etech6355 - VS11+ HD query

[Hugo]

Hi etech ...

I was interested to see your comments in another thread ..

"So far for HighDef Cams that record in the hd-mpeg2 format usually to dv tape this version is far superior to VS10+. Full motion real-time capture preview, special mpeg rendering."

I have the Sony HDR-HC7, so HDV tape in mpeg2 is my environment.

I'm using VS10+, but have just returned from overseas and am about to start on a large project, so I'm wondering whether to u/grade before I get too far into it. There's been lots of VS11+ bashing on the forums lately, so it's nice to see something positive being mentioned.

You seem to be one of only a few posters dealing with HD, and I respect your comments and expertise. In your opinion, and I won't hold you to anything .. do you feel it's worth the move from 10+ to 11+ for the benefits to HD.

I have a Pentium D 2.8GHz processor and just boosted up to 3gb of RAM so hopefully my system will cope with the load.

I'd be interested to hear your, or anyone else's, opinions.

cheers ... Paul

[Jerry Jones]

In your opinion, and I won't hold you to anything .. do you feel it's worth the move from 10+ to 11+ for the benefits to HD.

For me, the reasons that justify the upgrade are these:

1. AVCHD support (which doesn't pertain to you).
2. The Wizard approach to creating opening sequences is very clever.
3. The MPEG optimizer, which in theory should make it easier to edit MPEG timelines that include clips with different properties.

I've had a bumpy ride getting this version to install cleanly without interference from other programs.

However, I think I've conquered that initial difficulty and now I'm eager to test these new features in greater depth.

If you're editing HDV and you're happy with version 10 -- which I was able to use very successfully -- then you may not find the new version to be especially compelling.

What I've really been happy about is the fact that I created an image of my computer's system drive *prior* to installing any video editing programs.

That means I can roll back my computer's software installation to that point and then cleanly install newly purchased video editing programs, which means I don't have to uninstall previous versions to be able to install new versions.

Instead I just install the new versions on that clean base installation.

I'm using Acronis True Image 10 Home to do this.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[etech6355]

There are a few things to start, the amount of other ulead products you have installed and any other video editing software installed on your computer, including dvd burning software. All these other programs can conflict.

Does VS10+ presently capture HDV video now?
You have a Hauggauge card, does VS10+ work with this card?

How are you playing back your HDV video's, a HD-DVD player, other hardware device such as a LinkPlayer2, Blu-Ray disc player, PlayStation 3 or only on the computer.
Reason I'm asking this is your target format for HDV-Video, maybe no sense in upgrading if you don't have the proper HD equipment to playback HighDef Video. Some persons immediately convert their HD to HD-WMV windows format or HD-Divx.

I playback both on the computer, HDTV using external hd hardware devices.

I'm only using a P4 - 2.8Ghz (1 gig_ram) computer right now, your computer is definitely faster.

I would start by downloading the trial version of VS11+. Don't install it yet without posting back some of the above information. There may be a few things to look at before installing a new version (my opinion), like making a restore point and all.

Your System Spec's say "XP", you should have XP-SP2 to be able to capture in HDV mode (HighDefintion camcorder).

This is only my opinion but VS11+ has some added features for exporting High Defintion Video that makes working with a project must easier. Pre-built templates for HDV, an "Mpeg Optiimizer" that displays what parts of your video are going to be re-encoded and what parts are going to be passed through (smart rendered).
High Definition Capturing is previewed smooth full motion (as on the tape) compared to VS10+ studdering preview. You don't have to baby sit a recording in VS11+. If the video stream ends then capture stops and you don't end up with any blank frames to trim.

I would try the trial first though. I think they had a price increase didn't they? Doesn't matter, I won't buy it until they release a transport stream patch, unless I'm wrong about having a transport stream issue. This doesn't affect the HD capturing and rendering which is all PS (program stream).

Thanks,

[Hugo]

Jerry and etech, thanks for your responses.

Does VS10+ presently capture HDV video now?

Yep, no problem

You have a Hauggauge card, does VS10+ work with this card?

As above, no problem

How are you playing back your HDV video's, a HD-DVD player, other hardware device such as a LinkPlayer2, Blu-Ray disc player, PlayStation 3 or only on the computer.

At the moment the only way I can play in HD is to record back to the HDR-HC7 and connect that by HDMI to the HDTV. I'm also saving SD versions to view through the standard dvd player, and I'm able to view through my wife's laptop, which has an HDMI connector.

Eventually when the prices become sensible I'll invest in an HD player. In the meantime, I'll be saving HD versions of all projects for future use.

[etech6355]

Hugo,
So your saying that VS10+ writing back to tape, the HC7 is working correctly.

I wouldn't install VS11+ yet, don't know if this feature works correctly and it's the only method for you to view your HDV videos.
I wouldn't recommend something to someone that I haven't done yet.

I have to agree with Jerry and see how VS11+ pans out after installing VS11+ when VS10+ is already installed.

I use VS11+ (or Vs10+), (the VS11+ is on a computer with no other Ulead software installed) to record HDV, add some HDV (all the same video/audio properties), then edit, smartrender to a new HDV file to an external USB harddisk. Plug the Harddisk into my HD-Player and view on the HDTV. All this is done in PS (program stream) format. Writing back to tape is a program stream to TS (transport stream) conversion.

I have to try VS11+ writing back to tape because they have introduced the tape format (TS) format for encodes (this is a new feature). This could make writing back to tape process prep time much faster compared to VS10+ I would think.

The HC7 records to tape in the TS (transport stream) format. When capturing in VS10+ it's converted to PS (program stream) format. When you write back to tape using VS10+ it converts the PS HDV file to a TS HDV file then writes the file back to the tape. No loss of resolution, it's a bit/stream thing.
VS10+ does not natively edit HDV in TS format. VS11+ appears to be able to edit the TS format HDV files and export them to new TS HDV files. Not sure if this is working correctly though.
If writing back to tape does work correctly in VS11+ then in the long run saving your files in the TS format instead of the PS format you would be able to write them to tape without the long preparation stage that VS10+ has to perform.

It's the next thing I'd like to test out.
Well, my personnel advice, be patience and wait a bit.

[toni1]

Etech6355,
If I understood previous posts TS is also a more convenient file type for using with device like LinkPlayer2 with better resolution compared to PS ?

[etech6355]

Hugo,
For your information on VS11+ I can't write back to tape like I can using VS10+. In VS11+ the playback seems to skip frames which appears jerky. It's also recorded on the HDV tape that way.
I'm guessing it's the TS (transport stream) file that VS11+ creates.
To get VS11+ to write back that worked before saving the file I clicked on "Options" and turned OFF "SmartRendering"

Since this is your only method to view your edited HDV videos on HDTV you may want to wait for a fix before using VS11+.
By the way, you could still use VS10+ to write back to tape, that will still work with VS11+ installed.

[etech6355]

Toni,
Yes, the linkplayer2 will play only the TS (transport stream) format at full hd-mpeg2, 25Mbs video_bit_rate. They added this now in the spec's to minimize confusion.
If you want to use the Linkplayer2 for PS (program streams) then 18Mbs is the maximum bit-rate.