Rediting a completed project and importing a DVD

burgo · Post by **burgo** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:59 pm

Videostudio 8

I recently completed a project and burned it to a DVD. A couple of days later I wanted to make a few slight amendments, the files had been deleted from my PC as I had moved on to the next project. The only way that I could this was to import the DVD files and make the changes that I wanted and rebuild the menus. Is this the only way to achieve my goal or are their any easier ways. Also and more importantly is any quality lost as VS imports the data and then renders it a second time ? I ask this as I intend to create a highlights DVD once I have created all of the projects.

Thanks in advance
Burgo

jchunter_2 · Post by **jchunter_2** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:19 pm

Burgo,
Next time, save all your production assets after you finish a project. I always create a separate DVD of all the video files, image files, music files, and the project file. Then I can recreate or edit from the original project anytime. Another tip: Break up a large project into smaller projects of 10-15 minutes each. A small project is much easier to edit and it is much faster to create a small video file.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:40 am

Also check out the "Fast Editable" option, it allows you to save the menu information etc. on the DVD you burn.

burgo · Post by **burgo** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:16 pm

jchunter_2 wrote:Next time, save all your production assets after you finish a project. I always create a separate DVD of all the video files, image files, music files, and the project file.

Thanks for the advice, if I were to do this I would be trying to backup 13GB data, am I doing the right thing ?

PeterMilliken · Post by **PeterMilliken** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:01 am

burgo wrote:Thanks for the advice, if I were to do this I would be trying to backup 13GB data, am I doing the right thing ?

John has posted information/tests that indicate no quality is lost if you convert your avi files to mpeg2 (see Video Studio Wiki site referenced from John's "New Users Read this First" posting).

So what I do now is render all my avi to mpeg2 (13G -> 2.5 - 3G) and then backup the mpeg2 file and delete the avi file. It adds time to the entire process due to the rendering the avi to mpeg2 but saves time (and DVD's

) backing up the raw video files.

Personally I am not concerned by the lost of time but this is one of those situations that can only be answered by personal preference once you are aware of the options.

Peter

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:06 am

The preferred method used by pro's and semi-pro's is to output the DV(avi) file (finalized project) back out to a DV camcorder tape for archiving.

This way you have the original true edited format that can be used at a later date to use with newer technology as it only gets better.

With the price of Dvd recorders dropping everyday you can take the DV tape and record directly to a dvd desktop recorder. Or, whatever you want to do with the material, vcd/svcd/dvd MP4 formats.
If you archive the video to Mpeg2 then converting to the above formats
will be very time consuming not to mention the loss of quality.

MD

PeterMilliken · Post by **PeterMilliken** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:43 am

maddrummer3301 wrote:The preferred method used by pro's and semi-pro's is to output the DV(avi) file (finalized project) back out to a DV camcorder tape for archiving.

MD

MD - no offense intended with my reply - just airing my views and happy to accept correction where necessary

I have heard this before on this board and my reply (probably) reflects my lack of knowledge

So if I am way off base here I apologise for my ignorance

.

But this activity (archiving to camcorder tape) doesn't make any sense with the advent of DVD burners i.e. it is accepted on this forum that capturing from a mini-DV camcorder is less prone to audio sync problems if the capture is done using Type 1 rather than Type 2 - to me this implies that the original taping process experienced a problem and information was lost (otherwise Type 2 capture would be safe all the time). So why would you trust a recording to tape process (which has been proven to have problems - sometimes) rather than archiving to DVD?

Perhaps in the days of analog tapes etc (or at least before we had access to decent size digital storage mechanism such as DVD burners) this was the best method of archiving video material but I can't see that an error prone method like recording back to mini-DV tape is preferable to burning the data onto a DVD - a more reliable process in my opinion based on the observed (problematical) behaviour of mini-DV cameras/tapes.

mini-DV tapes are similar to any other tape storage mechanism - the data is stored as magnetic polarisations on the tape. These polarisations can change - that is why you are advised not to store tapes near magnetic fields etc etc Nobody advises you not to store DVD discs on top of a TV or any other electrical equipment (at least I don't think so

). I think the physics of the storage medium speak for themselves as to which is the more reliable storage mechanism.

Of course, on the flip side, I haven't seen any guarantees by anyone as to how long the information on a DVD disc will last - but at least in the case of DVD's it is a very quick (and cheap) process to make a complete copy of the disc contents periodically (5 - 10 years????) to ensure that the original data is not corrupted due to the physical breakdown of the storages media - not any easy process at all with mini-DV tapes.

So perhaps the professionals and the semi-pros archive their video back to tape - but if they do then perhaps it might be because of ignorance rather than any concrete reason?

Peter

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:26 pm

Peter,

As a consumer your only options are archive to DV tape/DVD/Harddisk.
Computer tapes can store up to Tera-Bytes now but are expensive and
in-line with Pro equipment.

The latest for consumers is Sony's new 33+Gigabyte Dvd which one could archive tapes to (Coming in the future when adopted I hope).

Audio problems are usually always related to highly compressed formats and conversions, not usually with the DV(avi) format.
DV tape uses 2 audio formats:
12 bit / 32khz (Usually DV camcorders default setting)
16 bit / 48khz (Should change camcorder to this audio setting for Dvd's)

Along with the NTSC format is the framerate:
29.97 Drop-Frame
29.97 Non-Drop Frame

It's essential to keep the correct audio/video formats to properly convert from DV to Mpeg2 format. Otherwise there will be audio sync problems.

VideoStudio 8 is a great DV(avi) editor and that is it's strength. Most programs for the same amount of money don't even do 1/4 what VS attempts to do.
You can fine tune VS 8 pretty much and it's simple to use.
Everything with Ulead Products is easy to remember. That's why many people use the product(s) in comparision to expensive programs.
Ulead has it's superior more expensive programs.

One can archive to DVD media if their happy with it.

There is one thing that consumers should know about the PC operating system (windows):
Windows attempts to read from a device up to 6 times before generating an error. If the media takes 4 reads to get the correct data the operating system doesn't report it.
Therefore if media is failing or partially defective you don't realize it until it's to late. There are Dvd recovery programs on the market now to restore damaged CD's/dvd's.

Like others have said on this forum: Pick your poison.

MD