Editing home movies help please, what format?

[guysy]

Hi,

Im editing my home dvds that i have imported to my hard drive, now using VideoStudio x4 to crop them into the right clips and adding text,

So far ive managed after some reading to set the in and out points, drag it to the time line, then add text...

I had a bit of trouble finding out how to save it, but i think im right in clicking "3 share" and then "create video file" to save the clip ?

Once ive done this what is the best format to save the clip as? baring in mind once i have all my clips cropped with text at the beginning, im hoping to burn them all to a DVD, and add menus... Is the menus also something that can be done on Video studio?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Ken Berry]

i think im right in clicking "3 share" and then "create video file" to save the clip ?

Yes, that is correct.

If you are intending to burn a DVD eventually, then you choose Share > Create Video File > DVD, and this will convert/save the clip as a DVD-compatible mpeg-2. By international standard, a video DVD can only contain mpeg-2 files (and in some older cases, mpeg-1).

You don't say which version of VS you are using, but I am assuming X4. And if so, yes, you create menus during the burning process: Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module will then open and you insert your new mpeg-2 in the burning timeline, construct your menu and burn.

[guysy]

Yeah x4

Ok, perfect thank you,

If i edit each clip, well crop, then save as mpeg-2, and get a collection of all the clips i need,

I kind of wanted to have a dvd like a "extras" on a normal dvd is, where i can have play all so each clip will play one after the other (suppose this will happen if i add clip after clip possibly with effects in between)?, but also have each clip as a separate thumbnail on the menu... Is this possible?

Thanks.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

We need to know some details regarding your original video files.
Right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they. You can take a screen shot of the window, create an image and attach to your post.

X4 ‘s standard template uses Upper Field order by default, you may need to use lower, that depends on your original properties.

How long is the total length of your completed movie? this will determine the bit rate.

DVD menu structure.
If you create short video files, for each file added to the disc a thumbnail will be added to the main menu page. (known as a title) How this plays depends on what you select in the burner module, Navigation Controls.

Options are
Play all—and repeat for ever and ever
Play any one title and retire to menu.
Play all then return to menu.

Additional chapters can be created within each title. The chapter menu is not controlled by the navigation controls, so once a chapter is select it then plays to end of title.

[guysy]

I had the tapes transfered from Video 8, I think that is the old tape format, direct on to dvd, then ive used a dvd ripper to copy the files onto my hard drive because it was being too slow reading from the dvd itself,

I have 6 seperate DVDS all varying sizes, but they are wmv. format, is that a good format? i originally ripped them in that format because i was reading a guide and where intending to use windows own movie maker, but then i realised it was rubbish and id need to purchase something that was actually worth learning!

here is one of the ripped dvds details: (hoping WMV is a good format, otherwise more time and steps back!)

So once ive imported and edited the wmv. files i am now saving them as DVD > Mpeg 2, which is saving them as a decent size, i.e. 232mb for a 6min clip, (im going on a good size being good for TV watching) but im not sure if that will be the end result...

The aim is, the DVD's are watch-able on TV, now ive ripped them straight onto my hard drive, and am saving them as dvd quality... once they end up on disc should they still be the same -ish quality?

Anyway details:



And the menus thing sounds perfect, if i put all the clips on a time line with effects in between, i can have them all play then back to the menu? and each clip added to the time line should generate its own thumbnail?

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

First of all you should not convert the DVD to Wmv, that is an unnecessary step and will reduce the quality. Besides the Frame Rate should be 25 for Pal not 30

The DVD.

is the DVD a data disc or a standard DVD that plays on your DVD Player.

Insert the DVD to your PC drive, explore the contents does it contain a Video _TS folder.?
If yes Right Click the Video Studio Timeline and select Insert Digital Media
Follow the instructions selecting to insert titles.

The files will be saved to the working folder, the clips will be loaded to the timeline.

When I asked to right click and select properties I was intending you to do from the Video Studio timeline.

