How many scenes are too much?

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:53 pm

I¡¦m working on a project that will eventually have about 135 scenes with a transition between each along with some titles and effects. I want to try and keep it to just one DVD, which I think is about 1 hours worth of video. Is there anything that I should be worried about as fare as the final cut? I have a quad core 2.6 with 4 meg running on Vista32. I tried this on a version of Pinnacle Studios 11+ and the sound began to un-sync halfway through the video once rendered. I am doing quit a bit of slicing and dicing and am just worried I may run into the same thing. Any advice would be appreciated!

Post by **lancecarr** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:06 pm

Aw come on Barney!
You have posted a few times now...help us help you!

Please let us know at least the basics of your source material and please scroll to the top of the screen you are now looking at and hit the profile button. Fill in you system specs as best you can.

It's like you are asking if your car can win at Le Mans. We say why not only to find it's a '63 VW beetle!

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:27 pm

lancecarr wrote:Aw come on Barney!
You have posted a few times now...help us help you!

Please let us know at least the basics of your source material and please scroll to the top of the screen you are now looking at and hit the profile button. Fill in you system specs as best you can.

It's like you are asking if your car can win at Le Mans. We say why not only to find it's a '63 VW beetle!

Wow, that was brutal!

Anyway the profile has been filled out and now I will restate my question.

Describe your problem:
I¡¦m working on a project that will eventually have about 135 scenes after its been clipped and cleaned with a transition between each along with some titles and effects. I want to try and keep it to just one DVD, which I think is about 1 hours worth of video. Is there anything that I should be worried about as fare as the final cut? I tried this on a version of Pinnacle Studios 11+ and the sound began to un-sync halfway through the video once rendered. I am doing quit a bit of slicing and dicing and am just worried I may run into the same thing. Once again, any advice would be appreciated!

Properties of your source files (format, file size, where did you get it?):
mini DV from 3 tapes captured as .avi @ about 11gig each recorded from a Sony miniDV SD camera.

What devices are involved and their mode of connection?:
The are sitting on my separate internal hard drive (3 .avi files)

Project Properties (important):
NTSC non-drop frame (30 fps)
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 320 x 240, 30 fps
Lower Field First
Uncompressed
PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 bits, 5.1 Channels

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD):
DVD

PAL or NTSC:
NTSC

Error Codes (if any): n/a

Product Version:
VS11+

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:03 pm

Hi Barney

You say your source is Mini DV tape captured to Avi.

Did you capture using Firewire to DV format?

Your project properties show 320 x 240, this is small. It should be 720 X 480

If the video file has the same properties then you will NOT produce good quality.

What are the properties of the video files, the Avi files.
Insert the Avi files into the timeline then right click, select properties, what are they?

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:31 am

trevor andrew wrote:Hi Barney

You say your source is Mini DV tape captured to Avi.

Did you capture using Firewire to DV format?

Your project properties show 320 x 240, this is small. It should be 720 X 480

If the video file has the same properties then you will NOT produce good quality.

What are the properties of the video files, the Avi files.
Insert the Avi files into the timeline then right click, select properties, what are they?

Trevor,
Sorry about that, I captured using Firewire. Below are my correct properties.
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
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

Post by **lancecarr** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:18 am

Hi Barney,
No that was not brutal, just tough love!

Looking at your computer specs, the source files and the project properties I see no real reason why you should have any trouble at all.
What you are describing is pretty much the stock in trade for VS.

The only advice I can give you is to complete all your editing etc. and follow the recommended procedure of then creating a DVD compliant MPEG file before you try to burn. Then clear the timeline by starting a new project, going to the Share tab and then create disc module to burn your DVD.
Just keep in mind that the render process of converting all the DV AVIs, audio, titles etc to an MPEG2 file is very resource hungry so don't go checking the email and doing a bit of internet surfing while it is rendering.

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:38 am

lancecarr,

Thanks for your patients! Great, I feel much better about the project that I¡¦m working on. Yes, I have been reading sjj1805¡¦s workflow recommendations. I think I have it straight please correct me if I¡¦m wrong based on that and your advice. I should do all editing (slice and dicing), adding sound, transitions and just keep saving my project as I go (.VSP). Then when I think I have it the way I want, use the share tab and create a mpeg video file only. That way I can play it on my PC to see what it would actually look like. So now at this point if I want change something I can still bring up the original project edit, add transitions and save again. Then once I¡¦m completely satisfied open a new project (no timeline) choose the share tab and then the create disc option and then choose the .VSP project that I have been working create menus and burn. If I want to burn more than one DVD then I should then make sure I check the ¡§Create Disc Image¡¨ box.
Feel free to tear this apart, but I think I pretty much have it. Thanks again lancecarr!

