Video Studio Pro X3: MPEG4 HD files at 25 fps

[fabio_v]

Good morning,
I'm editing MPEG-4 PAL HD files from a Samsung Cam. After editing, I want to create a MPEG-4 HD file with the same profile (1920x1080 at 25 fps). Choosing MPEG4-HD profile, 30 fps files are generated. Also defining a MPEG4 custom profile with H.264-MAIN type and 1920x1080 resolution, the fps is locked at 30 (at lower resolutions, like 1280x720 the frame rate can be modifies). Ist it a constraint of H.264-MAIN video type ot a bug ?

Please consider that VS X3 is installed for PAL Video System and choosing Bluray profile or AVCHD profile PAL HD files 25 fps are generated.

Thanks for suggestions,

Fabio

[Ken Berry]

Have you tried Share > Create Video File > Same As First Clip?

[fabio_v]

Yes, I did.
But also this option is grayed and cannot be selected.

[fabio_v]

Good morning,
I assume that there are no additional suggestion about this topic. Is somebody able to reproduce the behaviour I described ?

My problem is to render the final movie avoiding to fully re-encode it. I guess that obtaining in output the same format I've in input (MPEG HD) it would be possible to have smart render feature.

If I encode the movie as Blureay or AVCHD, also if the input is H.264 video, the smart render feature does not activate.

Is there some way to force smart render on, or to customize Bluray or AVCHD profiles ?

Thanks,

Fabio

[Ken Berry]

SmartRender *only* works when you are producing a video in *exactly* the same format as the original. It only renders those parts of the video which have been actually edited.

However, in your case, I suspect that your Samsung camcorder films in its own version of mpeg-4, and when you try to produce a Blu-Ray or AVCHD version, X3 has to use a different codec, so that SmartRender is disabled automatically and would not work anyway.

In any case, I recommend that you don't use SmartRender with any high definition video... The quality is already extremely high, so one full render -- particularly if your output properties maintain the high quality settings -- should not produce any visible degradation in quality.

One other thing you might want to try is to use Settings > Make Movie Template Manager to make a template based on the exact properties of your original Samsung video. In the dialogue box which appears, click on 'Add'. Then in the new dialogue box, click on the '...' button beside the File Path window and navigate to where you have one of the Samsung clips stored and select it. Give the new template a name, then click OK and Close to get out of the dialogue boxes. Now, in future, when you have finished editing, select Share > Create Video File, and your new template should appear down in the very bottom of the drop-down menu.

[fabio_v]

Thanks for suggestions. I agree that reencoding HD videos maintain an high quality, but some scenes with moving subjects show a little degradation (pixelation). Also scenees with blue skys slowly moving show some big blocks after reencoding, not present in the original files. For that reason I'd like avoid to reencode.

In any case, I'm not able to define a profile based on the same properties of files created by my Samsung camera (MP4 HD PAL), because it's impossible to select 25 fps for 1920x1080 resolution. I think it's a bug and I hope it will be fixed in the future.

I defined instead custom profiles for AVCHD and they allow me to produce good movies.

Thanks,

Fabio

[Ken Berry]

I don't understand. If you did as I described above, you personally don't have to "define" anything. The program copies the original properties automatically... Can you say whether you followed the exact steps I set out above?

[fabio_v]

I follow the steps you described. But MP4 is not included in default file types the function uses to browse directories. Then I changed the option to "All files". After choosing an MP4 clip and pushing the "Open" button, it appears a message "Unable to open the file <filename>. The format of the file does not correspond" (this is a translation from italian, the message number is 16801:5:1).
The function you suggested works for .mpg and .m2ts files, but not for MP4.

In my opinion the way X3 manages MP4 files can be improved.

Thanks,

Fabio

[habanr]

In the new VideoStudio X5 the problem with MPEG4 HD codec is the same - it's not possible to create FullHD video with 25 frames/s. Even with Movie Template manager isn't possible in Ulead MPEG-4 vio Driver to set 25frames/s for frame size 1920x1080 as the frame-rate is locked to 30 only. Does it mean that VideoStudio is for American market only?

[lata]

Hi

Not sure why Mpeg4 reverts to 30 fps, can be a little annoying when using Pal at 25fps.
Thats assuming 1920 x 1080 at 25fps is an mpeg4 standard?

Depending on what you are trying to create there are other render options

You could try Quick Time Mov using Mpeg4 Visual
This will allow for 1920 at 25 fps.

Mpeg4 is basically QT Mov anyway.

QuickTime Movie Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 25 fps
Frame-based
MPEG 4 Visual
50% Quality, 24 Key Frame Rate
None, 8.000 KHz, 8 bits, Stereo

I have a codec for Avi "Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V1"
Not sure where this came from or why its installed, I have always had this codec.
Chances are you wont see it under the Avi compression tab. but allows for Mpeg4.Avi at:-

Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 25 fps
Frame-based
Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V1
PCM, 32.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo