Burning DVDs on another computer with VSProX4

[rhelmod]

Since I am unable to burn DVDs with my current computer drive I want to burn them on another computer using the VSProX4 software. Also the video quality of the DVD I burned on this computer is poor. What is the easiest way to burn them on another computer? Should I create DVD folders or create disc image or just copy the files in the Corel VSPro folder on Documents and transfer it to the new computer. I rendered a video file from my project and it is saved in my projects folder in documents. Thanks for the help.
Bob

[BrianCee]

Either way is good - it really depends on what software you have on the other computer, programmes which burn a disc image (.iso) file don't seem as common as they used to be but if you have one then it can be used - I have never found a way to burn .iso files using VideoStudio. Burning DVD folders is quite easy and is the way I do it using Roxio on the second PC. just remember that either way you will need to transfer around 4GB so you need something to hold that for the transfer, I tend to keep all my video work on external hard disks anyrate so for me it's just a matter of plugging into another PC.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bob
Assuming you are burning a standard DVD

I don’t understand why the quality should be poor, if you create a video file of your project the quality of the burn should be as good as the video file irrespective the machine used. Maybe there is some issues with the video render properties? Play the completed video to check the quality before burning the disc.
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You have a few options
1 /
Using Smart Package will copy all clips within the project to a single folder, this can be moved to the new pc to continue the editing and complete the burn.

2 /
(Share -- Create Video File- choose an option), your original files properties and the project content influences your choice.
Can you provide property details of your original videos?
The resultant file can be transferred to the other pc to complete the burn.

3 / Create a Disc Image (Iso) or DVD Folders provided you have the ability to burn them?

Option one is probably the most versatile………………..

[rhelmod]

The video file that I rendered is 16:9 mpg video for regular DVD. The video file that I previewed does seem to be good. The original video was shot 20 years ago on Hi8 and transfered to Digital last year on professional equipment. The quality of the video is poor compared to todays HD standards. When I am burning the DVDs with whatever program I use they all have the waves in them off of objects. Should I try to render the video again to a different format. I figured it was my drive that was giving me a poor quality video. Again the video looks pretty good on the computer but when transfered to DVD it looks bad. Any suggestions.

Also, I did make an image file and burned a DVD off of it this morning on the same computer with the same results. More details later when I get home to the computer.
Bob

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bob

Assuming the originals are standard dvd sizes, there is no real reason why your completed dvd should be noticeably poorer quality than the original. Can you confirm you are burning a standard DVD and not a HD DVD

The final output properties should reflect the original as far as possible.
From the timeline or library please right click one of the original video files, select properties. What are they.?
This will allow us to give appropriate conversion settings.

Post the details, if you wish you can copy and paste the window, create an image and attach to the post

[Ken Berry]

I captured most of my old 8mm video collection using Firewire. The capture format was DV and thus possibly the best quality possible for such a capture. It looked good when played on my computer. After editing, I converted it to DVD-compatible mpeg-2 for eventual burning to DVD. This is the important bit: your original Hi8 or 8mm video will never be better than good quality VHS. Nothing much you can do about that as it is the nature of the beast. But you need to preserve as much of that quality as possible. And you do that largely by using a bitrate for the conversion to mpeg-2 which will at least preserve that quality as far as possible.

Now most people who do this sort of analogue capture/digital conversion will say that it would be overkill to use a bitrate of anything more than 6000 kbps -- that this will give as good a quality as can be squeezed out of video which was originally analogue. And the results using that are good. This bitrate will also allow your to burn 90 minutes of video to a single layer DVD. However, since few of my projects are more than an hour long, I go in for overkill -- just in case! -- and use the higher bitrate of 8000 kbps. It may not improve the final quality, but it makes me feel that this is the best possible. And again, the end result looks good when played on my computer.

After burning to DVD, you will fairly naturally play it back on a (much) larger TV. Now you will see that your video is indeed really only VHS quality, though if you used a high bitrate, it still should look like pretty good VHS. But it simply can't look better than that as that is what it started out life as. And the old adage applied: you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Any little imperfections will be more magnified on a bigger TV screen, and if you are using a high def TV with a very large screen size, then your video will not compare with DVDs made using videos which was originally digital as opposed to analogue, even if your DVD/Blu-Ray player or TV have Blu-Ray upscaling.

