Combining various video file settings

[grc]

I am making a highlight film of games, using separate .vsp projects for each game. Following the recommended procedures, I set project properties as told, then when I insert the video file in the timeline, answer yes when asked if I want to set the project properties to the video properties. I have some questions regarding this:

1. Conceptually, why set project properties? WHen you insert the video file you tell VS to set the project properties to match the video file properties--in other words, change the project properties I just set to match the video file properties?

2. My video files come from different sources--some from miniDV (good), some from DVD (homemade), some from 8mm. No problem on the miniDV, but when importing the Video_TS folder per procedures, the video data rate is 4620, upper field first. So when inserting into timeline, do I still match project properties to video file properties?

3. I can't combine .vsp projects (I have VS8), so I am creating a video file of each project then importing. However, I don't have the same properties for each project (see #2 above). Recommended procedures say I must have the same project properties for each one I am importing (set burn properties to match). How do I workaround this? When I combine all the projects, I get a message that not all properties are the same. Wahhhh.

3. When creating video files (before burning the DVD per recommended procedures), I think I am supposed to turn off non-square pixed and smart rendering, then turn it back on when creating disc. Is this correct?

Forgive the slow understanding of this member. And believe me when I say have searched and researched this forum and posts. Just slow, I guess.

Thanks

[2Dogs]

1. Conceptually, why set project properties? When you insert the video file you tell VS to set the project properties to match the video file properties--in other words, change the project properties I just set to match the video file properties?

You have to set them prior to rendering a video file - but even then you can specify different video file properties from your project properties if you want to. It's kind of confusing.

2. My video files come from different sources--some from miniDV (good), some from DVD (homemade), some from 8mm. No problem on the miniDV, but when importing the Video_TS folder per procedures, the video data rate is 4620, upper field first. So when inserting into timeline, do I still match project properties to video file properties?

What might ultimately determine your output file properties is how much footage you wish to put on the finished DVD. That may determine the maximum bitrate. For example, if you set it at 8000kbps constant bitrate, you can get a little over one hour on a single layer DVD.

3. I can't combine .vsp projects (I have VS8), so I am creating a video file of each project then importing. However, I don't have the same properties for each project (see #2 above). Recommended procedures say I must have the same project properties for each one I am importing (set burn properties to match). How do I workaround this? When I combine all the projects, I get a message that not all properties are the same. Wahhhh.

Hey hey hey! Don't cry! What you probably want to do is to create a finished DVD with the best possible image quality, right?

As I see it, there might be a few possible variations on your workflow to achieve this.

As a general principle, you should aim to re-encode clips as little as possible. However, since you are dealing with at least three different types of source material, you won't be able to avoid re-encoding at least two lots of clips at some point.

From your post, it sounds like each of your three projects use the same format files, though. Is this indeed the case?

Let's assume that the total duration of your project will end up at about 60 minutes. Maybe the MiniDV clips also comprise a substantial portion of that, if not the majority.

You can then decide on the file properties of the finished DVD. As I mentioned before, these might be constant bitrate, 8000 kbps, with let's say stereo mpeg audio set to 256 kbps. If your MiniDV derived clips form the majority of the footage, use lower field first.

Now you didn't mention what format your MiniDV derived files were in - they might be DV avi type 1, or they could possibly have been captured directly to mpeg2. In either case, you should use the project to create a single video file with the same properties as the source material. Therefore it would be a DV type 1 avi file with the frame order set to lower field first, or an mpeg2 file with a frame order of lower field first.

If it's the latter, and even if you've set the project properties to match the first inserted clip, you should carefully set the output file properties when you create a video file from the project.

eg Share>Create Video File>Custom>MPEG files and check the properties in the "general" tab. Click on the "compression" tab and set the quality slider all the way over to 100%, and say constant 8000 kbps bitrate, MPEG stereo audio, 256 kbps.

If the MiniDV files are DV type 1 avi, however, just go ahead and create an avi video file.

After you've created the file, move on to the next project. Let's say that's the one with clips derived from the DVD, at a data rate of 4620 kbps. You say they are upper field first. Now here you have a choice of output file properties. You can either create a file with the same properties as the first clip, or one with properties to match the final DVD. If all the clips of this project have exactly the same properties, you could choose the former - but if the clips weren't created with Video Studio 8 in the first place, perhaps the Smart Render feature won't work properly if you try that. I would therefore create a video file with the same properties as the final DVD - eg mpeg2 8000 kbps, lower field first, 100% on the quality slider, MPEG stereo audio, 256 kbps.

Repeat the procedure for your 8mm derived clips.

