Problem with PAL DVD

[vidstud]

Hi y'all,

Intro
I'm a newbie here. I've read this forum for quite a while and although I've used lotsa software throughout the years (having been software developer for a short time) and have seen lotsa forums, it's the first tme I'm really thrilled by software (VideoStudio) and this great forum from which I learned several useful things for my own videoclips (and I'm saying that as someone who took the time to read the manual which comes with VideoStudio).


I searched along the forum for my problem but couldn't find anything related.

Problem description
I use VideoStudio 11plus and made a PAL DVD out of my MPEG's.
Here are the tech details:

MPEG-2
resolution: 720 * 576
24 bits, 25 frames/sec
aspect ratio: 4:3


PAL
(I've a german version, although I'm a Dutchman, so I dunnow the english terms used in VideoStudio, so I translated it as good as possible)

preferences in menu, under 'advanced': NTSC/PAL secure color and TV secure scope set to 10%
aspect ratio: 4:3

Problem: I get chroma/chrominance problems, meaning colored stripes (mainly green and red) across the screen of the video clip (in MPEG's everything's working fine) on PAL burned DVD.
Someone has a solution to this?


By the way two other questions:
* sometimes Videostudio crashes (mainly when I'm editing titles), explanation?
* I saw several topics on free plugins/transitions and I also used that fabulous Burger effects. However apart from this, are there more FREE THIRD PARTY (only these please) effects/plugins?

Thnx in advance for your time and help! It's highly appreciated!

[Ken Berry]

Can you tell us where the mpeg files you used originally came from, please. If they were converted from some other format, can you give us all the properties of the original files as well. This should include the Field Order used (Upper or Lower Field First). And you should check to see if there is any difference in the field order in the mpegs you were using or the project properties in the burn if these were different.

Can you also confirm that the Colour filter you applied in File > Preferences > Edit had 'PAL' selected to the immediate right of it. Chrominance problems of the kind you describe are normally due to some conflict between PAL and NTSC settings, so it is possible that NTSC has been selected in error.

By the way, in the Burn module Preferences (in the first icon), I never tick the box beside the NTSC/PAL safe colour. If you have ticked that box, try unticking it.

I assume you are also aware that instead of actually burning to a real DVD, you can instead choose to burn to a DVD folder. This will allow you to play it back on a software DVD player like PowerDVD or WinDVD to see if the problem (or any other) persists. And that way you avoid making more drink coasters from failed DVDs! I always do this anyway, as it also then allows me to use a third party program like Nero to burn as many copies of the disc as I like.

[vidstud]

Can you tell us where the mpeg files you used originally came from, please. If they were converted from some other format, can you give us all the properties of the original files as well. This should include the Field Order used (Upper or Lower Field First). And you should check to see if there is any difference in the field order in the mpegs you were using or the project properties in the burn if these were different.

Can you also confirm that the Colour filter you applied in File > Preferences > Edit had 'PAL' selected to the immediate right of it. Chrominance problems of the kind you describe are normally due to some conflict between PAL and NTSC settings, so it is possible that NTSC has been selected in error.

By the way, in the Burn mod Preferences (in the first icon), I never tick the box beside the NTSC/PAL ulesafe colour. If you have ticked that box, try unticking it.

I assume you are also aware that instead of actually burning to a real DVD, you can instead choose to burn to a DVD folder. This will allow you to play it back on a software DVD player like PowerDVD or WinDVD to see if the problem (or any other) persists. And that way you avoid making more drink coasters from failed DVDs! I always do this anyway, as it also then allows me to use a third party program like Nero to burn as many copies of the disc as I like.

Thx Ken for your fast reply!

I recorded a video with a Sony Handycam CCD TR425E analogue camera (PAL) and transferred it to DVD by using a Philips DVDR70 DVD stand alone recorder.
Then I imported this DVD into VideoStudio.
Cutting the clips and save them as MPEG-2 with previously mentioned tech details.
No problems with MPEG at all !

(I made a mistake: MPEG resolution: 540 * 360, however I see that projectsettings in burn module are 720 * 576...I cannot change this since customizing is grayed out/disabled)

In File > Preferences > Edit I've selected PAL.
I don't use NTSC at all.
However I use picture in picture in SOME videcolips, but the problem exists in ALL videoclips on DVD (not in the "original" MPEGS).


Previously I hadn't ticked the box beside the NTSC/PAL use safe colour, but because of my problem then I ticked it. But in both stuations without results.

Where can I burn to a DVD folder in the burn module?????

(I've just used two drink coasters )

[Ken Berry]

I begin to suspect that in fact the chrominance effects may be there in your imported mpeg-2s, only they are not really noticeable in their original resolution on the computer monitor.

Your end problem may thus result from the fact that the native resolution of those imported videos is 540 x 360. Unfortunately, this is not one of the resolutions which forms part of the international DVD standard. Those are:
PAL: 720x576, 704x576, 352x576 and 352x288
NTSC: 720x480, 704x480, 352x480 and 352x240

In other words, Video Studio is taking your imported mpeg-2 and re-converting it up to 720 x 576. This reconversion will both deteriorate the quality of the mpeg-2 (as mpeg is a lossy format by its very nature) AND, by increasing the resolution, will also 'enhance' or make more visible any minute problems in the original, such as your chrominance bars...

