MSP7 What file size should my Video be?

[sjj1805]

sjj1805, thk you for your help and i saw your info, i tried to post a new thread on MediaStudio Pro forum today and it don't work. i have another question for you below.

I'm using MSP 7, i need to create a very long video. if i were to create this video of mine using MPEG on MSP 7 i believe it is going to take a file size of maybe no lesser than 20GB.

I have seen long videos with very small file size and the format is AVI. and the quality of the eidited video was awesome.

1) How do i create a smallest video file size using MSP 7?
2) How do i create the best quality from MSP 7?

DJ EDX is having a problem posting to the forum. This isue is currently being looked into.

To answer your query.
The choice of Video Format that you create your edited video to will depend upon what you intend to do with it afterwards.
If you are going to post the video on the internet then the format you refer to with the avi extension will be one of the following which are all very similar

DivX
Xvid
MPEG4

With these file formats you can expect a file size of about 700MB per hour.
They are not suitable to be converted into DVD Video discs - the discs you place into a standalone DVD player.

For DVD Video you would create MPEG2 files (MPEG1 is also possible but read on) The size of the file depends upon the various bit rate settings chosen. For a rough guide please view What bit rate settings etc. should I use?

Although now considered by many to be out of date, you can in fact create something similar to a "DVD" but fits onto a standard CD disc
(650/700MB) these are termed VCD and SVCD discs (There are a few more formats but I will not confuse you). These Discs have a similar menu to the well known DVD discs - but a little less fancy.

You can generally get a hours worth of video onto a VCD or SVCD disc but they are now perhaps false economy because DVD discs and burners are so cheap.

The large file size you mentioned will be the format that many camcorders record in. Those are termed Mini DV camcorders and have a cassette tape. This format resuklts in file sizes of about 13GB per hour.

Although written for VideoStudio you will find that most of this tutorial can be applied to MediaStudio.

From camcorder to DVD with VideoStudio

[DJ EDX]

sjj1805 thk you for your advise. please pardon me bcos i'm very new to video editing and are very keen in learning with all of you.

I intend to burn it into a CD or DVD.

This is my wedding video and i have 2 format given to me, one is .dat (VCD) and another 1 is .vob (DVD).

i'm currently using the .dat format to edit my video in MSP 7 bcos i couldn't use .vob in it.

1) If i use .dat will the quality of the video be bad? or i can make it better in MSP 7?

2) If i were to convert the .vob file into MPEG2 and then use MSP 7 to edit will the quality be better than the 1st question?

3) If i were to post it on the internet, how do i create the edited video as DivX, Xvid, MPEG4? bcos when i click on file and then create video file, after choosing MPEG and then i click options, there is no command that i can choose DivX or Xvid.

Thank you so much sjj1805 for you patience once again.

[Devil]

I believe that there is a misunderstanding. To make a DVD, you should use either MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 (a few players may also accept MPEG-4, but they are the exception). The size of the file is, in practice, limited to ~4.1 Gb for a single layer DVD (don't try double layer until you are happy with SL). If you want good quality, this limits the length to about 90 minutes, which can be obtained with a video bitrate of ~6000 kbit/s and an audio bitrate of 192 kbit/s (Dolby Digital AC-3). Anything longer may cause a drop in quality.

It is not strictly "regular", but if you change the vob extension to mpg, you may be able to edit the files. Much better would be to Google VOB>MPG to find a converter.

[sjj1805]

As you are using MediaStudio version 7 you have to do the following to import your DVD (The one with the VOB files) correctly into MediaStudio.

1. Start Video Capture 7.0
2. Across the top of the screen you will see
File Control View Setup Capture Palette Help

Select Setup and then from the drop down list Switch Capture plug in

3. In the dialog box that appears select Ulead DVD-VR plug-in
4. Across the top of the screen you will see
File Control View Setup Capture Palette Help

Select Capture then Video

5. Navigate to your DVD drive and look for the Video_TS folder
Here I normally choose a capture method of "No time limit" but that is optional - choose what suits your workflow.

6. A box appears where you can select the various scenes.
Unless you know the bit you want just highlight them all - you can split them up later. Click Finish and your video will be imported.

Regarding the .dat format - those are either VCD or SVCD files on a standard CD disc. I don't think MediaStudio can read this format but Devil may be able to help here if it can.
He is more an expert at MediaStudio than I am. You may have to search the Internet for a conversion program.

Regarding DivX Xvid etc for sharing on the internet.
You have to obtain a codec and install it on your computer.
You will then be able to use it by Starting Video Editor 7.0
You are then greeted with the usual screen "Edit File format" - here you select the Create Option, choose avi and then on the avi tab look for compression format. This is a drop down list. You will find your newly installed DivX etc codec in that list.

The settings will be the same as outlined in this link (For VideoStudio)
VideoStudio: Rendering for You Tube.

[Devil]

From: DJ EDX
To: Devil
Posted: 22 Jun 2007 6:45 pm
Subject: How to make the file size smaller (MSP 7) Quote message
Hi Devil, i'm sorry will have to PM you cost i having problem posting on the forum. please help me over here.

Thank you for your advise, i tried the change the extention from .vob to .mpg and it works so well and the quality of the video is so much better now. thk you Devil.

