VS11: Project Properties Settings for mixed output

[Clevo]

I thought I had my head around Project Properties settings for video projects but after producing my first moving video (rather than a slide show)

I thought that project settings should be matching what you intend the finished product to be. For example, if I wanted to make a DVD from footage of my camcorder I would set the project properties to

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG Files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps
Lower Field First
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
DV Audio -- PAL, 32.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

Rather than setting Project Properties to the kind of files I am using.

Once I have finished editing I can create a file:

Should I use: "same as Project Properties" ? or select one of DVD options that match my project settings in regard to aspect ratio etc.

If I wanted to create a file to upload to say YouTube from the same project.

1)Should I leave project settings alone and just create a file from one of the Share options

Or

2)Should I go back to Project properties and switch it to "microsoft AVI files" so that I can use the DivX compression options?

I'm thinking options 1 & 2 are one and the same and it doesn't matter which way you do it. Is this a correct assumption?

What about creating a DVD from stills (slide show)?

I'm about to embark on a huge project with 149 stills. It will be shown on a 16:9 LCD screen.

What should the project settings be?

I'm thinking:

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
LPCM Audio, 48000 Hz, Stereo

Is that correct?

But isn't 720 X 576 a 4:3 aspect ratio?

I'm confusing myself with all the options.

[Ron P.]

While editing your project properties should match your source files. That's the reason they have the prompt when inserting the first video clip to the timeline.

After you are finished editing, in the Share step, select your desired output format. For creating DVDs, you would select PAL DVD (which would produce a DVD compliant MPEG-2). If you want to upload it to the internet then maybe using the AVI (which is a wrapper) and DivX codec.

Again while editing the Project Properties should match your Video Clip (source files) properties.

[Clevo]

I see; So it's just during editing.


What about with just stills? Does it matter?

[Ron P.]

Still images you can use Frame based (if you are not going to include video clips in the same project), or whatever field order the video clip is they are being used in.