VS10+ : Do Not Convert Compliant Video Option

[BengGaboy]

Hi,

After fiddling with VS10+ for a while, I came to realize something strange (maybe due to my lack of knowledge).

My current workflow

1. capture the video from camcorder via firewire using VS10+

2. convert the raw 13GB AVI file to MPEG2 compliant (Program stream whereby Video & Audio in a single file) using Canopus Procoder v2.04

3. Use VS10+ for authoring/editing/converting to DVD


Method A

1. Start VS10+
2. Create a new project (*.VSP)
3. Add the MPEG2 compliant video file into library manager
4. start my editing/overlay/title & etc
5. go to share tab & select "Create Disc"
6. Perform my chaptering & menu chores
7. start conversion

With the above method A, it will take about an hour to encode everything into a DVD (even though my video files has been converted to MPEG2).

Watching the end output on the TV, I find that the video become slightly darker at dark scenes as well as edges not being that sharp as compared with Canopus ProCoder encoder.

Method B

1. Start VS10+
2. Create a new project (*.VSP)
3. 5. go to share tab & select "Create Disc"
4. Perform my chaptering & menu chores
5. start conversion

With the above method B, the same file used in Method A, only took 10~14 mins to complete everything ! I suspect that this method B do not touch my video & audio files un-necessary (which is what I wanted) since it has already being DVD compliant.

Ofcourse, the downside of method B is that, I can't perform any fancy full transition, overlay, addition of text & etc.

For both Method A & B, I have already checked "Do not convert compliant MPEG files".

Question

Is there anyway whereby I could still use method A without VS10+ re-encoding the majority of video ?

Similar to what Nero Vision "Smart Encoding" whereby it will bypass those scenes where no encoding is necessary.

Thanks

Cheers,

[Ken Berry]

A couple of thoughts. If you are capturing DV/AVI format, you should do all your edits in that same format. And only when you have done that should you be doing the conversion to mpeg-2. And you could do that in one of two possible ways. The first would be to use the (Main Concept) mpeg-2 codec included in VS10 which IMHO does quite a good job: I for instance use it for conversion of DV files I have edited in Adobe Premiere Pro.

The second method would be, of course, to convert using Procoder. To do this, after you have finished editing your DV video, go to Share > Create Video File > DV. This will produce a single video file in DV format -- and don't worry, there will not be any quality loss in that format. Then open Procoder and point it at your new DV file.

BTW, VS does include 'Smart Render' for mpegs which only renders those parts of an mpeg file which have been edited. However, I have to confess that I am not sure if Smart Render will work on mpeg files produced in a different program and using a different mpeg codec...

[BengGaboy]

Hi Ken,

Many thanks for your input & seriously it does make alot of sense to me

Okay, the reason being on why I convert the video to MPEG2 before my editing, is that, in the event I made a mistake on text, chaptering, menu positioning & etc, I do not need to go through another lengthy cycle of MPEG2 conversion (even though I have made no changes to the video).

At this point, I'm still very amature, thus, editing video on colour, contrast, overlay maybe out for me.

Many thanks

Cheers,
Andy

[frantid]

Method A

1. Start VS10+
2. Create a new project (*.VSP)
3. Add the MPEG2 compliant video file into library manager
4. start my editing/overlay/title & etc
5. go to share tab & select "Create Disc"
6. Perform my chaptering & menu chores
7. start conversion

With the above method A, it will take about an hour to encode everything into a DVD (even though my video files has been converted to MPEG2).

Watching the end output on the TV, I find that the video become slightly darker at dark scenes as well as edges not being that sharp as compared with Canopus ProCoder encoder.

Andy, you need to add a step for smartrendering, it's a bug in VS. Do method A, except creat a video file, using same settings as your file. It will only render the parts that you have edited overlays, transitions, titles, etc. You can watch it. It will only display the preview in the window when it is not smartrendering. If it is smartrendering you will just see the last part or a black preview. After this is done, choose create disk. Delete what ever is in the dvd module, and add the file you just created back in. Then do your menus, chapters etc. It should not render this at all as long as the dvd settings match your file. It should go straight to creating the menus like in your method b.

[BengGaboy]

Hi frantID,

Thanks for highlighting the bug which at least explain some of the stuff.

Anyway, I need to check with you further on your message :

1. "add a step for smart rendering". How do I add that ? In my project properties, I have already enabled "Do not convert compliant MPEG files".

2. "create a video file". I doesn't seems to have that option other than adding video files to the project. What is "creating a video file" ? Do you mean capture ?

Thanks

Cheers,
Andy

P.S Sorry for the late reply as I'm away for reserve military training for 3 weeks.

[BengGaboy]

Hi frantID,

Just to confirm the following steps :

1. Start VS10+
2. Create a new project (*.VSP)
3. Add the MPEG2 compliant video file into library manager
4. start my editing/overlay/title & etc
5. go to share tab & select "Create Video file" *** additional step ***
6. From the share tab, select "Create Disc"
7. Perform my chaptering & menu chores
8. start conversion

Thanks

Cheers,
Andy

[maddrummer3301]

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