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Hi there,

I have been working on a video project and it is kinda about time to finish it, but keep having some problems finalizing my discs.

Let's start with some info:

SUBJECT: Can not finalize DVD

Describe your problem:
I have a big project containing pictures and short videoclips, transitions, animations, comments, music...
The whole project has 65 individual VSP files, and they had to be grouped in 3 parts in order to fit 3 4.7GB DVD's. I am trying to fit about 80 min. on each DVD, given the fact that videos are such low resolution.
Finished editing and experimenting how to create DVD's, and here it comes my problem: rendering goes well until the end, but VideoStudio gives me an error at the end, during "audio-video multiplexing" I belive. It pauses a bit around 50%, then comes up with an error.
Somehow, it seems that the total size of the project gets shrink down and it appears that some chapter points are left outside ?!?

There must be a setting I am consistently missing, as my project size always gets shrink down as final DVD. I know this may sound awkward, but here it is what it happens (during countles experiments): Let's say the original VSP file is represented as being (in the green bar when creating DVD file) 5.09 (5.47GB) for a 1h22min project, and after rendering finishes (yes, I was able to compleat the DVD in other circumstances, when I wasn't able to create all in one timeline, as I have all legs created in individual VSP files, so I found a way around it as rendering and creating small DVD's WITHOUT menu, then open a new project and importing VOB files from previous created small DVD's and compleating my final DVD WITH menu. Didn't like that method for the reason that it creates too many TITLES, and even they act as chapters when they play one after the others, some players are taking too much time in between Titles), so again, after it finishes, the final DVD folder has only 4.19 (4.50)GB. It shows exactly like that in the green bar where DVD volume is represented. It reduces its size after rendering.

As an experiment now, just before editind the Menu, I have deleted all chapters and the VSP file went through and created the whole movie, but there is no way I would leave it without chapters, I NEED them to browse through my project.



Properties of your source files
Almost all pics and clips and pics were taken using a Fuji F20 6.3MPixel Digital Camera
Pics:JPEG 2848x2136
Clips: VideoClip, bitrate 128kbps, 320x240(I know, but too late to do anything about it), they were treated with "deshaker" plugin in VirtualDub as they were all taken in some harsh conditions, and re-encoded AVI using Huffyuv codec

What devices are involved and their mode of connection?: not sure what are you reffering to...

Project Properties (important): NTSC Mpeg, 24 bits 720x480, 29.97fps, Lower field up, variable datarate (max8000kbps) audio 256kbps Dolby digital audio 48KHz

Output format: DVD NTSC 4:3

Output Properties (cogwheel in lower left of burn screen): HQ NTSC, dolby audio, variable bitrate(max 8000) Lower field up
also:
"Do not encode Mpeg compliant files" - chek
"Two pass conversion" - check

PAL or NTSC: NTSC

Error Codes (if any): 533:-2147216477:0

Product Version: e.g. VS X2

Hi Paul

You said:-
I have a big project containing pictures and short videoclips, transitions, animations, comments, music...
The whole project has 65 individual VSP files.

Wow that¡¦s a lot of Vsp¡¦s.
Do you mean you are Adding 65 Vsp¡¦s to the Create Disc Stage?


You will be best to render the Vsp or Vsp¡¦s to individual video files, using Share Create Video File.
This will create a new Mpeg 2 file used to burn a DVD using Share Create Disc¡XAdd Video.

With 65 VSp¡¦s to work with I don¡¦t really know how to start.

You could try using Batch from Tools to convert/create the new Video Files.
This will not alter the old projects only create the Mpegs.
Using a Bit Rate of 6000 will ensure the 88 minute video will fit to disc.

Start a new project, then edit your project properties.
(Project Properties (important): NTSC Mpeg, 24 bits 720x480, 29.97fps, Lower field up, variable datarate (max6000 kbps) audio 256kbps Dolby digital audio 48KHz )
The batch convert should use these settings as default, although you can edit the properties before converting.

The Mpegs can then be used to burn the DVD. There will be no further rendering in the burner, just create title followed by multiplexing.

Hi Andrew, first, thanks for your help!

trevor andrew wrote: Do you mean you are Adding 65 Vsp to the Create Disc Stage?

I have basically 32 VSP files, and for each one of them I have an introductory animation file (also saved as individual VSP file for the reason that I need to load them into Library in order to insert them in the final timeline, and as I had learned the hard way that you can not load VSP project files into Library as long as they already contain a VSP file in it). So this way I ended up having 32+32+one more general introduction file.
I know there are a lot of VSP files, I've been working on them since last October!
Giving the fact they are that many, I split them on 3 major parts, each one having about 80 minutes, in order to fit 3 DVD's. From now on, to simplify things, I will refer to just one of the disks, the other two are more or less the same.

For the first disk, I have 14+14+1 VSP's, second one has 20 and third one has 16.

trevor andrew wrote: You will be best to render the Vsp or Vsp to individual video files, using Share Create Video File.
This will create a new Mpeg 2 file used to burn a DVD using Share Create Discdd Video.

Well, I did that few months ago but my videoclips are very low resolution, so I am trying to avoid any interim stage of decompression/re-compression in order to preserve the quality.

trevor andrew wrote: You could try using Batch from Tools to convert/create the new Video Files.
This will not alter the old projects only create the Mpegs.
Using a Bit Rate of 6000 will ensure the 88 minute video will fit to disc.

Start a new project, then edit your project properties.
(Project Properties (important): NTSC Mpeg, 24 bits 720x480, 29.97fps, Lower field up, variable datarate (max6000 kbps) audio 256kbps Dolby digital audio 48KHz )
The batch convert should use these settings as default, although you can edit the properties before converting.

The Mpegs can then be used to burn the DVD. There will be no further rendering in the burner, just create title followed by multiplexing.

I will try to use Batch Convert option to create Mpegs, using variabile datarate of 6000kbps (so far I was using the default value of max8000).

Any ideea why a 5GB project file dimension gets reduced to below 4.5GB during vsp -> Mpeg conversion? That's not quite normal isn't it? (Well, is not about 5GB VSP file, is about its contents, as we see them down in the DVD progression bar, showing how much stuff you have added up to be burn)

Well, I did that few months ago but my videoclips are very low resolution, so I am trying to avoid any interim stage of decompression/re-compression in order to preserve the quality.

The VSPs are rendered to an MPEG2 file anyway, whether it's before you put them into the burn module, or by the burn module itself.

Good point, I didn't know they are left untached during burning disc process.

So as a general ideea, which of the following methods is "the least destructive"?

1. VSP to AVI, then AVI to DVD (i guess here it depends what avi codec is used, if any)

2. VSP to Mpeg2, then Mpeg2 to DVD

3. VSP to interim DVDs, then another session to import previous created VOBs to final DVD

4. VSP to DVD

I guess that my ambition to do it all in one step doesn't quite make sens does it?

I guess that my ambition to do it all in one step doesn't quite make sense does it?

Well, that's how VS is designed. But it doesn't always work. Older versions would sometimes have problems with this workflow, so members of this forum came up with what we call the Recommended Workflow which is, in essence, first rendering your VSP to a DVD-compliant MPEG-2, then inserting that at the burn stage.

Make sure your output settings match the MPEG-2 settings, then your video will not be re-encoded.

Hi

If your source video is Dv-Avi then rendering the project to DV-Avi is probably the best option.

Otherwise render the projects to Mpeg.
If your source video is Mpeg then use those properties, change only the bit rate to reduce the file size to fit disc.

As I said earlier changing the bitrate to 6000 will allow for your 88 minute video to disc.

From the burner module add your videos.
When you hit the Burn button the video¡¦s will not be re-coded, the first indication should be Convert Menu,
If you see Convert Title then your video is being rendered.

I always render my projects before burning.
I never add a project to the burner module.
Just old in the tooth and remember the days when this option didn¡¦t exist, you had to create a video file first.
When first introduced, Adding VSP¡¦s to the burner just caused a lot of grief, so we directed users back to the old way, the recommended procedure if you like.
The program has improved somewhat since then.

Whichever way you choose takes the same time and uses the same memory, one method is in two stages that¡¦s all.
Unfortunately adding VSP¡¦s still causes some problems.

Thanks guys for your help!
I was following your advice and I was able to complete couple discs with no errors.
I did convert it all to Mpeg2, then burn with menus the way I wanted. I am looking forward to watching it tonight, to see how did that worked.
As an observation, converting to Mpeg2 using the same project settings only took 1.5 hours for a 82 min project, which is about 30% of what it used to be when rendering VSP direct to DVD. Nice improvement! Even building menu’s background motions and transitions went from 2 hours in the past to just 30 min. now! (I don’t even want to remember about past methods when rendering one disc was between 20 and 35 hours – that on a older machine though!)

About my video source, files are certainly AVI, and I re-encoded them AVI after de-shaking them, using a codec that gave me the impression that quality was about the same, with an increase of size about 4 times. I tried to convert some VSPs to AVI, maybe I wasn’t paying attention to some properties, but at that time I wasn’t satisfied with the output. I will try to do it again now that I’ve gain some more knowledge about it.

BTW, I have observed that during a VSP playback, when the cursor goes over a still picture, it seems that resolution is not as high as it is when the cursor comes to stop (eighter you stop it anywhere or it reaches the end of the picture). I didn’t want to see that on my output DVD, so I played with Project Properties in terms of increasing resolution way over 720x480, as my original picture resolution was 2848x2136. I was then able to see a very decent playback, with no difference in clarity, but video clips didn’t make it for that high resolution and they were showing way worse then the originals. I reversed back all settings, thinking that the final NTSC DVD will not be able to play at any higher resolution anyway. Am I wrong?

Anyway, with your help I am now so close to put an end to this project and show it to my friends, which hopefully are still eager to see it.

Glad you got it working.

BTW, I have observed that during a VSP playback, when the cursor goes over a still picture, it seems that resolution is not as high as it is when the cursor comes to stop (eighter you stop it anywhere or it reaches the end of the picture).

Remember, if you have your Preferences set for Instant Playback what you are seeing is a lower quality picture, as it's done on the fly. If you change your Preferences to High Quality Playback you should see a much better picture, but it will take time to render the temp file for viewing. Speed vs. Quality.