Ques 1: This is going to be a very long video that i need to create, would you please guide me through the steps on creating the smallest file size of this video. i will need to use DivX or Xvid i guess it is AVI right? (i'm currently using XP Codec pack). when i click on file, create, video file, under the save as type there is this call Microsoft AVI file, is that the one that can let me have the smallest file size? under the compression i couldn't find DivX or Xvid, is it bcos XP Codec pack do not have this?

I don't normally reply to PMs, as per forum rules. However, I make this public exception.

If I understand you, you wish to make a DVD from a mixture of sources. Do not, ever, convert to DivX or Xvid. It will be a stick to break on your own back and you will lose an enormous amount of time (and I mean many tens of hours) waiting for conversions. File size is not the be-all and end-all of video. Remember the golden rule: the smaller the file size for a given duration of the clip, the more quality you lose on each edit.

You appear to be importing low-to-medium quality video to start with, from VCD and DVD sources. I suggest, to keep further losses to a minimum, you may wish to use DV type 1 AVIs as your project settings. After importing everything from your sources and BEFORE you start any editing, you create a DV AVI. This can generally be done in about real time, depending on your hardware. You can then start a new project, working uniquely on this AVI file. This will have a fixed size of only ~13 Gb/hour, so can fit easily onto modern hard drives. Only when you have finished ALL the editing, you can create a new mpg file, choosing the bitrates to suit the project length, to fit into ~4.1 GB for authoring your DVD. You can also create, e.g., WMV, SWF (with codec) or DivX (with codec) files for streaming, at the same time from the same DV AVI. This will give the best, reasonable, quality, bearing in mind that if the quality of your input files is poor, nothing will improve them. The advantage of working in DV AVI is that repreated editing will not deteriorate the quality unduly: if you were to keep it in the original MPG format, successive edits (other than cuts) will each deteriorate the quality.

[GeorgeW]

This is my wedding video and i have 2 format given to me, one is .dat (VCD) and another 1 is .vob (DVD).

Since this is your wedding video -- are the two formats just different media for the same video (i.e. it's a single wedding video, and the person delivered in two different formats to make sure you could play it)

If so, I would assume the DVD Version will be best to work with -- but can't tell unless you list the properties of the embedded mpegs.

Regards,
George

[GeorgeW]

You can generally get a hours worth of video onto a VCD or SVCD disc but they are now perhaps false economy because DVD discs and burners are so cheap.

For the record, you can get ~80 minutes burning standard VCD's onto a 700mb CD-R. But as Steve says, DVD Discs (and burners) are so inexpensive now, why not just burn DVD's...

Regards,
George

[DJ EDX]

Devil, thk you for your reply. i understand and will remember your golden rule.

I did not import low-to-medium quality video, the video man gave me a VCD and a DVD, i use the DVD which i believe it will gives me better quality to edit my video. like what you have taught me, change the extension from .vob to .mpg which i have already done that, and indeed the quality are better now.

Bcos the entire video that i need to do is really a long one, thus, i'm only worry that the whole video lenght may reach something like 20gb or more, in this case how am i able to burn into a DVD with this size right?

Devil, i'm very new to video editing and have no experience in it, there are some terms that you have mentioned i don't really understand, please pardon me alright.

Devil, for the start now may i bring out all the mpg file which i have changed the extension from .vob to .mpg to start my editing? or i should follow your way of: (Please enlighten me with the steps to do this)

Code: Select all

I suggest, to keep further losses to a minimum, you may wish to use DV type 1 AVIs as your project settings. After importing everything from your sources and BEFORE you start any editing, you create a DV AVI. This can generally be done in about real time, depending on your hardware. You can then start a new project, working uniquely on this AVI file. This will have a fixed size of only ~13 Gb/hour, so can fit easily onto modern hard drives.

GeorgeW, thk you for your reply too.

Yes you are right, it is two formats just different media for the same video (i.e. it's a single wedding video, and the person delivered in two different formats to make sure you could play it)

[Devil]

Click on the gear wheel icon and select:

PAL (25 fps)
Video tracks: 7
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps
Lower Field First
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
DV Audio -- PAL, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

or

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
Video tracks: 7
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 4:3, 29.97 fps
Lower Field First
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
DV Audio -- NTSC, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

as appropriate,

Then introduce your mpg file on the timeline. Do not edit

File|Create|Video file AVI and the defaults should be the same as your project settings.

Start a new project and bring in the file you created: you should see a yellow and green lines on your timeline. Edit to your heart's content and save frequently.

[DarrenD]

@DJ EDX
I assume you are trying to edit out bits of the video that you don't like, otherwise why not stick with the original DVD? I am currently doing this with my wedding video - 17 years later!

Don't worry about creating a big .AVI file (DV format) suggested by Devil because this is just a "working temporary" file. Once you have edited your video (this big .AVI file) you will then create a new MPEG-2 file for putting on DVD or a new DivX file for internet etc. Once your MPEG-2 file and DivX file and other files are created you can then delete the big .AVI file of your computer.

The MPEG-2 file will fit onto a DVD since your videoman gave you an MPEG-2 file (.VOB) on a DVD and you have simply edited some bits out so your file should be smaller. Just make sure that the bitrate settings are the same on your generated MPEG-2 file as the original source. Please note, this is not strictly true if your original disk is a dual-layer and you burn to a single-layer.

Hope that helps
Darren