Post by **lancecarr** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:46 am

Almost there!

Then once I¡¦m completely satisfied open a new project (no timeline) choose the share tab and then the create disc option and then choose the .VSP project that I have been working create menus and burn.

Just that bit needs tweaking! Don't choose the vsp project and burn. You choose the DVD compliant MPEG2 file that you created and are happy with. It is that file that you load into the DVD burning module the create menus etc and burn.
Ok?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:21 am

Hi

Just to add and this is only my personal preference, but I feel I get better quality, especially when using so many edits.

After creating your project I would create a Avi file.

Share Create Video File-Select ¡¥Same as First Video Clip¡¦
This would create a Video File using the original properties. (DV-Avi)

Now check this video for quality.

Use this new Dv-Avi in a new project and Share Create Video File to DVD (mpeg)

Using this file to burn a DVD.

One more thing, if the final video is over 60 minutes you may have to reduce the Bit Rate in the final render to DVD Mpeg. This will create a file under 4.3 Gb and fit to disc.

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 2:03 pm

Thanks again to both of you, I definitely use your advise!

Barney1 · Post by **Barney1** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:47 am

Trevor and lancecarr,

I am finally at the point where I have my project edited to the way I want. It¡¦s a video of our snowmobile trip and its about 2 hours long. I had a helmet cam. It¡¦s basically just the raw video cleaned up with a title and basic transitions. Lets call this project video1.vsp. I will have to use a dual layer dvd because of the size. I plan on first creating a mpeg2 via share per your suggestions. Then open a new project (no timeline), share and create the DVD.

My question is that I want to create a separate highlight video with some music this only being maybe a ½ hour or so. Before burning the first DVD I was going to copy the original project (video1.vsp) using windows explorer and call it video2.vsp. Edit the video2.vsp to the way I want it. Now I have two projects video 1 and video 2. Next create two mpge2 files called video1 and video2 corresponding to the two projects. Now I can create two completely different DVDs using the suggestions of start with a new project (no timeline), share and create my DVDs only rendering each just once. Anybody see an issue with this process?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:35 am

The only issue I see is using Explorer to copy your project. Just open your original project in VS, then choose Save As and rename video2.vsp. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:04 am

Hi

Yep that¡¦s the way to go, I agree with Jeff re Save As option.

When you finally hit the ¡¥Burn¡¦ button, VS will indicate This Action will take some time¡K¡K..

The process should start with ¡¥Create Menu¡¦ shown on the blue progress bar.

If it indicates ¡¥Create Title¡¥ then your main files are being rendered again, this is wrong!
(Your settings or sizes are incorrect) (and will take a long time)

(At least that¡¦s what happens with VS 10)

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:04 am

Barney1 wrote:Trevor and lancecarr,

I am finally at the point where I have my project edited to the way I want. It¡¦s a video of our snowmobile trip and its about 2 hours long. I had a helmet cam. It¡¦s basically just the raw video cleaned up with a title and basic transitions. Lets call this project video1.vsp. I will have to use a dual layer dvd because of the size.

I would say that a 2 h video, especially from a helmet-mounted cam, does not justify DL. If you create your mpg at 4500 kbit/s average, 6000 kbit/s max with audio Dolby Digital 192 kbit/s, it should fit onto SL comfortably.

bob733 · Post by **bob733** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:53 am

you could also try this. I come out of the Information Technology space. Eons ago, when I was a programmer, we coded in modules. Each little function would have a separate program.

Try breaking up your overall program in multiple vsp files. I just did a 30 minute one, and it had 9 vsp files.

This has another advantage.....stubs. As you are compositing a smaller vsp file, you make sure it works. Then when it is done, you fire up the main one, and put the sub vsp file in the time line (or overlay or in the library). .... I found it easier to just place them on the tracks (not the top time line).
\
that way the sub vsp modules are easier to move around in the Main vsp module.

Hope this helps
Bob