VS9 output quality - questions on input audio type -

[Gentamicinman]

Greetings:
I've run into a nightmare of a problem.

After dozens of VS9 successful projects I am stymied. This may or may not be a Ulead VS9 issue, I simply don't know where else to turn.

I recorded a 2 evening 5 hour program onto two separate DVD-RW, both recorded at SLP.

I used VS9 to successfully create a 3 hour program from the first DVD-RW.

I used VS9 on the second DVD and followed my same procedure.

The output was lousy. On both the computer and TV (using 2 different DVD players) the video appeared to be viewed through plastic film while a horizontal scan line slowly rolled up the screen.

I redid the project. Same procedure. Guess what. Same output.

Then I looked at the input. I replayed it on the TV and the computer. It played perfectly.

Next, using Power/DVD I found out the DVD was recorded as MPEG2 with an audio of Dolby Digital Audio "Karaoke". The first DVD of the project had audio of Dolby Digital Audio 2/0(L,R).

So, I am guessing the "Karaoke" sound track fouled up the VS9 software.

Has anyone else encountered something like this?

How does one recover from this problem?

An even more basic question is how did the satellite receiver and DVD burner (2 separate units) come up with a "Karaoke" format? That is not an audio option on my system, and other DVDs, recorded from the same source are not "Karaoke".

My solution was to copy the DVD-RW to a DVD-R and leave it as it is. It plays fine. I just have a lot of leading and trailing material to fast forward over, and no titles.

[maddrummer3301]

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[sjj1805]

Don't know about the karaoke bit but....
I've never had much luck with re-writeable discs unless its a brand new one on first use. Whenever I try to use the disc for a second time the quality is crap no matter what burning software I use. I also make sure I have the latest firmware.

I've had this problem with re-writeable discs with at least 3 different DVD burners, possibly more.

Never a problem with straightforward 'WORM' discs (Write Once Read Many times).

I get the impression they dont erase fully and still have traces of previous recordings causing the poor quality of subsequent burns.

[Gentamicinman]

That audio format shouldn't matter, it's similar to the -VR format.

What probably happened to have the video quality loss was you may have re-rendered the original video to a new framesize.
If recorded at SLP then it's probably 352x480 (Half D1).
Look at the properties of the video(s) and write them down. After you multi-trim or do whatever to them goto Share -> create video file -> Customize and set the video parameters to the same as the source video(s).
Using Smart-render they should export very fast. If any sync problems then you will have to uncheck smart_render.
.

Thanks for the feedback and interest.

I tried your suggestions and documented my project parameters as a video clip and as rendered. They were as I thought - 24 bit, 352 X 240, with a variable bit rate of 2400.

I didn't do any trimming, other than making a short (2 min) clip. I get the same results, with and without smart rendering - in fact as the clip is rendered you can see the transformation on the screen within VS9.

I went back to other copies I had left on my hard drives(s) and found the same size and bitrates.

Two things are unusual in this process:
1) When things work I don't normally get to see the rendering in VS9
2) When I've burned a DVD - with this film clip - the audio works on just 1 of the 2 DVD players - and this happened before (but I purposely left it out of my problem description as it sounded too wild)

I guess I should walk away from this. The captured DVD, as I mentioned, is playable. In truth, though, I do like to learn from my errors and this is one biggy.

Thanks
Dave

[Gentamicinman]

Don't know about the karaoke bit but....
I've never had much luck with re-writeable discs unless its a brand new one on first use. Whenever I try to use the disc for a second time the quality is crap no matter what burning software I use. I also make sure I have the latest firmware.

I've had this problem with re-writeable discs with at least 3 different DVD burners, possibly more.

Never a problem with straightforward 'WORM' discs (Write Once Read Many times).

I get the impression they dont erase fully and still have traces of previous recordings causing the poor quality of subsequent burns.

Steve,
Thanks for the feedback.

Guess I've been luckier than you. From day 1 I've had excellent results with DVD-RWs. I bought just 5 and continuously rotate my way through them. Daily we time shift programs for later viewing and erase an reuse the DVDs frequently.

When good movies are on TCM or AMC I'll grab them, and copy on the computer with VS9.

We've had the same DVR (Sansui) for 2+ years.

I use Fujifilm Version 1.1 DVD-RW - not the fastest, but reliable.

Recently I've found this site:
http://digitalfaq.com/media/index.htm
to be helpful in determining what is a good blank DVD.

My Fujifilm are 2nd level now - don't know what they were 2 years ago.

I did throw away close to 50 WORM DVDs that were giving me problems - unfortunately I've a bunch of good data/slides backup up on some of them, and I need to have a rainy afternoon or two to do it 'one more time'.

Thanks again,
Dave

[maddrummer3301]

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[Gentamicinman]

Dave,
......
Also, make sure VS is set to BEST under Preferences for projects and the fielding should be "Upper_Field_First".
.....
.

You may be the "mad drummer" , but you sure know how to get to the answers.

I'd overlooked and overlooked the 'upper_field_first" on this DVD burning project. Everything else was exactly the same (size, vbr, fps, etc.) and when I was at the Share step and took the 'video clip defaults' the "frame-based" option is what caught my eye. That was the default thrown up by VS9. Once I changed it to Upper_Field_First it rendered and burned correctly and plays on both DVD players.

Thanks for the help.
Dave