Sony DCR-SR100 -- 1st attempt at DVD burn

kphutch · Post by **kphutch** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:55 am

I have been a Ulead VS user for over a year now (currently using VS 10+ with the patch) and have successfully burned DVD's of many hours of old family footage from VHS tapes by using the "recommended procedure". A few months ago I purchased a new Sony hard disk drive camcorder (DCR-SR100). I'm in the process of trying to educate myself as I try to set up some type of procedure to work with my new camera.

Take a look at what I plan to try. Since the files on the camcorder are saved in MPEG-2 format, I can just transfer them to my computer hard drive thru CAPTURE > Import from mobile device. I know that editing MPEG's is not recommended, but I only plan to do some simple cuts and add some chapters. I don't know if I will end up with a audio synch problem or not, but I want to at least try this. Here are the properties of the video clips as they come from the camcorder:

VIDEO

MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
24 bits, 720 x 480, 16:9
29.970 frames/sec
Variable bit rate (Max 9100 kbps)

AUDIO

Dolby Digital Audio
48000 Hz, 5.1 channels
448 kbps

I made a short 3 minute project as my first test. I set the project properties to match the properties of the video clip. I made 5 or 6 edits, added chapter points (they carried over to burn phase). In the Share >create disk, I set all the properties to match the video's...ticked the Do Not Convert Compliant MPEG files. I added my Project file, added my Menu with thumbnail chapters.....and burned to DVD. To my surprise, everything turned out great! Great quality with surround sound. Don't know if this will carry over to a one hour DVD or not.

I understand that this goes against most of the advice given by the "experts". However, this process sure is easy if it will stand up to a longer project. Any suggestions for me? Should I be using two-pass conversion (read the manual and don't really understand this)?? Doesn't variable rate of 8000 kbps result in a one hour DVD? What can I expect using 9100 kbps?

Thanks in advance!!

Post by **Ron P.** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:36 am

When we are speaking of the "recommended format", it is concerning the DV format, which up until recently most camcorders recorded to. Over the last year that has changed, with the Hi-definition camcorders. They do not record in DV, but use the MPEG-2. So you must use the format/codec that the camera provides. You certainly do not want to convert the MPEG-2 to DV for editing, as you will suffer loss of quality.

So you could try an hour long video to see if it works and the audio/video stay in sync. If not then try using smaller clips...

For the 2-pass encoding here is a good article to read :
http://www.signvideo.com/d-athr_pt2.htm

kphutch · Post by **kphutch** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:49 am

Thanks.....Should I use two-pass conversion? Is there a way to estimate how many minutes of footage I can fit on a DVD at a bit rate of 9100?

Post by **Ron P.** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:55 am

Forgot to answer your specific questions, then edited...

Here is a bitrate calculator to help determine the bitrates:

http://dvd-hq.info/Calculator.html
http://www.videohelp.com/calc.htm

kphutch · Post by **kphutch** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:43 pm

Thanks for the calulators.......how about the two-pass conversion? Pros & Cons of using it vs. the single pass?

Thanks again!

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:54 pm

Did you read the article Ron's post linked to:

"The highest quality encoding is usually "two-pass, variable bitrate (VBR)" encoding. That means the MPEG encoder goes through your video twice: on the first pass it analyzes each frame to determine how much data should be allocated to each frame, and then on the second pass it encodes it (there are VBR encoders that can do more than two passes for even higher quality)."

Only you can decide if the time it takes to do two-pass encoding is worth the presumed increase in quality.