Making a DVD Workflow Question

[astrovideo]

Hi,
I'd just like to clarify part of the process.
The project properties being set to match the first clip properties is needed at the step where I render my DVD compliant MPEG-2 file -- Not at the step where I start a New project with an empty timeline, and go straight to the Burn module. I can just use the default properties for this empty project. Is this correct?

[Ken Berry]

The empty, new project is only relevant to the workflow insofar as it empties the timeline. It has NO other relevance and can have any properties you like. But you don't even look at the properties. You don't give it a name. All you want is an empty timeline before you open the burning module with Share > Create Disc.

The importance of an empty timeline at this stage is because if you leave your project in the timeline after you finish editing it, then if you select Share > Create Disc, Video Studio will automatically insert whatever is in the editor timeline into its own burning timeline. And this is what you DON'T want because it is your unrendered project. So if you do it this way, you will have rendering of your project taking place in the burning process. And again, this is precisely what you don't want...

If you do inadvertently overlook the empty timeline routine, then when the burning module opens, manually delete whatever is in its timeline, and then insert your DVD-compliant mpeg-2.

[astrovideo]

Once again, thank you. I guess this begs the other half of the question; In the step before the "empty project step", what is the importance of having the project properties match the first clip properties?

Additionally, when rendering the file to be used in the burn module, is it sufficient to select NTSC DVD (the third item in the list of file types in version 10+) or would I be better off select Custom (bottom of the list), then options,and manually setting the properties to be the same as the NTSC DVD?

The only reason I ask is because I like the Quality slider that is available there. It defaults 70% and I can increase it to 100%. Maybe the "regular" NTSC DVD option is also set at only 70% behind the scenes.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Just to add,

When you finally hit the ¡¥Burn¡¦ button you should receive a warning ¡¥this action will take some time to render¡¦. This is normal for VS 10/11 You select OK and the process starts.

If the process bar indicates ¡¥Convert menu¡¦ then all is OK.

If the process bar indicates ¡¥Convert Titles¡¦ then you are rendering the main video file or project. This indicates that the file properties or settings are incorrect.

Share Create Video File

The selection of a template from Share Create Video File depends on the original video project/file, and the length of the video file.
The options are preset and cannot be modified. They are a standard template to create a dvd one hour long.

If your original captured file is an mpeg with suitable properties then use ¡¥same as first clip¡¦ or ¡¥project¡¦ assuming the project matches the video file.
That way the render will be much quicker.

If your project is longer than one hour say 90 minutes, then the bit rate has to be reduced, otherwise the file will be to large for a dvd. The ¡¥Custom¡¦ option should be used. (For 90 minutes a bit rate of 6000 would be suitable) Although I prefer to create my own template using the Make Movie Manager.

Capture.
When capturing to Dvd format make sure the properties are correct, then keep the settings throughout the entire process to the burn stage.

[Ken Berry]

To me, the real importance of using 'Same as first clip' properties is really to ensure that you get the Field Order correct throughout. For instance, if you were capturing video from a mini DV video camera, the captured video would have been Lower Field First. If you captured from a mini DVD or hard disc video camera, it would have been Upper Field First.

The Basic rule of video editing is that you must maintain the same Field Order throughout a project, up to and including the burning stage. Yet if you chose default settings somewhere in the process, the likelihood is that you have chosen a default setting which has the opposite field order to your original video.

So if you are capturing or using mpeg-2, you set the project properties as 'same as first clip'. When you have finished editing, and go on to produce a DVD-compatible mpeg-2 of your project, then again to ensure your mpeg-2 matches the original, choose Share > Create Video File > Same as First Clip (or Same as Project Properties).

If your project was in a different format, such as DV/AVI, you should edit in that format, again using the same properties as the first clip. When you have finished it, though, you have to convert it to DVD compatible mpeg-2 (Share > Create Video File > DVD). But the all important thing here is to make sure that the template you choose has the same Field Order. If it isn't, then you choose Edit to adjust the properties if the default Field Order is different from your original captured video. Or, if you intend to do a lot of video editing from a single source and want them all to be much the same, you can create your own template by selecting Share > Create Video File > Custom, and setting up a specific template for it.

And finally, in the burning module, ticking 'do not convert compliant mpeg files' ensures nothing -- including the Field Order -- is changed during the burning process.

As for the quality slider, I have consistently left it at its default setting and have never been disappointed with the results. It's a matter of personal choice, I guess. Note, however, that it does not guarantee better results if you put it to 100. That certainly means that it will take considerably longer to analyse the video to make sure it is producing high quality output. But often, the differences are probably not all that discernible to the naked eye -- and in my view, therefore, not worth the extra time taken.

Note also that if your computer is not overly well-resourced, putting the slider to 100 can make the whole process keel over. But try it for yourself to see if it works and produces noticeably better results.

[astrovideo]

I have "Show message when inserting first clip into the timeline" checked, but for this project, I was using video captured from old VHS tapes, using an RCA > USB gadget, and I don't get prompetd to "change the project settings to match the video's settings". Why is this? I get prompted when first dragging a DV/AVI or an MPEG, but not this "VHS" AVI. Why not?

[Ken Berry]

I don't know -- maybe its a form of AVI that VS doesn't think should be used as a standard project property. Unless the file is positively enormous (uncompressed AVI is 65GB per hour), it must be an AVI produced with another codec. Can you right click on the file and copy down its properties here please.

One other possibility is that the captured video properties already match the default project properties -- but I rather doubt that.

[astrovideo]

Here are the properties:


Another example (oddly from the same tape), is slighty different; under Video Attributes, it shows 24 bits (where this one shows 12).

THe files are quite huge - about 10GB per hour.

-Russ