Do you happen to have a digital mini-DV video camera which you can use as a pass-through device i.e. where you connect your Sony analogue camera to it, and have the digital camera connected to your computer via Firewire. You can thus playback the analogue tape, and the digital camera will convert it to digital DV format, which is the best quality format for this type of operation. It will also have the right resolution.

Unfortunately, VS11 has an established bug which will not allow capture of analogue sourced material through a DV device. Earlier versions will. But if you don't have an earlier version of VS, you would need to download the very small and very free DV capture program WinDV from windv.mourek.cz/ I use it all the time and it is excellent.

You would then do any editing to your captured files in DV format, then at the end, convert it just the once to DVD compatible mpeg-2. This will maintain high quality and minimise the possibility of any defects becoming too obvious.

As for 'burning' a DVD folder -- which in fact is the Video_TS folder you will see on any commercial video DVD -- you get to the very last page of the burning module, where you would normally burn the disc. The box beside 'Create Disc' is ticked, and to the right of that is 'Recording Format' with a little window which by default says 'DVD-Video'.

But to the right of *that* is a downward pointing double arrow. Click on that and more options will appear. The first is 'DVD Folders'. So tick that and untick Create Disc. Note where the folder will be burned to (normally your Ulead working folder in My Documents). Then click Burn. Simple!!

[vidstud]

I begin to suspect that in fact the chrominance effects may be there in your imported mpeg-2s, only they are not really noticeable in their original resolution on the computer monitor.

Your end problem may thus result from the fact that the native resolution of those imported videos is 540 x 360. Unfortunately, this is not one of the resolutions which forms part of the international DVD standard. Those are:
PAL: 720x576, 704x576, 352x576 and 352x288
NTSC: 720x480, 704x480, 352x480 and 352x240

In other words, Video Studio is taking your imported mpeg-2 and re-converting it up to 720 x 576. This reconversion will both deteriorate the quality of the mpeg-2 (as mpeg is a lossy format by its very nature) AND, by increasing the resolution, will also 'enhance' or make more visible any minute problems in the original, such as your chrominance bars...

Do you happen to have a digital mini-DV video camera which you can use as a pass-through device i.e. where you connect your Sony analogue camera to it, and have the digital camera connected to your computer via Firewire. You can thus playback the analogue tape, and the digital camera will convert it to digital DV format, which is the best quality format for this type of operation. It will also have the right resolution.

Unfortunately, VS11 has an established bug which will not allow capture of analogue sourced material through a DV device. Earlier versions will. But if you don't have an earlier version of VS, you would need to download the very small and very free DV capture program WinDV from windv.mourek.cz/ I use it all the time and it is excellent.

You would then do any editing to your captured files in DV format, then at the end, convert it just the once to DVD compatible mpeg-2. This will maintain high quality and minimise the possibility of any defects becoming too obvious.

As for 'burning' a DVD folder -- which in fact is the Video_TS folder you will see on any commercial video DVD -- you get to the very last page of the burning module, where you would normally burn the disc. The box beside 'Create Disc' is ticked, and to the right of that is 'Recording Format' with a little window which by default says 'DVD-Video'.

But to the right of *that* is a downward pointing double arrow. Click on that and more options will appear. The first is 'DVD Folders'. So tick that and untick Create Disc. Note where the folder will be burned to (normally your Ulead working folder in My Documents). Then click Burn. Simple!!

Hi Ken,

BIG thanks to your extended explanation. Luv it!

It was very interesting to read your logical sounding explanation.

However to my surprise I've found the solution. I'm astonished and embarrassed at the same time, since it's not only simple but also I don't understand why it works this way (I miss any logic)?

What I did?
In reaction to your previous answer I was just "foolin'" around in VS and then I thought why not trying converting the MPEG2 into PAL-DVD?
So I put a MPEG-2 videoclip on the timeline, then went to create videofile and then you'll get a popdown menu in which I selected DVD/VCD/SVCD/MPEG followed by DVD PAL (4:3) with 720 * 576 resolution and saved it as a new MPEG.
I included this new MPEG in the menu in the burn module and the coloured stripes had gone. At least in the burn module.
I still have to burn a disc to see if it has gone there too, but I assume that'll be the case.(since I previously already had the stripes in the burn module and consequently also on DVD).
But it's a pity that I don't have an explanation for this, why this is the solution.

I've found the DVD folder option in the burn module, thanks to your detailed explanation. Sometimes one has to look a bit further than his nose (as we say here)

However thanks for your thoughts!

[Clevo]

Check also that your project properties are set to PAL and not NTSC

[vidstud]

Check also that your project properties are set to PAL and not NTSC

Everything checked as PAL
Problem solved.
Thanks for your reply.