DVD looks terrible after burning

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:48 am

I apologize if this is a duplicate post. As I was sending previous one, I got disconnected from the internet.

Burned a DVD and it looks terrible on the computer and the TV. Here's what I did: made 4 separate .vsp files. Cleared the timeline, and put 1 of them in the video track, the other three in the overlay tracks. I 'stretched' the 3 overlay videos a little bit to fit into the frames that are on the video track video. Saved that project as a .vsp file. Cleared the timeline again (new project). Clicked on 'share', selected the DVD disc option, chose the 'add.vsp' file and added the appropriate file, picked a menu, etc., then told it to burn. The 20 minute project took 1 and 1/2 hours to burn. The 3 videos from the overlay tracks look distored. Is this because I 'stretched' them to 'fit the frames'? The files were captured as AVI files thru WindowsMedia Import from a DV camcorder.
I went back and 'opened the project up' and in the preview screen the project looks 'distorted. Tried changing the playback to High Quality, but it gives me the message that I can't use this choice with the current project settings.
Help?

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:02 am

Hi,

When you say they look terrible. Can you describe in a little more detail? It doesn'y say much and it could help ascertain if it's an interlace issue or a aspect ratio issue or both or something different.

I don't quite understand what you are doing with the video files in the overlay tracks. But I'm sure you are checking your work in the preview panel before doing any burning or rendering. How does your burned project compafre to your preview?

If they are all from the same source then the video properties should be identicle. Check that your project properties match your video properties.

Do your editing

Instead of dropping vsp files into the timeline before burning. Try instead, creating a DVD compliant video file and dropping this into an empty timeline before creating menus and burning.

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:13 am

project settings are Microsoft AVi files, 2 are lower field based, and one is 'frame based'. I assume this is already a problem. One of the files is an mpg (don't know it got into this format) - all captured the same way.

by terrible I mean that it looks like a VCR tape that got stretched. like the pixels are being redistributed.

I made separate files for the overlay tracks cause I wanted to add transitions between my cuts....

I am unclear about project properties...not sure what they should be set at.

When you say 'create a DVD compliant video file" do you mean 'create what I want, cuts/transitions, etc., then save it as a mpg file ? do that for each file, then bring them back into the timeline, and then create a disc from there?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:31 am

Try following the Suggested work flow by SJJ1805 for Video Creation and create a DVD compliant mpeg2 file at the end of the [Edit] stage rather than relying on a vsp file in the [Create Disc] stage.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:31 am

project settings are Microsoft AVi files, 2 are lower field based, and one is 'frame based'. I assume this is already a problem. One of the files is an mpg (don't know it got into this format) - all captured the same way.

It's contributing to your problems. Are you sure they are captured the same way? Did you capture them at different times from the same device or all at the same time?

by terrible I mean that it looks like a VCR tape that got stretched. like the pixels are being redistributed.

Stretched...hmm this sounds like an aspect ratio problem
pixels redistributed... not sure about this one.

I made separate files for the overlay tracks cause I wanted to add transitions between my cuts....

This doesn;t sound right because you can't add transitions in the overlay track. If you have 4 videos you can put them in order that you want on the same video track and add transitions that way. (eg cross fade, fade to black and back etc)

Overlay is for puting two videos on top of each other...either overlapping or side by side(so they both show on the screen at the same time)

I am unclear about project properties...not sure what they should be set at.

Ideally you should be working with files with identical properties. (4:3 or 16:9, LLFor UFF, NTSC or PAL). You then try to match your project properties with at least the first video in your timeline.

When you say 'create a DVD compliant video file" do you mean 'create what I want, cuts/transitions, etc., then save it as a mpg file ? do that for each file, then bring them back into the timeline, and then create a disc from there?

Yes kind of... but do it for the whole project. It is one big project your are doing isn't it?

Make sure all your videos are at least the same aspect ratio. and set your project properties to match your video files. in File/preferences there is a check box with something like: set project settings to match video. Check it on and next time you add a video to the timeline it will promt you about setting your project properties. It will do so if any subsequent video is added that doesn't match your project settings.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:37 am

OK re-reading your first post...when you mean stretching I see what you mean now.

When you add a video to the overlay track on the time line, it shows in the preview screen with a dashed border and square handles on the corners.

