VS10+ Slideshow - Image Files Come Out Blurry

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:36 pm

I'm using VS10+ to create a Christmas Slideshow. The project file includes 105 photo still images, crossfade transitions and music background. My project properties are:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: 8000 kbps
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

The image files come out blurry when previewing the project and when viewing the burned DVD on my computer monitor. The image files are 8MP files, with a resolution of 3264 x 2448. I used PhotoImpact 12 to resize the images, but to no avail. The images look just as blurry when resized to 720 x 540 as when I just let VS10+ automatically resize the image files. When in PI12, I opened up three of the image files, clicked on all 3 to highlight them. Then in the document thumbnail pane at the bottom of PI12, I clicked on the down arrow next to the icon for Batch Manager, then clicked on Adjust|Resize. The Active Image section gave the original resolution size of 3264 x 2448. The New Image section automatically provided the size of 720 x 540. I didn't make any manual adjustments while in this Resize dialog box, just clicked on OK, and all 3 image files changed to 720 x 540. I then saved these 3 image files to .bmp files and loaded them into VS10+ and played this sample file and it looked just as blurry as when I just load the original files in a VS10+ project file. What am I doing wrong and what can I do to get clear crisp sharp image files to playback?

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:18 pm

I have never seen any improvement in image quality resolution by prescaling images (e.g., to 720x480) prior to insertion in the Video Studio Edit timline. OTOH, once prescaled, the images in the project can never create a video file with greater resolution, such as 1920x1080 high definition for HDTV viewing.

In fact, images never appear as sharp as the original because 90% of the pixels have been thrown away when either Video Studio or prescaling software brings down the resolution to DVD-Compliant standards.

If you want to see this effect on your PC monitor, create a short Video Studio project with a few images that have been inserted in full resolution. Then select SHARE / Create Video File/ Custom/Options/ then select the Compression Tab, select Mpeg2, Quality 100%, bitrate = Variable, 25000Kbps. In the General Tab, select Frame-Based, 1920x1080 frame size. Hit the save button. Then playback the video file with Media Player Classic. Note how much sharper the resolution is than the same project created with 720x480 resolution. If you want to put some hard numbers on the resolution, include an ISO 12233 standard resolution chart in your project and view individual frames with Virtual Dub Mpeg.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:50 pm

Hi Bryan

I am in Pal country and find it a little difficult to understand the frame sizes of Ntsc, mainly because I do not use them.

The one thing that is common between Pal and Ntsc is the 4:3 ratio.

Notice that the frame size, your project size, is 720 x 480 and is not 4:3.
Your video is stretched to fit 4:3.

Your images are 3264 x 2448, these are 4:3.

If I were using these images I would not resize, but use them directly in the project timeline.
If I were to resize I would use 620px x 480px, (or multiples of)

I would render the slide show to DV-Avi using the settings that my Cam-Corder produces.

Then use the resultant file, render to Ntsc-Dvd

My preference being 6000kbps constant and Frame Based.

The last slide show using this method was excellent.

Pal of course

Hope this Helps

Regards

Trevor

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 6:49 am

John,

Thanks for your reply. You stated....

If you want to see this effect on your PC monitor, create a short Video Studio project with a few images that have been inserted in full resolution. Then select SHARE / Create Video File/ Custom/Options/ then select the Compression Tab, select Mpeg2, Quality 100%, bitrate = Variable, 25000Kbps. In the General Tab, select Frame-Based, 1920x1080 frame size. Hit the save button. Then playback the video file with Media Player Classic. Note how much sharper the resolution is than the same project created with 720x480 resolution.

Can VS10+ make an MPEG2 DVD with this larger frame size that will play on a DVD Player/TV set, in order to get the sharper playback of the still image slideshow?

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:28 pm

Blplhp,
A conventional DVD player can't handle the 25,000Kbps video bitrate of Mpeg2 HDV.

Here are some alternatives:
(1) Fork over a king's ransom for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD products,

(2) Connect your HDTV to your PC, as a monitor,
(3) Some people claim the Xbox360 can playback (I have not tried this.),
(4) Get a DVD Link Player (e.g., IODATA AVLP2 $250) and playback from an external hard drive or a standard DVD, which is the way I do it.

IMO, the external hard disk is a great choice because is has huge capacity (300 - 500 GB), has plenty of bandwidth, is easy to load and edit from the PC, is removable and easy to transport to friend's homes, where it can, at least, playback high definition video on their PC monitors.

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:48 am

I made a second attempt to burn my slideshow project using my original 8 MP size jpg photos and this time remembering to check the box for non-square pixel rendering, and the DVD when played back on my TV set, came out sharp. Everything is fine again, life is great, and VS10+ produces great looking slideshows, even with large pixel jpg images. Thanks for tweaking my thinking process.

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:39 pm

Glad to hear your images are sharper!

BTW, you can coax a bit more picture sharpness from your standard DVDs by selecting the Mpeg2 compression template and video bitrate=9800Kbps when you create your 720x480 video file, prior to burning.

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:46 pm

Thanks John,

Should I continue to select "constant" vs. "variable" bit rate for frame based image slideshows?

Thanks,

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 5:08 pm

With slide shows, your files will be smaller if you select Variable Bit Rate because the image is fixed and unmoving for the duration of each slide. This means that the file can be compressed with minimum GOP size, only encoding the first I-frame, with all others minimum size (because they are identical to the I-frame). This should let the encoder put the maximum bitrate into the I-frame details.

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:15 am

Thanks again John,

I am in the process of rendering a revised slideshow video file right now using the following property settings:

MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9600 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

You mentioned using a bit rate of 9800 kbps, but my copy of VS10+ will only allow a maximum variable bit rate up to 9696 at 100% quality. So I selected 9600. Does your copy allow higher than 9696?

I'll let you all know how it comes out later tonight.

blplhp · Post by **blplhp** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm

Hi John,

Did you see my question for you in my latest post in this thread? I would appreciate it very much if you could answer that for me. Thanks, again.

P.S. - the slideshow did come out a little sharper using the variable 9600 kbps video bit rate in lieu of my original slideshow created with constant 8000 kbps bit rate. Thanks again.

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:52 am

It is curious why your copy of VS10 maxed out at 9696Kbps. When I select the Mpeg2 template (Share/create video file/Custom/Options/Compression Tab and set Media Type to Mpeg2, I can enter 9800Kbps video bitrate - in fact, I can enter 25,000Kbps, which is necessary if you want to make a full high definition slide show.

But for burning a DVD, you will not see any difference between 9600 and 9800Kbps.

WestbrookNH · Post by **WestbrookNH** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:03 pm

I have VS 7-SE, and it maxes out at 14,000 kbps.

.

jchunter · Post by **jchunter** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:43 pm

Westbrook,
You should upgrade to version 10+ if you want to experiment with high definition slide shows. The first time that Video Studio supported larger frame sizes and higher bitrates was in verion 9 and 10+ improved it a lot more. There is a huge jump in picture quality when moving from 720x480 to 1920x1080 @ 25,000Kbps.

WestbrookNH · Post by **WestbrookNH** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:36 pm

jchunter wrote:Westbrook,
You should upgrade to version 10+ if you want to experiment with high definition slide shows. The first time that Video Studio supported larger frame sizes and higher bitrates was in verion 9 and 10+ improved it a lot more. There is a huge jump in picture quality when moving from 720x480 to 1920x1080 @ 25,000Kbps.

Can I import my VS7 project into VS10+ ?

It's a 40-minute slide show with music and captions.

I'd sure hate to lose all that work.

.