Video Studio and MOV files

[RDK45]

Folks......Its been a while since I posted anything here. I guess I have been able to solve all of my own problems. Then I converted to Windows 7 Pro and, while VS 11+ installed and seems to work ok, I lost the ability to effectively import/process MOV files. I also installed VS X2 with similar results. Experience so far is choppy video and/or out of sync audio.

OK, I know you folks highly recommend "SUPER" for file conversions so..... First off it said my installed version was out of date with dire warnings if I were to proceed - crashes, corruption, etc. I installed the new version and have not been able to find a combination of settings which will get my MOV files into a format which works with VS. In fact, Super more often that not just stops processing just as it is ready to save the file, no error message, nothing. BUT NOT ALWAYS, which is the most frustrating part???

Super version is July 2011 - latest as of today.

The MOV files are coming from my wife's Nikon D-7000 (1,920 x 1,080, 23.976 FPS, H.264/MPEG-4) or her Panosonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (1280x720, 30 FPS, MPEG4)

Any help out there??

Thanks...RDK

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi RDK

I am sure there is lots of help out here, but it would help if we knew just what you intend to make.

Are you creating a DVD Disc, if so what type Bluray/Avchd or Standard Definition

Or are you wanting to upload to say YouTube.

Knowing what you intend to make will help in deciding what you convert to.

Just to double check the video properties, please right click each type and select properties, what are they?
You could use Alt + Prt Sc to copy the window to an image editor, save the image and upload to this forum.
You say Mov with Mpeg4 or is it Mov with H264?

[RDK45]

Trevor...Thanks for the quick reply. The goal is to combine these #$%#%& MOV clips with other AVI clips (downloaded from my SONY DCR-HC96 Video Camera via WinDV) into a DVD, non-Blueray. Initial version will be 16:9, PAL but eventually I will want to make an NTSC version.

When I right click example files from the two sourses they give even less good information and I supplied in my first note:

The MOV files are coming from
1) my wife's Nikon D-7000 (1,920 x 1,080, 23.976 FPS, H.264/MPEG-4)
or 2) her Panosonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (1280x720, 30 FPS, MPEG-4)

Thanks again...RDK

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

To burn a standard DVD your video files have to be converted ultimately to Mpeg2 similar to:-

MPEG files for Pal
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Ok
Your AVI files via Win DV are DV-Avi and are easily converted to Mpeg2
Can you right click one of these and select properties what are they? Are they Pal or Ntsc.

I ask as your Mov files seem to reflect a NTSC standards.

As I said your video needs to be converted to Mpeg 2. There is going to be some reduction in quality. Of your HD files.

As a test I would first use Make Movie Manager – Add to create a template of your Avi file.
Using this template convert your Mov’s to DV-Avi
Play the new DV-Avi to check quality.

Use the DV-Avi files to create your project.
Render the project to Mpeg2
Burn the Mpeg2 to disc.

[RDK45]

Trevor....Thanks again. Both of my wife's cameras were purchased in France so I assume the setting for the video are appropriate to Europe or globally??? Anyway I have attached screen shots of example properties for each the Nikon and Panasonic MOV files.

The AVI-DV files from my Sony Video camera are PAL. Screen shot is attached.

At this point I guess I'm most interested in the settings (either Video Studio or SUPER) for converting these MOV files to something I can place on the timeline in my Video Studio project with my Sony files. For now I don't seem to have anything which works to my satisfaction.

Of course, I understnd that the final conversion from the timeline containing my AVI/DV clips and these other clips to MPEG2 will loose some quality and defination, but that is normal for DVD producton?? My goal is to get these MOV clips, which look good in Media Player or Quicktime, "seamlessly" incorporated with the rest of my video and photos for the finished DVD.

By the way, my old Windows XP Pro setup worked perfectly for this. Don't you love progress.....Rob

[Ken Berry]

First off, have you applied the update patches for X2? Otherwise, it will not work properly with Windows 7...

Next, if the properties you provided are accurate, then you also have a potential problem with the .mov files since the two types are different. One is filming at 24p (progressive and looking like commercial film), while the other seems to be running at 30p, which would place it in the NTSC category. Since they are progressive, then in theory at least, they should work together OK with your DV/AVI which is interleaved and Lower Field First. But you will have three different frame rates, and if you are producing a PAL DVD, then the two lots of movie files will have to adjust their speed. The 24p will speed up just a little as 1 fps is added, but the NTSC video is likely to appear a little jerky as 5 fps are deleted from it.

What version of Quicktime are you using? Open Quicktime Player and it will tell you under About. With both VS11 and X2, you had to use the version that was installed in the VS installation process.

[RDK45]

Ken.....Thanks for your comments. Both VS11+ and VS X2 are fully updated/patched. My Quicktime player Version reads: 7.7 1680.34. So I'm guessng I have updated the player along the way?

My normal procedure would be to modify the MOV clips to be nearly compatible with the rest of my video (ie SONY PAL AVI/DV) and then render it all out as an AVI file. Then I would render the final AVI file as an MPG2 file for the DVD. Thus I'm looking for settings (for SUPER or VS 11+ or X2) for each the Nikon and the Panasonic MOV files, whichever would be appropriate for these MOV file conversions.

