I Have Miscellaneous Questions . . . . Please

[oka]

(1.) Ken Berry mentioned one can create a AVCHD file from a HD file, and burn it to a SD disk (about twenty minutes of HD video, playable in a Blue-Ray drive). If so, then can I use a dual layer disk to get more video time?

(2.) Just found this on line:

” The main difference between HD and AVCHD format is in the compression. HD video contains about four times the amount of picture data as standard definition video, AVCHD uses the MPEG4 compression system to fit the information onto a standard DVD disk.”

On the above quote, does it mean to get a HD video right to a DVD, I would have to convert (save) it to a AVCHD?

(3.) Should I start using MPEG-4 . . . if yes, why? In VSPro X3, SHARE – CREATE VIDEO FILE – AVCHD – NTSC HD 1920 does not give me the MPEG-4 option.

(4.) Say I have a 90 minute HD video file ( 17GB / MPEG-2 / 1920x1088 / 29.97fps / 30720kbps ) with some unwanted party clips I would like to remove from this video and resave. Though, hard drive space is not an issue, but would like to trim it down if possible. What would be the best scenario to take? After editing, resaving the video with its original properties or converting it to AVCHD and reducing the video bit rate. If so, what would be the lowest bit rate I should go for a HD quality (I think the 30Mbps is too high). I remember being adviced to go as low as 12Mbps.

(5.) What is (are) the differences here. Say I have the above file and after editing, I resaved it with a lower video bit rate and still in HD. Or, I just saves it to a AVCHD. What would be the difference(s) here?

(6.) I have a backup drive I have in the safe. What would be the best way to archive the video files – HD, AVCHD, ISO or any other way?

(7.) To edit videos, how important is the VideoStudio Pro X3, with DVD MF7 SE available? Looking in the MF& SE, what disk type should I pick if all I need to do is edit the HD? So, this seem to answer my question to use VideoStudio Pro X3 to do my edits . . . right?

(8.) I have read a few on Smart Proxy. Some people like it and more don’t. How important is it? The tutorial by the Corel technician advice to leave it on.

Thanks in advance!

[Trevor Andrew]

Wow ……., I’ll try to answer some issues

(1.) Ken Berry mentioned one can create a AVCHD file from a HD file, and burn it to a SD disk (about twenty minutes of HD video, playable in a Blue-Ray drive). If so, then can I use a dual layer disk to get more video time? –---yep but some have problems using Duel Layer discs on Standard DVD, I think you would be best upgrading your burner to Bluray and use Bluray discs………

(2.) Just found this on line: ” The main difference between HD and AVCHD format is in the compression. HD video contains about four times the amount of picture data as standard definition video, AVCHD uses the MPEG4 compression system to fit the information onto a standard DVD disk.”

On the above quote, does it mean to get a HD video right to a DVD, I would have to convert (save) it to a AVCHD? Yes………..
(3.) Should I start using MPEG-4 . . . if yes, why? In VSPro X3, SHARE – CREATE VIDEO FILE – AVCHD – NTSC HD 1920 does not give me the MPEG-4 option…That is correct, the format will be MPEG2/MTS???

(4.) Say I have a 90 minute HD video file ( 17GB / MPEG-2 / 1920x1088 / 29.97fps / 30720kbps ) with some unwanted party clips I would like to remove from this video and resave. Though, hard drive space is not an issue, but would like to trim it down if possible. What would be the best scenario to take? After editing, resaving the video with its original properties or converting it to AVCHD and reducing the video bit rate. If so, what would be the lowest bit rate I should go for a HD quality (I think the 30Mbps is too high). I remember being adviced to go as low as 12Mbps.---You don’t say what your original properties are

(5.) What is (are) the differences here. Say I have the above file and after editing, I resaved it with a lower video bit rate and still in HD. Or, I just saves it to a AVCHD. What would be the difference(s) here?---the AVCHD is just a standard template, you can reduce the rate if you needed to, quality would also reduce,

(6.) I have a backup drive I have in the safe. What would be the best way to archive the video files – HD, AVCHD, ISO or any other way?

(7.) To edit videos, how important is the VideoStudio Pro X3, with DVD MF7 SE available? Looking in the MF& SE, what disk type should I pick if all I need to do is edit the HD? So, this seem to answer my question to use VideoStudio Pro X3 to do my edits . . . right?—Use X3 to edit—render the project—use DVD MF7 to burn the disc.

(8.) I have read a few on Smart Proxy. Some people like it and more don’t. How important is it? The tutorial by the Corel technician advice to leave it on….leave it on---as far as I know it does not affect the final renderThanks in advance!

This post has a lot going on, to save confusion maybe you should use one subject per post, then you will get a fuller reply

[Ken Berry]

I think you are confusing yourself -- and others! -- by using the term 'HD' to describe video other than AVCHD. HD simply means high definition, and AVCHD video is also, of course, high definition. The term you should be using is HDV, which is high definition mpeg-2. It uses the .m2t extension. AVCHD is high definition mpeg-4 using the H.264 codec. It uses either the .mts or .m2ts extension...

On that basis, Trevor's answer to your question 3 needs some revision. He said:

(3.) Should I start using MPEG-4 . . . if yes, why? In VSPro X3, SHARE – CREATE VIDEO FILE – AVCHD – NTSC HD 1920 does not give me the MPEG-4 option…That is correct, the format will be MPEG2/MTS???

The Share > Create Video File > AVCHD option does not give an mpeg-4 option simply because AVCHD *is* mpeg-4 (though using the H.264 codec as opposed to any other mpeg-4 codec). It is not mpeg-2. And as I say, its extension can be .mts, but once processed, it is more normally .m2ts...

Re question 4, personally, I would stick with the original HDV format if all your other video is HDV, and keep the bitrate as high as the original if you want to retain quality. If however your ultimate intention is to convert the whole project to AVCHD, then you could do it immediately with those edited clips. But again, if you want good quality, stick to a high bitrate. It can't be 30 Mbps since that is not an AVCHD bitrate in any case. Although the international AVCHD standard now goes up to 24 Mbps, X4 only allows a maximum of 18 Mbps if you are burning an AVCHD hybrid disc on DVD, or else 20 Mbps.... Higher bitrates e.g. 30 Mbps or 35 Mbps or even higher, relate to HDV which, as noted above is mpeg-2.

[oka]

Though #6 question was not answered, I subliminally got its answer from the rest of my questions.

I had used "HD video" instead of "HDV", I'll try and make a note of that.

Sorry I compiled too many questions in one post, I thought it would be much easier to handle, but I guess not. In this post, it seemed to have worked – next time I have such ‘loaded’ questions, I’ll split them up.

I sure appreciate all the information I got here, well taken and understood enough to use them.

Thanks again for all your time.

[Black Lab]

To answer #6 for you, I think the best archival format is the original.