can't create video file 1440 x 1080

[maxfrost01]

This is my first high-def project with X3. All my clips are 1440 x 1080 but, for some reason, the Project Properties are 720 x 576.
Don't see that as any problem providing I can select the higher quality settings when I go to create a Video File. And that's where the problem begins.
If I go Share/Create Video File/Custom I can see the properties in the Save Options box are 720 x 576 and I can't change them.
I've tried clicking on Options and looking under the Compression tab but my only options there are PAL DVD or NTSC DVD. I can't find any option that will let me get the file back to the original properties of 1440 x 1080.
I'm NOT trying to create a DVD - just a high quality file that I can play back on my computer and on my HD TV.

I'm sure I didn't get this problem with X2..........

Any ideas?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Max

You are correct, there are more user options with earlier versions, X3 has lost a lot of, shall we say the manual approach.

The project properties are not a problem, just make sure you have the Aspect Ratio set to 16:9, then the video will display correctly within the preview screen.

Can you give some details of your original video files, what type are they?

If you just need PC playback then you could try one of the HD options —HDV for PC.
Otherwise you would have to create your own template using Custom, although the Make Movie Templates Manager maybe a better option. Some formats allow you to User define the frame size.

[maxfrost01]

Hi, Trevor

Not quite sure I follow your comment about the display in the preview screen. What has that got to do with the Video File I want to create?
Certainly the image in the preview screen looks good/HD quality.

HDV for PC looks like a good way to go and it does give me the 1440 x 1080 that I want, but I notice that when I use one of the presets (such as HDV for PC) I lose some of the options - particualry compression which I always used to set at the max 100 (don't know what it actually did but going to the max always seems like a good idea )

Happy to create my "own template using Custom" as my settings are the same from one project to the next but how? If I can't find the options I want (especially 1440 x 1080) then how can I create the template?

Clip properties are MPEG-2 Video - Upper Field First; Attributes 24 bits, 1440 x 1080, 16:9; Frame Rate is 25,000; Data rate is 25,000 kbps.

[Ken Berry]

I really don't see what your problem is... Selecting Share > Create Video File > HDV for HDV (or even for PC) will give you rock solid HDV with absolutely identical properties to your original video. You can't get any better because those properties are the international standard for HDV (which I am assuming you are using). I use it all the time with excellent rests using HDV from my Canon HV20.

when I use one of the presets (such as HDV for PC) I lose some of the options - particualry compression which I always used to set at the max 100 (don't know what it actually did but going to the max always seems like a good idea )

In fact it was not compression that was regulated, but a supposed balance between the final quality and the time taken to produce the rendered video. Setting it to 100 meant a longer render but a theoretically, but only slightly, higher quality. Some people swear by it, but apart from playing around with it once or twice to gauge the end result, I have ignored it for the all the years I have been doing video editing. Instead, I always accepted the default as a good balance between rendering time and end quality. I was never disappointed. And with HD video, especially using the international standard properties, there is no point worrying about it since as I said at the outset, you will be getting identical properties to your original video, and -- as far as my eyes can detect -- absolutely identical properties. Moreover, like you I play back my new HDV either on my computer with full HD monitor or via my network to my big screen HDTV. The results, as I say, are excellent!

[maxfrost01]

Thanks, Ken

I am reassured.

I'd still be interested to know how to create my own template! Just curious................

[Ken Berry]

Select Settings > Make Movie Template Manager. Then in the dialogue box which appears, select MPEG Trasnport Stream (.m2t) as the format and give the template a name. You will find that the default properties are already set to 1440 x 1080 though you could also select 1920 x 1080. Compression on the third tab would need to be changed upwards. However, you will note that the only available option is VBR -- as opposed to standard HDV's CBR 25 Mbps. So to get a roughly equivalent average VBR would probably need to increase this to 35 Mbps. Note also that the only audio choices available are LPCM and Dolby, as opposed to standard HDV's mpeg layer 2 audio.

If you want an absolutely exact copy template of your original files, then in Make Movie Template Manager, you would select Add, nevigate to one of your original files, and link to that. But as I say, there is no point in doing this as the properties of the existing HDV for HDV template are already standard HDV properties identical to your own.

[maxfrost01]

Thanks, Ken - seems to work nicely.
Although, in summary, I think you're saying "quit messing around and use the existing templates".

Last question (probably) can you explain the difference between "HDV for HDV" and HDV for PC"?
To begin with - what does HDV stand for?

[Ken Berry]

I guess that is my message ... if in fact you are using HDV and its from a HDV camera!

As far as the difference between "HDV for HDV" and HDV for PC", frankly I have no idea why they have this in the program. As far as I am aware, HDV is HDV is HDV... and if you look at the properties for both these options, as far as I can see, they are identical!

As for HDV, it was the original High Definition Digital Video for the consumer market. The HDV cameras use -- as you are probably aware -- mini DV tapes, and the format is high def mpeg-2 UFF (well, you know the properties by now!!) -- although you can also set the camera to record in standard definition DV/AVI which curiously enough uses Lower Field First... The other, more recent high def format is of course AVCHD which is mpeg-4, and more highly compressed than HDV (and requires much greater computer resources to edit and play...)

[maxfrost01]

Ah, so, HDV should really be HDDV

Interesting to note that the AVCHD takes more computing power than MPEG2.
I've been using my HD/mpeg2 camera for about six years now and was thinking about an upgrade - all the new models seem to be AVCHD.

Thanks as ever for the advice and help.