As an aside, I wonder why these camera makers have chosen the MOV wrapper format, instead of the more common MPG2/4?

Anyway, thanks for your time and thoughts....RDK

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi RDK

I don’t understand your problem, if your original/normal procedure of converting the Mov’s worked then why not use the same approach. Video Studio versions have improved but the workflows we use have not changed the approach being the same as the very earlier versions-including settings.

Yet you ask for settings which “would be appropriate for these Mov file conversions”??????

However you have a few options…………….

1 / make the project properties same as DV-Avi--use all video files without converting and edit the project
Then Share Create Video File same as DV-Avi or Mpeg2, I would try both to see which gives best quality.
If you chose DV-Avi you would have to convert again to Mpeg2 using the new file burn a disc.

2 / Using your original process pre render all Mov files to DV-Avi
Edit these new files along with the original AVI’s


Ok
Try this
1 / Go to File –Preferences (F5) – General Tab tick Show Messages when inserting First Video File
2 / Start a new project-add one of the wifes Dv-Avi to the timeline
3 / A pop-up window will request you to match the project properties.
4 / Choose details— (or make a note) or copy and paste the details in the right-hand panel, these are the video properties.
5 / Select Yes will match the project properties
6 / Remove the clip from the timeline
7 / Add a mov file –Share Create Video File Same as Project properties.

If you wish to use Super the properties showing in the Detail Panel should be used.
Using Video Studio go to File - Batch Convert use the same DV-Avi settings.

---------------------------------------------

Cameras

All cameras are now capable of recording video, most of these formats would be destined for the internet.
A lot of these cameras use 30 fps, not a problem if you use YouTube.
Not a problem for those in the US using NTSC, but for us poor folk over the pond use Pal which causes a bit of an issue.
If you do a Google on Mov and Mpeg4 you may find they are very similar formats.

---------------------------------------

One last thought, if your Mov files are longer than the DV-Avi then you may be best to produce a NTSC type first then convert to Pal………………..

[RDK45]

Hi Trevor.....You're right, I was not clear in my last post. My normal process for making a DVD from various video and image sources is to set up the Project Properties for my DV video, add the DV clips to the time-line and then add, as-is if possible, the other clips/photos or preprocess them into a format which Video Studio understands and then add them to the time-line. My problem with these Nikon and Panasonic clips is that Video Studio does not handle them well. For example the Nikon clips, when added to the timeline as above, cause me the most problems: choppy and audio not in sync. Thus for them I need to find a process (Super, VS or other) to convert them into a form which looks correct in Video Studio.

I've tried using Super to convert them to either MPEG4 or AVI but that program hangs, either just as I click the "Encode Active Files" button or when is seems to be done processing and is ready to save the file. The most frustrating thing is that it is inconsistent, sometimes it will process a file and the next time with the same settings it hangs.

I can not work on this now, so I will try later or tomorrow. Thanks for your patience....RDK

[Ken Berry]

Have your tried reinstalling the version of Quicktime which came with X2?

As for why they chose .mov as the format, it may have something to do with making the output more easily compatible with camera owners who have Apple Mac computers since Quicktime was originally, as I understand it, more associated with Apple than with PCs... But then again, most video formats/codecs are the same whether in the Apple or PC worlds and should thus be readily opened in either type of computer...

[gi1mo2]

I have had issues playing MOV files in VS Pro X4 for some time now, but the same MOV files (from a Panasonic LUMIX camera) work fine in VS Pro X3. The issue is a newer version of Quicktime which was installed with iTunes. I uninstalled Quicktime and re-installed version 7.6, and MOV files now work with VS Pro X4 Ultimate (got the upgrade today). I could not open MOV, nor did I see a QuickTime type when I tried to load that type of video in X4.

Bigger problem... Now I can't run iTunes because it wants the newer version of QuickTime (7.7 although the site says 7.6 or newer). I reinstalled an older version of iTunes, but it won't run because the iTunes Library was created with a newer version (don't want to lose that...).

So it's catch 22. I need BOTH. Fault may be with Apple for not providing backward compatibility, but fix may have to be from Corel since X3 works fine, but not X4.

HELP.

[Ken Berry]

Yet the funny thing is that I have version 7.7 of Quicktime, and my .mov files work fine with it in X4. But in previous versions I had to use the version which came with VS...

[RDK45]

Ken....What was the Quicktime version that came with VS X2? I may want to try uninstalling my Version 7.7 and installing the older version?? Also, where can i find the installer for the older version?....RDK

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Not sure about X2 -------- I do not think it installs Quick Time but X4 comes with Quick Time 7.5.5.

I have viewed the X2 installation files from C:\Program Files\Corel\VS-Installation Files\Utilities
and cannot see any reference to QT. I am sure that QT does not get installed when installing X2

Quick Time 7.5.5.

[Ken Berry]

That's strange. I was pretty sure that QT got installed by quite a few successive versions of VS, going back before X2... and that the same problems were occurring with X2 as they are now...