What does "project settings" really affect?

[brodwidr]

I am a bit confused about the effect of "project settings" as distinct from the "properties" of a clip that's already been captured and from the options you select when you are about to render an output file or burn a DVD.

Specifically, if I have already rendered a DVD-compliant MPEG file from my completed editing project, and have then started a new project, dragged that MPEG file to the timeline, and am getting ready to burn, do the project settings affect anything, if I manually choose the settings for the disk burning?

My guess -- and this is only a guess -- is that the project settings are essentially a set of defaults; that new clips are imported using those project settings and files are rendered out using these settings -- unless you override them. Is that correct?

Another question:

How can I tell if I've matched the settings properly between input, and output and am avoiding unnecessary re-rendering? For an hour-long project, previously rendered into MPEG, and with no icons or moving video in the title slides (chapter titles only) it's taking me between 1 and 2 hours to burn the DVD. Most of that time is spent in a stage that VS calls "Converting video of the title". Since the whole video has been pre-rendered to MPEG and all it should be doing at this stage is rendering the menu, it seems like it's taking too long. I have checked the option not to render content that's already MPEG client. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks!

- David

[etech6355]

Setting the project properties and how they work can be a lengthy explanation but they should equal your source material.
If you rendered a Mpeg2 dvd compliant file.
Start a new project (don't load anything on the timeline).
Go directly to Share->Create Disk.
Set the preferences for your working directory.
Insert your mpeg2 dvd compliant file in this module.
Make sure under the GEAR icon that "Do not convert mpeg2 dvd compliant files is checked ON"
Create chapters, menus & burn.

If you carry a video file over into the create disk/burning module it will be re-rendered. So when working with compliant dvd mpeg2 video you go into the create disk/burning module with an empty timeline.
If you do go into the create disk with a file from the timeline just delete it from the burning timeline and import the compliant video.

[brodwidr]

Hi, etech

Thanks for clarifying that.

I noticed that when trying to set chapter points on a file previously rendered to MPEG2, DVD compliant format, the chapter points are not executed precisely in some cases. It seems perhaps that the software is picking the nearest key frame in the MPEG file. It's not off more than a fraction of a second, but it is noticably off.

For greater accuracy in chapter start points, would it be a better work flow to not render an MPEG file first, but render the project out to an AVI file first, then create a new project, select "share>create disc", import the AVI file, set the chapter start points with reference to that AVI file and then render and burn to MPEG in one operation? Is there a better way to do it to have accurate start points for each chapter?

Thanks,
David

[brodwidr]

when you say....

Setting the project properties and how they work can be a lengthy explanation but they should equal your source material.

I understand what that means when referring to the capture stage. But when you have finished editing, have created a new project and are doing "share>create disc" does that mean that the project properties in the new project should match the previously rendered MPEG file that you are about to burn to DVD? Or should they match the original DV avi files that you just finished editing?

Thanks.

[etech6355]

If you started a new project and inserted the rendered mpg2 file the dv.avi file is now history (gone). So the usual method is match the source files properties which would then be the rendered mpeg2 compliant file that you have inserted.
Under Preferences (F6) Hotkey 1st tab there is a setting that you check ON It's "Show message whenever inserting first video clip into the timeline".
Whenever you insert your first file in a new project VS asks to match the settings. Nice feature.

If you import the compliant file on the timeline and carry it over into the burning module (to be re-rendered) then I would say that the project settings of VS and the burning module should be set the same.
Otherwise, if just working from the burning module I set the burning modules setting same as source so any background or menu rendering has the same video properties as the main movie.
I don't think the project settings in the burning module are that critical when working with mpeg2 dvd compliant files and not using motion menus. Motions menus take up more space on the dvd.

As far as putting chapter points in an avi loaded into the burning module I've never rendered that way. But chapter points are set at key "I" frames.

[brodwidr]

thanks, etech

For my chapter transitions, I have the previous chapter do a one second crossfade to a black color background, then fade in a title and then cross fade that title to the new video.

I am finding that sometimes the menu branches to the chapter either early (in which case I am getting a quick flash of the previous chapter) or late (in which case I lose the chapter title or part of it.)

Is it necessary to start each chapter with a clip that doesn't have a fade-in or other effect associated with it, in order to ensure it starts precisely where and when it should? Would that force a key "I frame" at the right place?

Or is there some other way to improve precision? How precise are your chapter starts and stops?

[Black Lab]

What I have done in that situation is either use a longer crossfade (2 sec.?), or longer pause on the black before my title comes in. That's usually enough to fix the problem.

[brodwidr]

Thanks for all your help.

- David