MPEG files created appear as narrow envelopes?

[tonyjer]

Hi

Using VS11Plus Trial mode and project is capturing analogue footage from VCR to PC using Camcorder as pass thru (using Windows Media Player to capture due to glitch with VS11Plus)

Am creating seperate mpeg2 video files before burning and using low compression (2375mbps) to squeeze 4 hours worth on to DVD.

The first project worked fine but I now notice that the mpeg files appear in envelope mode when rendered. This confuses me somewhat as I am using the same captured DV footage as the source and some mpegs appear like this and others are what I would consider to be normal. The video properties are identical (480*576 4.3 and 2375 PAL SVCD).

Can try and burn DVD and fiddle with TV to fix but just confused thats all.


Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Tony

[Ron P.]

The compression that you're using is not a low compression but rather a high compression. The higher the compression used, the smaller the file size, and the more video can be squeezed onto a single disc.

Even though your source files are only VCR quality, when you start getting below 4000 kbps, the quality will start dropping dramatically. Just my opinion here, but since the source video is VCR, I would not skimp on the number of discs used. I would try to use the highest quality setting, because you don't have a very high-quality source to start with.

Your "envelope" looking clips sounds like they might be using a 16:9 or wide-screen aspect ratio. You need to check the properties for those video clips and the project settings if those clips were created with separate projects. The project properties (settings) in either the Editor or the Burn Module could have been inadvertently set to 16:9, when they should be 4:3.

[tonyjer]

Hi Ron

Sorry about the erroneous ref to low compression- I do realise the inverse relationship between the low mbps and the higher compression to squeeze onto DVD.

In relation to query the captured AVI video clips all have the same attributes (24 720*576 4.3). The mpeg properties are also 24 480*576 4.3 (2375mbps). I think somehow, in my haste I created the projects and then created the mpegs without creating vsp project files (and making sure these were 4.3 aspect ratio and not 16.9).

I am going back to the drawing board confident that I will now succeed.

Thanks for your time.

Tony

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Tony

Your original captured video has a frame size of 720 x 576 this is standard Pal size.

By converting to 2375 x 480 x 576 you appear to have selected Svcd.

I do not think this is what you should be doing.

If you are to make a DVD then choose the Custom option.
Select Save as type ---- MPEG files (*.mpg)
From the Options button choose the ¡¥Compression¡¦ tab
Media type should be PAL DVD

Change the bit rate to 2000 ish ( I do not know the exact setting you should use for 4 + hours of video)( VS lower limit is 1777)
Change the audio to Mpeg or Digital Dolby ( do NOT use LPCM)

From the General tab select your aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9
Change the Frame Order to match your captured video. (Upper or Lower)
Under this tab you can also change the frame size, although I do not think this will alter the final file size, leave it at 720 x 576 for starters.

Render your project/ to these Mpeg 2 properties.

How big is the resultant file.?????????????????

These may help.
I have some test results here:-http://uk.geocities.com/trevor.andrew@b ... -size.html
2500kbps and digital dolby indicates 232 minutes per disc.

You should also use a bit rate calculator to help assess your settings.
http://dvd-hq.info/bitrate_calculator.php

Hope this Helps

PS it may be best to test a render using 25% of your project, This should result in a file approx 1 Gb.

[tonyjer]

Hi Trevor

I understand where u r coming from. I "piloted" PAL SVCD attributes initially and the 2375 compression with the related resolution gave me 4 hours of reasonable footage on one DVD (it was just more expedient that chosing PAL DVD and estimating compression needed for DVD).

I then tried this for the second project and came up with this aspect problem. As stated earlier wots curious is that the captured VHS footage was not widescreen and the AVI files are 4.3. I have now tried creating and saving project properties etc and then chose customise mpeg setting to ensure it ticks all the rite boxes but its no good. Somehow, some of the captured footage seems to have this glitch and I'm just seeking a workaround to rectify it and ensure that the mpeg is "normal" before burning the DVD.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Tony

My initial concern was that you had used the Svcd template to convert your Avi¡¦s.
I¡¦m still not convinced that this is the right option.
I realise you required a low bit rate but didn¡¦t understand the need to alter the frame size.

As for Svcd you cannot select an aspect ratio, its just a different frame size.
16:9 or 4:3 is not an option.

OK

I am assuming that the captured Avi¡¦s are correct, in that they play and view showing the correct aspect. Can you confirm¡K..

If they are ok then the problem is during the Share Create Video File stage and your choice of template.

[tonyjer]

Hi Again

I know I'm tempting providence but think that I may have sorted it.

It seems that when you create the mpeg, select mpeg 2 files, chose options and then select PAL SVCD then the aspect ratio stays at 16.9 even tho its greyed out and shown as 4.3! As soon as the project starts rendering you get a small square with a big black background and the finished file is a narrow envelope as stated.

When I initially select "create video file" the default is on AVI as the file type which is right of course but the aspect is shown in the box below as 16.9. If I go in and change it at that point and then change to mpeg 2 then it seems to be OK (I think).

Not sure if this is a major bug or just me!!

Thanks anyway. Will post if probs continue.

Tony

[Ken Berry]

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the point Trevor, and now me, are trying to make is that you should not, at any stage of your project, be selecting SVCD properties. SVCD is a special version of mpeg-2, but it is fixed in terms of bitrate and more importantly in the present context, frame size which moreover is a rather quirky one, being deeper than it is wide. But then you are burning to a DVD which of course uses a different frame size, so the program has to do something with that quirky frame it is being fed.

It is not a bug in the program, but the SVCD 'bug' in your workflow...

[tonyjer]

OK

Understood. Of course there was a time many moons ago when folk used SVCD to produce what was then superior quality footage on CDs.

Thanks for your help.

Tony

[Ken Berry]

Yes. No question. SVCD was definitely superior to VCD for burning to CD. It was mpeg-2 whereas VCD was mpeg-1. But those days are definitely gone. And more to the point, while most but not all stand-alone players would play VCDs, the same was not true of SVCDs... So even less reason to use an outmoded and strange format size in the days of DVDs...