Using VS Pro X2 12.0.98.1
Windows XP Home SP3
Pentium 4 3.2Ghz 800Mhz bus speed
2Gb DDR RAM
I volunteer for a local community access tv station and have recently discovered the availablity of many copyright free programs at archive.org.
I would like to make use of some of these programs by downloading them and burning them to DVD. There seem to be many file types that I am not familiar with. I am not sure how to handle them in VS Pro. I have made many DVDs with VS and am familar with the process.
However, I have recently downloaded a Mpeg-4 file and wish to burn it to DVD with no success. I am not adding any cuts, transitions, etc to the file in any way. I just want to get it into a form to play on a standard DVD player. I can preview the clip while in the timeline but can not preview the "project" when at the create DVD phase. (there is sound but no picture) During the "Create DVD folders phase, VS Pro crashed at 5 percent.
The downloaded file properties are:
Mpeg-4 file (mp4 extension)
Video: H.264 baseline video, 24 bits, 1280 X 720, 23.96 fps, data rate 4001 kbps.
Audio: 48,000 hz 16 bit stereo, bit rate 256
My project settings are:
Mpeg, 24 bits, 720 X 480, 29.97 fps, Lower field first, DVD-NTSC 16:9, Data rate 8000 kbps variable.
Audio data rate 256 kbps, Dolby digital audio, 48 khz 2/0, L/R
My Questions:
1: What are the proper project settings for creating a DVD when using a MP4 clip?
2: Is it easier just to "convert" the file to mpg using another program (i.e "SUPER" file converter), then use VS Pro to create a DVD?
3: Are there any tutorials that talk about proper project settings when dealing with some of these newer file types (i.e OGG, Divx, Mp4)?
trouble working with mp4
Moderator: Ken Berry
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Ken Berry
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1) Mp4 in general -- and the type you have in particular -- is not compatible with burning to DVD. What you have is in fact a variety of AVCHD high definition mpeg-4 (possibly a new format of that called AVCHD Lite). Moreover, from the speed, it appears to have been filmed in "film" mode (24p or to be precise 23.96 fps). "Film" mode uses a slower framerate than either PAL (25 fps) or NTSC (29.97 fps) to make the video look more like a commercial (i.e. Hollywood) movie.
First, since you have "only" a P4, it is not powerful enough to edit, let alone play such video properly. Second, if it is indeed AVCHD "Lite", VS 12 was written before that new format appeared on the market and does not appear to be able to deal with it in its native form.
2) Therefore, for all these reasons, the answer to your second questions is, yes, convert it. In any case, it has to be converted at some stage to DVD-compatible mpeg-2, and it seems you have been allowing that to happen (with an extremely difficult codec) in the burning module. Your project settings seem fine for a standard definition DVD, but with a couple of observations. First, the 'mpeg' should be 'mpeg-2'.
Second, the original Field Order of AVCHD is Upper Field First always, so your default projects setting of Lower Field First would be wrong. The data rate (bitrate) of 8000 kbps would be right if your video is an hour or so or less long. If longer then the bitrate has to be lowered accordingly (90 minutes = 6000 kbps; 2 hours 4000 kbps). You don't say exactly what format your original audio is -- it could be Dolby dual channel stereo or mpeg layer 2 dual channel stereo. But either way, your default project setting of Dolby dual channel stereo should be fine.
A real worry, though, is the original speed (frame rate) of 24p (23.96 fps). You will realise that NTSC standard def video runs at 29.97 fps, so in effect in converting your original video to standard def mpeg-2, VS would have to in effect "invent" 6 fps out of thin air. It does this by doubling up some of the existing frames. This usually introduces some slight fuzziness or other artifacts into the final video. But if you can live with that, that's OK.
More generally, though, you might want to read through this thread: http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?p=183133#183133
3) There may be, though I am not aware of them. But if your intention is always to burn a standard def DVD, then you need standard def mpeg-2, so converting those new formats first to mpeg-2 is probably always a first step. But beyond that, each may need distinct handling. DivX, for instance, is neither Upper nor Lower Field First, but Frame Based and could be left at that...
First, since you have "only" a P4, it is not powerful enough to edit, let alone play such video properly. Second, if it is indeed AVCHD "Lite", VS 12 was written before that new format appeared on the market and does not appear to be able to deal with it in its native form.
2) Therefore, for all these reasons, the answer to your second questions is, yes, convert it. In any case, it has to be converted at some stage to DVD-compatible mpeg-2, and it seems you have been allowing that to happen (with an extremely difficult codec) in the burning module. Your project settings seem fine for a standard definition DVD, but with a couple of observations. First, the 'mpeg' should be 'mpeg-2'.
Second, the original Field Order of AVCHD is Upper Field First always, so your default projects setting of Lower Field First would be wrong. The data rate (bitrate) of 8000 kbps would be right if your video is an hour or so or less long. If longer then the bitrate has to be lowered accordingly (90 minutes = 6000 kbps; 2 hours 4000 kbps). You don't say exactly what format your original audio is -- it could be Dolby dual channel stereo or mpeg layer 2 dual channel stereo. But either way, your default project setting of Dolby dual channel stereo should be fine.
A real worry, though, is the original speed (frame rate) of 24p (23.96 fps). You will realise that NTSC standard def video runs at 29.97 fps, so in effect in converting your original video to standard def mpeg-2, VS would have to in effect "invent" 6 fps out of thin air. It does this by doubling up some of the existing frames. This usually introduces some slight fuzziness or other artifacts into the final video. But if you can live with that, that's OK.
More generally, though, you might want to read through this thread: http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?p=183133#183133
3) There may be, though I am not aware of them. But if your intention is always to burn a standard def DVD, then you need standard def mpeg-2, so converting those new formats first to mpeg-2 is probably always a first step. But beyond that, each may need distinct handling. DivX, for instance, is neither Upper nor Lower Field First, but Frame Based and could be left at that...
Ken Berry