[guysy]

Sorry for the late reply havent had time to edit over the week,

Ok so ive scrapped the idea of using my ripped wmv. files and have just now imported the Disc into the timeline,

It is a dvd disc not a data disc,

However i imported the disc and its split into the chapeters that have been made for the dvd, when i set the in and out points for the clip i wanted the first time it saved / rendered the whole dvd which took ages, and ive just tried to crop the clip again and its not been cropped the way i wanted to, this time it wasnt the whole clip but went further past where i wanted it to end.

Am i doing something wrong? ill try again now.

EDIT...

Yeah the timeline has splits for the chapters is it? it runs like it would do when played normally, but before i was double clicking a clip and setting the in and outs on the smaller pop out window... now im doing it on the time line it doesnt seem to be cropping when i want i to..

Heres a screen shot of what you originally wanted to see:

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

After you imported the clips to the timeline you save the project by File Save or Save As.
This saves the details of the timeline and all edits. This file is a Video Studio Document aka VSP (Video Studio Project)

You continue to work on the timeline edits saving the work as you go, this updates the project file (VSP)
When finished and you are ready to create a disc you convert/render the project to a new video file (Mpeg2 file.)
Your original video files are mpeg2.

Choose Share Create Video File – Same as first Video will create a video file to your original properties.

Now it would be nice to know what these properties are,
Right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they.?

The length of the project is also important as this affects the Bit Rate being used, how long is the project?

[guysy]

Ok so ive imported the disc and ive saved the project...

The part where im stuck is editing the clip in the timeline... if i set my in and out points, and go to create video file its saving the whole thing...

After ive set the in and out points of the clip i want how to i make sure thats the only thing that will be saved?

I know im doing something simple wrong... im just not sure what.

I posted a screen shot up is it not showing?

Here it is again:

[Ken Berry]

Normally, setting the in and out points should work. But as an alternative, you could go to the point of the video where you want your new video to start and cut it at that point with the scissors icon to the bottom right of the preview screen. You will then have two pieces of video in the timeline. Left click the first bit (that you don't want) to select it and simply delete it. Then move down the remain piece to the point where you want the end point and cut it again right there. Then highlight the end part (which you don't want) and delete that. Then go Share > Create Video File > Same as First Clip.

[guysy]

Ok thanks,

I have 6 dvds to edit.. i WAS hoping to get the various clips onto 1 or two dvds...

I just now did it the way you suggested, for some reason creating the in and out points on the timeline and creating video wasn't working...

So i want to where i wanted it to start and end, snip'ed it, and then deleted the rest...

The size issue..... example "my christening" 26m ... 935mb... i think im going to have difficulty getting all the clips onto 2 dvds...

But if thats the case its fine, i just want to make sure im editing it all in the right format this time so i dont have to re-do it again.

[Ken Berry]

Are the other 5 clips roughly the same size, or bigger or smaller? A single layer DVD can hold 4.3 GB of video, so if the other clips are roughly the same size, they will all fit comfortably on two DVDs.

But if they are a bit too big (i.e. over 8.6 GB in total) then you could -- instead of choosing Same As First Clip -- choose Custom instead. Then leave it as mpeg-2 format, but on the Compression tab, when you click the Options button, reduce the bitrate a little down from the existing 4494 bps to, say, 4000 kbps.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Just a quick observation
Your original video file is using a bit rate of 4494kbps.
This will allow you to create a disc of approximately 120 minutes.
The rest of the properties are standard Mpeg2 suitable to burn a DVD

Be assured you are using the correct settings to burn your disc. Please say how long your completed project runs for.
Good night Ken.

[guysy]

Thank you both for the help...

Im editing clips as we speak but getting rather annoyed now..

Im snipping clips, and deleting the before and after clips then saving..

Because as i said when i set the in and out points on the time line and go to save it ignores these points and saves the whole time line... what am i doing wrong?

[Ken Berry]

If by Saving you mean you are just going to File > Save, then you are simply saving a project file, not a video. A VSP project file is only a text file showing where the video is stored and what has been done to it. To save the actual changes, you have to use Share > Create Video File > Same As First Clip.