Formatting & dvd burning

[cat]

I'm utilizing Windows Live Movie Maker and Ulead together. I would like to be able to use both programs but may have to pick one or the other.

I did some Ulead effects in a video clip & then converted it into a Mpeg (in Ulead) to put it back into Windows L. M. Maker since that was where my original project was & it couldn't be read unless converted.
Then once my profect was completed I took the Windows L. M. Maker .wmv file and put it back into Ulead to convert it as a Mpeg file since needing it to be in the Mpeg format.

#1)My question is can the above be done without loosing quality?
#2) I have to format the video for Public Access which uses Leightronix/Total Impact software and they are not able to capture the video onto their computer but only play it off a certain dvd player...what needs to be done in regards to formatting so there is no problem on their end in capturing it?

#3) Also, I need to burn dvds that will be universally compatible..do you know of any dvd software that is?
(I've tried Roxio & Windows Dvd Maker and neither is working.)
#4) The Ulead dvd burning option isn't in my software program?? Any ideas on where it would be?

Thank you

[Black Lab]

I'm utilizing Windows Live Movie Maker and Ulead together. I would like to be able to use both programs but may have to pick one or the other.

I did some Ulead effects in a video clip & then converted it into a Mpeg (in Ulead) to put it back into Windows L. M. Maker since that was where my original project was & it couldn't be read unless converted.
Then once my profect was completed I took the Windows L. M. Maker .wmv file and put it back into Ulead to convert it as a Mpeg file since needing it to be in the Mpeg format.

#1)My question is can the above be done without loosing quality? I would use DV-AVI clips, as that is a lossless codec. MPEG-2 is lossy, but may not be noticeable with only a couple of re-renders.
#2) I have to format the video for Public Access which uses Leightronix/Total Impact software and they are not able to capture the video onto their computer but only play it off a certain dvd player...what needs to be done in regards to formatting so there is no problem on their end in capturing it? I am not sure what you are asking. A DVD needs to be in MPEG-2 format.

#3) Also, I need to burn dvds that will be universally compatible..do you know of any dvd software that is? I don't think any burned DVDs are universally compatible. But, supposedly, the most compatible are DVD-R discs.
(I've tried Roxio & Windows Dvd Maker and neither is working.)
#4) The Ulead dvd burning option isn't in my software program?? Any ideas on where it would be? What version are you using?

Thank you

[Ken Berry]

To add to Black Lab's comments:

1) You certainly aren't doing yourself any favours by going from mpeg to .wmv and back to mpeg. You don't say what version of mpeg but I am assuming mpeg-2. But it is lossy and wmv is even lossier, so that conversion alone loses a lot of quality. And more is lost when you convert back to mpeg. Black Lab is correct in suggesting you use DV/AVI -- I would do that in Windows Movie Maker since that seems to be where your original project originated. Then do your editing in the same format, open it in VS for your further additions, save it as DV/AVIto take back to WMM if that is what you intend. And only when you are satisfied with everything you convert it just the one final time into mpeg-2.

2) As far as I can see from the Leightronix website, they seem to use industry-standard mpeg-2. As far as I am aware, Video Studio also produces industry-standard mpeg-2 since that is what is required for burning a standard definition video DVD. And if it is in standard DVD format, their software should be able to capture it. So how exactly did you go about burning the DVD?

3) I am not quite sure what Black Lab is getting at in his response on this one. Technically speaking, if you burn a video DVD using industry standard compatible mpeg-2, it is the same as any other video DVD. But what I think Black Lab is suggesting is that in reality, some stand-alone DVD players are more finicky than others. Some don't like +R discs but prefer -R; some don't like the colour of dye used on the blank DVDs made by certain manufacturers; some have difficulty with home-burned dual layer DVDs; and some have difficulty playing DVDs which have been burned at too high a speed (and thus have not embedded the laser signal firmly enough). Regarding the latter, we normally recommend you burn a DVD at at least half its rated speed.

4) Can't add anything more to Black Lab's answer. If it is a version with SE in its title, then that generally means it has been crippled in some way. In VS 8 SE and earlier versions, quite often the option to burn a DVD was left out; and perhaps even in some VS 9 SE versions. However, as far as I am aware, all versions of VS, including the SE versions, from 10 onwards have all had the ability to burn a DVD.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

From what I gather Windows Live Movie Maker re-codes the projects to WMV format. I could not find any settings that allowed me to set DVD sizes, so each time you jump from VS to WLMM your frame sizes will be changed.
There is however a 720P HD option, but if your creating a standard DVD then that’s not the way to go either

Rendering Mpeg 2 files will loose some quality, Rendering and changing the frame size is not such a good idea when it can be avoided.

You may be best to use Video Studio for all your work.

It may be easier if you were to tell us just what you wish to make.

If Public Access cannot import files to there system and can only play DVD’s then you have to make a DVD.

If Public Access can import files to there system then you could create a video file to any format you liked and save to disc as a data file.

And again what version of Video Studio are you using

[Black Lab]

But what I think Black Lab is suggesting is that in reality, some stand-alone DVD players are more finicky than others.

That is exactly the point I was making. Thanks for clarifying, Ken.