What you have done is picked up one of these corners and "stretched it" to fit into the frame.

What you probably really wanted to do was to expand it so that it keeps it's original aspects.

I'm not at home so can't open VS11 to visualise but what you want to do is select the option to "fill screen" I think it is called.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:09 pm

Aha now I know what he means. The item mentioned by Clevo can be found in this link Overlay Tracks

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:46 pm

sjj1805 wrote:Try following the Suggested work flow by SJJ1805 for Video Creation and create a DVD compliant mpeg2 file at the end of the [Edit] stage rather than relying on a vsp file in the [Create Disc] stage.

how do I do this "save as" under file?

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:48 pm

Clevo wrote:OK re-reading your first post...when you mean stretching I see what you mean now.

When you add a video to the overlay track on the time line, it shows in the preview screen with a dashed border and square handles on the corners.

What you have done is picked up one of these corners and "stretched it" to fit into the frame.

What you probably really wanted to do was to expand it so that it keeps it's original aspects.

I'm not at home so can't open VS11 to visualise but what you want to do is select the option to "fill screen" I think it is called.

I only strectched it 'to fit' my frame by using the side handles...I did not use the four corners to distort it.

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:53 pm

I understand how the overlay tracks work - here is what I am trying to do:
Rrun 4 videos at the same time. In each of the 4 videos I wanted to run, I needed to do some cuts, transitions, and a video effect. that's why I made each one an individual .vsp file.

From reading the different information provided it looks like I should have 'saved as' mpg files to reduce the amount of rendering ?????

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:12 pm

Hi Kelleen

I would advise you to convert your individual Vsp¡¦s to separate video files. (Dv-Avi)
Then use the video file s in the overlay tracks.
Render these to a single video file Mpeg

Ok

You capture your video from camcorder to Dv-Avi, your project properties should match the video files properties.
Edit your Vsp¡¦s.
When complete create a separate video file for each Vsp.
Share create Video File (same as first Video clip) should make an Avi video file.

Start a new project and insert the Avi files, using the overlay tracks where necessary.
When this editing is complete create a new Video File, this time to Mpeg.
Share Create Video File. Use the Pal DVD or Ntsc DVD template, (not sure where you are) this will create a video file to Mpeg.
Providing your video is less than one hour there should be no changes to make.

Use Windows Media Player or similar to play the video. is it ok

Now start a NEW project
Share Create Disc¡X
Add Media ---Add Video File ------Do not add Vsp¡¦s

The burn process should not render the main video, only render menu¡¦s

kelleen · Post by **kelleen** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:57 pm

Trevor,

Thank you. I did as you instructed and tried saving the 1st project as DV NTSC, next screen was the 'properties', it said it was Lower Field 1st, interleave audio every 15 frames. Did it again under the 'Same as Project Settings' and that showed "Frame Based" , DV Audio-NTSC.

Which is the better setting? What is the difference between the 2?

I've used another product for several years and it worked well for me, but wasn't working with vista. So I'm trying to learn how to use this program. Its just very different than what I was using before.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:41 pm

Hi Kelleen

There seems to be some confusion between Frame Based and Lower Field

Frame Based is used for internet viewing.
Interlaced ¡¥Upper or Lower are used for Dvd work, viewing on a TV.

¡¥Lower¡¦ is usually from a digital source video, (from your DV camcorder)
Upper is for analogue capture.

You should use Lower Field Order

1 / When working with digital video Dv-Avi the frame order is Lower Field First.
2 / The project properties should be the same as the video file properties.

OK

From File ¡VPreferences¡XGeneral--Tick ¡¥Show messages when inserting first video file¡K¡K¡K..

Start a new project¡XInsert your captured video file to the top timeline.
You will get an info window¡Xselect details and look at the video properties.
Now select ¡¥Yes¡¦
Your Project Properties will change to reflect the video properties. (view File Project properties)
Save the project

After editing---create a video file to the Avi format
Share Create Video File¡XUse ¡¥same as project¡¦ or ¡¥same as first video¡¦ both choices should use the same settings.
(Avi) (as captured)

Repeat this process for all your captured files.

Then start a new project adding your Avi¡¦s to the top and overlay tracks.
Share Create Video File to NTSC-DVD to make a Mpeg

Start a new project Share Create Disc Add Video using your Mpeg Video File