Help trimming video

[ian_uk1975]

I'm at the stage where I'm ready to burn a DVD of my efforts only to find the size of the project comes to ~6.5GB, so won't fit on a standard DVDR. I then realised that all the clips I'd got on the project timeline had not been trimmed and were being 'pseudo trimmed' via the start and end markers of each clip (hope that makes sense). In other words, each clip plays until its end marker on the project timeline, but the rest of the clip beyond the end marker still exists. Is there a way to 'crop' the clip between the start and end markers, deleting the unused portion? If I could do this for each clip on the timeline, it would resolve my issue. I have already struggled with the multi-trim video clip tool, but can't find a way to do what I need without, effectively, re-doing the whole project.

Thanks.

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums,

What version of VS are you using? With VS X2, you have the ability to jump straight into the burn module (Share>Create Disc). This workflow uses your project file (VSP), and the burn module is probably not taking into account your mark-in/out. This is not an accurate reading, since those parts of the video clips that have been marked out, will not be included in the final video. However what the burn module will do before burning the disc, is render a temporary DVD Compliant MPEG-2 video file from your project. At that time all the extra parts will be removed.

What I recommend is that you first create a video file from your project, Share>Create Video File>PAL DVD(or NTSC whichever is the correct one for your location). Then once that is done, you need to clear your time-line, which is easiest done by going to File>New Project. Now go directly to Share>Create Disc>DVD. This will open the burn module, where you then insert the video file you just created, the proceed on to authoring and burning.

IF the above is not correct, and you are talking about the size of your DVD Compliant MPEG-2, then there's something else going on, because once you render your project to a video file, anything that has been marked-out should not have been rendered.

One other thing we need to know is what are the video clip(s) properties being used in your project? Right-click on the clips and select Properties. What Project Settings are you using? To determine this press the ALT + Enter keys simultaneously. This could affect the size of your video also. If you're dealing with HD video, like AVCHD, then the properties are quite different, especially the bitrates used. The higher the bitrate, the larger the file sizes, and of course the better the quality. So lowering the bitrate will help reduce the file size too.

How long is your project, >or < 1 hr?

[ian_uk1975]

Thanks for that very detailed reply Ron... I'll try to provide answers to the qeuries you raise below:

I'm running VS X2. Actually, I already tried what you suggested and rendered a video file (using the MPEG Optimizer to constrain the file size to <4.5GB), which I then imported into a new project timeline. I re-created all my chapter points and tried to burn a DVD via the burn module. However, again, the burn module stated the project size was ~6.5GB. The length of my project is just under 2-hours.

Project (and clip) Properties:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(MPEG-2), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9558 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

The above relates to the original project (not the project using the MPEG Optimizer video file... I deleted that to recover some HDD space after I found it made no difference).

Thanks,
Ian.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Ian_Uk1975

Can you confirm your location, your name suggests the UK,
your project properties reflect Ntsc, if you are in the UK then they should be Pal.

[ian_uk1975]

Hi Ian_Uk1975

Can you confirm your location, your name suggests the UK,
your project properties reflect Ntsc, if you are in the UK then they should be Pal.

Hi Trevor, I'm in the UK, but the source material I'm working with was recorded in this format. I'll be burning the DVD as PAL.

[Ron P.]

Also Ian, try reducing the Video Data Rate, aka Bitrate. I'm not sure of your source video files, but most of the time a bitrate of 8000kps is sufficient for standard definition video. You might also use a Bitrate Calculator. 9558kps is too high for 2 hrs of video on a SL DVD. To squeeze 2 hrs you may need to drop it down to around 6000kps. Actually using the above calculator your bitrate should be 4820kps for 2 hrs. This however will give you a video quality about that of a VHS tape, not very good.

You're also going to run into problems when you produce the NTSC video as a PAL. They use different frame sizes and frame rates.
NTSC: 720 x 480; 29.97fps.
PAL: 720 x 576; 25fps.

So with PAL, there will be 96pxs created out of thin air, and 4.97fps cut off. What's this mean? A real mess for watching. Quality will be poor, video will not play smoothly. Just not recommended to do with just a consumer grade product.

[ian_uk1975]

Hi Ron, I take your points about making PAL from NTSC and I may just decide to burn as an NTSC DVD.

Back to the initial problem of not being able to fit the project on a DVDR, how can I make this work? I've already tried reducing the bitrate in the project properties, but this makes no difference. I did find the Disc Template Manager via the burn module and thought this was the answer, as there are templates for DVD GQ, DVD HQ, etc. However, again, I couldn't find a way to make my template selection 'stick'.

[Ron P.]

Click on the Project Settings (gear icon) then in the Project Settings dialog, click on Change MPEG settings. In the menu you can select one of them, like GQ Dolby Digital, which gives you a bitrate of 4000kps. You can also go down to the bottom and select Customize. In the next dialog window you go to the Compression tab, and you can change the Video Data Rate to whatever you like.

[Ken Berry]

I too would back the idea of burning your NTSC project as an NTSC DVD rather than converting it to PAL. Just about every PAL DVD player of which I am aware will play NTSC DVDs with no problem whatsoever. The same is not necessarily true of NTSC players, but increasingly so. And in any case, I assume you will be using a PAL player, as will most of your family and friends.

[ian_uk1975]

Click on the Project Settings (gear icon) then in the Project Settings dialog, click on Change MPEG settings. In the menu you can select one of them, like GQ Dolby Digital, which gives you a bitrate of 4000kps. You can also go down to the bottom and select Customize. In the next dialog window you go to the Compression tab, and you can change the Video Data Rate to whatever you like.

I don't have a gear icon... all I have is 'Project Properties...' from the file menu. Once in project properties, there is nowhere to select a pre-defined template. If I click on Edit and goto the compression tab, regardless of what bitrate I enter for 'Video data rate', the project size remains the same at 6.33GB when I try to create a disc using the burn module.

Am I missing something?

[Ron P.]

I should have stated the Gear Icon in the Burn Module, not the editor....

Yes, you're missing that you need to first create a video file in the editor. This is done by going to Share>Create Video File>NTSC DVD. Do that first. Then use that created video file in the burn module, not your project file, which is a VSP. It's like a text file, with all the instructions VS needs to carry out.

[ian_uk1975]

I should have stated the Gear Icon in the Burn Module, not the editor....

Yes, you're missing that you need to first create a video file in the editor. This is done by going to Share>Create Video File>NTSC DVD. Do that first. Then use that created video file in the burn module, not your project file, which is a VSP. It's like a text file, with all the instructions VS needs to carry out.

I don't have a gear icon in the burn module, either. I'm running VS Pro X2.

[Ron P.]

Yes you should have, it's in the lower left..see screenshot of VS X2 Burn Module..

vsx2 bmprojset.jpg (39.65 KiB) Viewed 3993 times

Since you're running it on a Win7 machine, are you missing the buttons (Next, Close) in the lower right?

[ian_uk1975]

Ron, I don't see those icons in my burn module (see screenshot):

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Ian

There is an issue with some of the controls missing when using Windows 7
Please view:-

http://corel.custhelp.com/app/answers/d ... 9/r_id/166

Additional info:-

Ian from the edit timeline
File Project Properties –Edit

Change the project properties to match your video file.
Then adjust the Bit Rate to 4000kbps.

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 4000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

When you Share Create Disc the burner module will/should use these settings.

A little more…
If you eventually are able to use the options cogwheel to “change the Mpeg settings” use the Custom option.
The default templates will use Frame Based or Lower Field and your video is using Upper Field.
Getting this wrong will cause some quality issues.