[rhelmod]

The original clips are 352x240 4:3 mpeg 2 video. I did render it in HD I believe DVD video 16:9. Is that the problem? What should I render it in?
I appreciate the help. I am new to editing video with this program.
Bob

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bob

Can you right click the original video clip and select properties, we need to know all details.
The frame order Upper or Lower field, whether they are Pal or Ntsc I assume Ntsc.

These are typical settings used to convert the video and should be suitable to burn to disc.
However they do use a smaller frame size than normal

MPEG files
24 bits, 352 x 240, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First (depends on the original file)
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: 8000 kbps
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

These are typical full frame size suitable for a standard DVD
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First (depends on the original file)
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: 8000 kbps
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Use Settings make Movie Templates Manager to create these templates.
the template will show in Share create Video File adjacent to the custom option

[BrianCee]

two further points

if your original footage is 4:3 - stick with it - do NOT render to 16:9 that will cause distortion

If your original footage is standard def - stick with it - do NOT render to HD - why do that you cannot improve on what you have and may lose quality due to the additional conversion going on

[rhelmod]

From what it says on the properties, he used the 352 x 240 4:3 rate variable DVD NTSC mpeg 2 setting to create the video that I am using when it was made Digital from Hi8. Do I need to render it in the same format as he used to make my DVD video file from my project? Like I originally posted, I am getting wavy lines on straight objects in the video when it is burned and during viewing after making the DVD video file from what I did in HD. I dont expect to get a better quality than the Hi8 it was shot on but it looks bad on the DVD when burned. Bob

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bob

The wavy lines may be due to the Field Order, we are assuming they are either Upper or Lower but could be Frame Based, using a different frame order from the original may cause the wavy lines.

The properties of the original are suitable to burn the dvd, the frame size is small but shouldn’t cause a problem as it’s a standard NTSC size.

Use the properties I posted earlier taking care regarding the frame order.

If from the project when doing Share Create Video File-“Same as first video is available” ---should render the project using your original settings.

To burn a disc
Start a new project (nothing in the timeline)
Share create disc—Add Video file—using the video file created earlier.

[Ken Berry]

I think it should be said, though, that it seems very strange to me that the person who did the original conversion of the Hi8 should have used such a small frame size, especially if he was using 'professional equipment'. If you have to get any more done, insist he use the far larger and more normal 720 x 480.

[rhelmod]

Ken, I totally agree with you on that. I am not happy that he used the settings that he did. I want to re-transfer the HI8 video at a higher resolution. Actually the Hi8 video looks pretty good directly to the TV. I need to get a Sony HI8 player since my old camera died. I have seen some on Ebay. What program do you guys suggest for transfering Hi8 to DV? What settings should I use. I bought one of the USB EasyCaps to use. I am re-rendering the video tonight and I will burn a DVD to test it.
thanks for your help,
Bob

[Ken Berry]

Re the EasyCap, there is a sticky post towards the top of this forum warning of fake devices bearing this name.

While you might still want to get a Hi8 player, my own recommendation would be to look for a Sony Digital 8 camcorder which also accepts Hi8 analogue tapes. It will have a Firewire port, and you simply connect that to your computer Firewire port, and capture direct from the tape in DV format. That will give absolutely the best quality for editing, and be the right frame size etc. And when you have finished editing, your then go to Share > Create Video File, and convert the DV to DVD-compatible mpeg-2. That way you also get a digital video camera as a back-up .... though admittedly a lot bigger than modern camcorders.

A number of us here have such cameras. Only Sony made them, I believe. But you should be able to get one at a decent price on e-Bay. My own model is the DCR TRV-480. Do a Google search and you will get a lot of responses, though of course there are a variety of other Sony models out there. But remember it must be able to play back analogue 8mm and Hi8 tapes.

[rhelmod]

Ken, Thanks for the tip. I was interested in getting a camcorder earlier or a player but this make it easy. You guys have been a big help so far. I was able to finally get a DV rendered and burned DVDs for the project that look good without distortion.

One more question: I have a 808 #11 HD keychain camera that I will use to shoot video with on Model trains. Here are the video specs:
720P high Definition Video 1280 x 720 H.264/AVC1 30fps .mov
I tested it last night and it is indeed HD. What DVD format do I use for rendering the Digital video in VSProX4? I dont know the video properties yet but I could get them tonight if needed. Is that 16:9 HD format?
Thanks, Bob