You then have either one avi video file plus two mpeg2 video files, or three mpeg2 video files. Putting these into the fourth "master" project, you can then create your final, single large video file. (up to 4.35Gb if you're filling up a single layer disk) using your chosen DVD properties as before - eg 8000 kbps, 100% on the quality slider etc.

If the first file is an avi, transcoding it to mpeg2 will take a while, but the other two files should Smart Render.

3. When creating video files (before burning the DVD per recommended procedures), I think I am supposed to turn off non-square pixed and smart rendering, then turn it back on when creating disc. Is this correct?

I see no reason to turn off Smart Render, unless you have lots of spare time. If your DVD will be primarily viewed on a TV, rather than a pc monitor, non-square pixel rendering should be checked.

Forgive the slow understanding of this member. And believe me when I say have searched and researched this forum and posts. Just slow, I guess.

Absolutely! Video Studio is loaded up to the gills with misleading defaults and hard to find settings!

The simplest way to make your DVD would have been to have entered all the clips into a single project - but sometimes it helps to have things broken down into more manageable sections. It shouldn't make any difference to the final result, so long as you're dilligent in checking the various output settings.

Good luck!

[grc]

Thanks for your time in answering. Ok, I know I can fit it all on a DVD (burned a test DVD--actually 2, one had no sound, but that issue I will work on and come back to).

2dogs:

From your post, it sounds like each of your three projects use the same format files, though. Is this indeed the case?

What do you mean, same format files?

2dogs:

Let's assume that the total duration of your project will end up at about 60 minutes. Maybe the MiniDV clips also comprise a substantial portion of that, if not the majority.

Yes, MiniDV is majority of project--AVI files, using VBR, 8000 kbps, etc. with mpeg audio at 256 kbps, lower field first. No problem there.

2dogs:

The simplest way to make your DVD would have been to have entered all the clips into a single project - but sometimes it helps to have things broken down into more manageable sections. It shouldn't make any difference to the final result, so long as you're dilligent in checking the various output settings.

Ouch, that diligent word. When do I check the output settings? What do this mean? I think (dangerous word for me) that this is how to proceed:

1. Set project properties as in recommended procedures from sticky (VBR, 8K kbps, etc.).

2. MATCH project properties to video file properties for miniDV (they are AVI files)

3. Here is where I get confused--with the DVD and 8mm. I think I set the project properties as in #1, then import and DON'T match project properties to video file properties--OR--match project properties to video file properties and when I share/create video/custom then set to VBR/8K kpbs, etc. Yes, no, maybe so?

4. Open new project ("Final Combined Project"), add AVI project , ok to match project to video files, then add MPEGS.

Am I thinking right? Is it more important to set properties when creating the video file in the share stage, or when first importing the files into a project for editing? Why do they call it a driveway when you park in it, and a parkway when you drive in it?

Thanks 2dogs for your help!

[grc]

Let me rephrase:

I have no problem with the miniDV files--they are .avi files.

The other files are mpeg2, and the only editing I am doing is trimming. When I import these, I should match project properties to video file properties, correct? Then, should I take these mpeg2 projects and:

1. Create video file with properties to match final burn settings and then re-import these to the final project, or

2. Save each trimmed clip and import these to the final project via library manager.

Thanks for your help.

[2Dogs]

Hi grc,

I should have come back to you earlier to respond to your questions.

When I wrote "same format files" I meant files with the same properties - eg your avi files would all be DV Type 1 avi, lower field first, maybe the first lot of mpeg2 files would all be 6000 kbps constant bitrate, upper field first, and the second lot, say, 8000 kbps variable bitrate, upper field first.

If you wish to squeeze the maximum image quality from the finished DVD, you need to minimise the amount of re-encoding. Normally, you would do this by having everything, i.e. in your case your avi clips and the two lots of mpeg2 clips in a single project.

You would then render that project to an mpeg2 video file, setting the bitrate according to the length of the project. So, for a project with a duration of around 60 minutes, you could use mpeg2 with a constant bitrate of 8000kbps and your preferred audio.

Taking that single large video file, you put it into a new project, and use that to create the DVD, as described in the Recommended Procedure. If everything works properly, the project would be smart rendered - so all of your clips would have been re-encoded once.

You talked of using three separate projects, however.

That introduces one further step in the process of creating your DVD, but it needn't result in additional re-encoding if you are careful with your output properties.

If you've already put in a lot of work on those three projects, then it will save time to use them to generate three separate video files. In order to minimise re-encoding, it would be best to make three files with matching properties, set to be the same as the final DVD - eg mpeg2 8000kbps constant bitrate lower field first.

Then, when you combine these three files into a new project, you create a single large video file, again with 8000 kbps etc. It should smart render, and not take long to make.

Then you use that single file in a new project to create the DVD.

(this is all probably a very long winded way of saying "yes" to your last questions!)