses I do not use VS to rip CD’s
Not that it doesn’t work; I just prefer to copy to my hard drive first.

Trevor