Jumpy playback on DVD

[Clive Slade]

I am NEW to VS10. I have just made a BASIC video using a few CLIPS captured in Mpeg from a Sony Hard Drive camcorder (stored on the computer), with USB output. I added a single music track, and some simple transitions and a single Title. My first attempt at Creating a DVD seemed to go well - and the disc has burnt, and plays back on both the computer and a home DVD player - BUT the video output is jumpy - in all video sequences - normal, pan and zoom. The sound seems fine (5.1 surround) and the image quality is high,

I would be grateful for any help.

Thanks.

[TDK1044]

Hi Clive,

What were your precise MPEG 2 properties at capture, and did you keep those exact properties throughout the journey of your project? If you capture at the highest MPEG2 DVD setting and then use the 'same as project properties' setting within video studio during the render stage, and then finally set exactly the same properties at the burn stage, then your DVD playback will be fine. If properties such as field order change during the journey of your project, you will see problems during playback on a stand alone DVD player.

[Ken Berry]

Clive -- as I understand it, your Sony hard disc camera films mpeg-2 using Upper Field First. But you can confirm this by clicking on one of the *captured* files (not/not an edited file) and looking at its properties.

In Video Studio's File > Preferences > General, make sure the box beside 'Show message when first video is inserted in timeline' is ticked. That way, when you start a project, when you insert your first video in the timeline, a box will appear asking if you want to match the project properties to those of the video clip. Click OK.

That way, you ensure your editing of the project is being done in the context of the all important field order i.e. Upper Field First. Normally, Video Studio comes with the project properties set by default to Frame Based (or sometimes, Lower Field First). If the project uses this on Upper Field First video, then you will get the sort of jerkiness or jagged edges you see in your DVD when played back on a normal TV.

Also, once you have finished editing, go to Share > Create Video File > DVD, and again check to make sure that the template that comes up has properties which exactly match the project properties i.e. specifically Upper Field First.

Then when this new video file of your edited project has been produced, close the project completely and have an empty timeline. Then click on Share > Create Disc > DVD, and the burning page will open. Use the Add Media button to insert your new file(s). Click on the Options cogwheel icon (the middle one of the 3 icons that appear in the bottom left of the burning screen). Make sure that the box beside 'Do not convert compliant mpeg files' is ticked (it is by default). That way, once again, you are sure that Video Studio will not change your inserted file in any way, including once again the all important Field Order of Upper Field First. Then create your menu and burn.

You might want to test this on a rewritable RW disc and play that on your TV to make sure everything is OK before wasting another blank disc.

Good luck!!

[Clive Slade]

Thanks Ken for your speedy reply. I will check the UPPER and LOWER field settings as you suggest and try the project again. The files from the Sony HDD camcorder ARE in Mpeg-2 format ........ so your suggestions certanly sound logical. Thanks again. Clive