mpeg vs. vsp

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:25 pm

After capturing a VHS tape using ADS Capture Wizard, I opened VideoStudio 8 and edited this mpeg file, and then selected,
>Share, Create Video File, >Same as Project Settings, >Save, and rendering of this mpeg file began. When completed, I selected >File, >Save As, to name my what was to be my new DVD-compliant mpeg file.
I then selected >Share, >File, >New Project, to get an empty timeline,
>Create Disc, insured that "Do not convert compliant mpeg files" was ticked, >Add Video, and then within the "Open Video File" pop up screen, I selected the video file that I had just edited.
However, my newly edited file name did not have ".mpg" behind it. Instead, this file name was followed by ".VSP" and when I clicked on >Open, it would not and I got a pop up message stating, "File format mismatch."
Have not encountered ".VSP" before and don't know what I have done to have caused it. Any suggestions?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:10 pm

A VSP (VideoStudio Project) file is just the holder of the directions for your project - these clips go here, this music goes here, these titles go here, etc.

The procedure you should follow is:

1. Start a new project, edit, then save it as myproject.vsp.

2. When you are finished your editing go to Share > Create Video File to create your DVD compatible MPEG-2 file you can call myrenderedproject.mpg.

3. After your MPEG-2 is rendered you clear the timeline by starting a new project, go to Share > Create Disc, then import your MPEG-2 into the burn module.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:16 pm

And the new mpeg-2 will have been stored in whatever you designated in Preferences as your working folder in File > Preferences.

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:25 pm

Thank you Jeff. I will try your suggestion shortly, but does it matter that the file that I have captured may already be an mpeg file?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:31 pm

No, you apparently already rendered your project to a DVD compatible MPEG-2. What I think you did was go to save it after the fact, thinking you were saving the MPEG when, in fact, you were really saving the project (vsp). Then you tried inserting the vsp when you should have inserted the mpeg. Your mpeg is on your system somewhere

(as Ken said, wherever you set it in your Preferences).

I was just outlining the workflow for your next go-round.

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:47 pm

Thanks a bunch Ken, and by your reply, may I assume that it does not matter if the file that I captured and want to edit may already be an mpeg file? I ask because I think that it is an mpeg after I complete my capture and before I start my editing.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed May 09, 2007 10:18 pm

You could of course right click on the newly captured video within VS and see what it is exactly!

But if you have captured in mpeg format, and maintain high quality settings in your project, re-rendering it into another mpeg-2 should not result in any degradation in quality which is visible to the naked eye.

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:13 pm

Thank you to Jeff and Ken for the suggestions and coaching. It worked, and I’m back at it again, but only because of your abilities to understand my attempts to explain what I think I have done before hitting another problem. Thank you again.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:16 pm

Glad it's working for you.

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Sat May 12, 2007 6:11 pm

I’m embarrassed to report this, but on my attempt to do my next project, I tried to follow the same workflow that had succeeded, but failed. After completing my editing on this subsequent project, I went to >File, >Save As, and named my project like you suggested.
I then went to >Share, >Create Video File, and insured that “Same as Project Settings” was ticked and then >Save. When the rendering process completed, I selected >File, Save As, to name and save what I thought should now be a “DVD-compatible mpeg-2 file.”

Then selected >File, >New Project, to get an empty timeline, >Share, >Create Disc, insured that “Do not convert compliant mpeg files” was ticked, >OK, >Add Video, and imported the name of what was supposed to be my newly created mpeg file. Unfortunately, my newly created file was still followed by the letters “vsp” rather than “.mpg.”

Shouldn’t it now be an mpeg file and be followed by the letters “.mpg” when I open it to >Add/Edit Chapters, and create my Chapter Menu page before starting my burn process?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun May 13, 2007 2:02 am

I ask this somewhat diffidently, but in your working folder, do you have a file 'Untitled.mpg'?

You see, when you select Same as Project Settings, you give the file about to be created a name BEFORE rendering starts, not after. After you selected Same as Project Settings, a dialogue box should have appeared and in File Name, it uses Untitled by default until you give it your own name...

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Sun May 13, 2007 2:55 am

Thanks for the suggestion Ken. I did check in my working folder and confirmed that I don't have a file by the name of "Untitled.mpg"

Also followed up on your earlier suggestion and right clicked on the files of the captured VHS Tapes, and they all have the letters .mpg behind them.

And yes, each of the files that I named and Saved at the conclusion of my Edit workflow are all listed as mpeg files. Each of them are about 2.5 GB in size. These were named and saved before my >Share, >Create Video File, >Same as Project Settings, to create my DVD-compliant mpeg-2 file, process. Then >Save, to start the rendering.

After rendering is completed, I >Save As, to name this newly rendered file. But after checking like you suggested, I can confirm that each of them are listed in my folder by the name that I gave them, but they are not indicated as being mpeg files. In addition, they are so much smaller in size at 72KB.

Shouldn't these files be DVD-compatible mpeg-2 video files after rendering and therefore have the letters .mpg after their file name?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun May 13, 2007 8:45 am

We continue at cross purposes here. The 72 kb files are almost undoubtedly project files with the .vsp extension. They are NOT video files.

When you go to Share > Create Video File > Same as Project Settings, and provide a name, THAT is your DVD compliant file which you burn to disc.

You have already (presumably) saved your project with a name, so you only need to select Save, once you have produced your mpeg-2. That saves the existing project, NOT the mpeg-2. The latter does not need saving as it is already 'saved' when you rendered it to an mpeg-2.

And once you have saved your project, if you go to Save As and assign a new name, all you are doing is creating a new project out of your old project!!

You don't need to give the new project a name if all you are doing is clearing the timeline to open the burning module. Just select New Project, but don't both about a name. The objective is merely to clear the timeline of your existing project.

virg2673 · Post by **virg2673** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:34 pm

Your explanation was most helpful Ken. I think that my problem on this specific issue was that I was using "Save As" instead of "Save." I had started doing that because I was under the impression that it was the recommended method to replace the name "Untitled" with a project name, at start of my Edit workflow.

Therefore, I modified my Edit workflow to, >File, >New Project, and started my Edit process with "Untitled" still displayed in the upper left corner. Upon completing my Editing, I selected >File, >Save, as opposed to Save As. Then >Share, >Create Video File, >Same as Project Settings, >Save, and rendering began. When it was completed, I selected >File, >Save, and named my new DVD-compliant mpeg-2 video File. Then completed my Share workflow after clearing the timeline.

After reading your last explanation again, I think that you were telling me that I could have used "Save As" to get the opportunity to name my project before I started my Edit workflow, which should have replaced the "untitled" name at the very beginning. And then after completing my edit process and creating my DVD-compliant mpeg-2 video file, >Save, >File, >New Project, to get an empty timeline, before starting my Share workflow. Am I now understanding that correctly?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:28 pm

You said:

Then >Share, >Create Video File, >Same as Project Settings, >Save, and rendering began. When it was completed, I selected >File, >Save, and named my new DVD-compliant mpeg-2 video File.

This is the crux of the problem, I think...

The first half of the above relates to creation of your mpeg-2. But 'Save' after 'Same as Project Settings' is where you save a name for your file which is about to be created.

When that file is created, if you select File > Save, you are not naming your mpeg-2, you are naming your project...