MPEG-2 Recoding

[neumannu47]

Here is a pre-sales question. If I rip a DVD to the hard drive as an MPEG-2 file, edit that file in VS, and then save the file, will VS recode the file? Asked another way, can I save an MPEG-2 file in VS without the file being recoded? VideReDo allows me to do that, but it does not have near the functionality of VS.

[DVDDoug]

Here is a pre-sales question.

Please, Download the trial version before you buy!

...can I save an MPEG-2 file in VS without the file being recoded?

Yes. Video Studio has two related features.

There is a check-box that says Do Not Convert Compliant MPEGs. When this option is selected, Video Studio will ignore your Project Setttings if your files are DVD-compliant).

It also has a Smart Render option. This will recode only where necessary. For example, if you join two clips with a transition, the video will be recoded only during the transition. (That assumes both clips have the same properties... if they are different, one will have to be re-coded.) Or, if you apply a color-adjustment filter to one section of video, only that section will be re-coded etc.

If I rip a DVD to the hard drive as an MPEG-2 file, edit that file in VS...

Video Studio has a very nice DVD Import feature that can import the series VOB files as one continuous MPG file. Overall, this is the best "DVD to MPEG" program that I've seen. However, there are some DVDs that give it trouble (and of course, it doesn't rip commercial copy-protected DVDs.)

And, some MPEG-2 files can be "difficult" for Video Studio. I've had several "weird" problems, including the "lip-sync" problems that inspired my signature/tag-line below! That was with Video Studio 8, and I think most of these problems have been fixed, but I do encourage you to download the trial version. I ended-up buying the Womble MPEG editor... I do use Video Studio, but when I'm working with MPEGs, I use Womble for the editing step.