VSX5 Passthru editing

[dmz]

When I download videos created with my new cameras, VS does not understand the format (otherwise it would pop up a box saying do you want to set the project settings etc).
What I want to do is simply trim the clip - no effects or text or anything - just trim. I then want to save the video in exactly the same format as it was. I want to try the "same as first video clip" option but it is greyed out and there is nothing on the overlay track.
Any ideas?

Thanks

David

[skier-hughes]

what format is the video?

[teknisyan]

It will also help if you tell us what your camera and the model is.

Thanks!

[dmz]

Sorry - it was a general question - this problem can occur on many many devices due to videostudio being unwilling to recognise the large amount of video formats out there. My little program mediainfo (which is free) does.
The camera is a Canon EOS 550D and mediainfo gives this information about the video file:


General
Complete name : D:\photos\download\2012-05-02\001.MOV
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 91.3 MiB
Duration : 16s 540ms
Overall bit rate : 46.3 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L5.0
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=12
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 16s 540ms
Bit rate : 44.7 Mbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.971
Stream size : 88.2 MiB (97%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15
Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio
ID : 2
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, Sign : Signed
Codec ID : sowt
Duration : 16s 540ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 536 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 3.03 MiB (3%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-02 21:07:15

When I go to share a video and choose custom as a workaround then nothing i select so far is able to reproduce anywhere near the quality of the original video. Im just really surprised that it cannot do a simple passthru. If I open up the same file in windows movie maker and do some trims and save it using "recommended settings" it seems to be fine.

Thanks

David

[Kingston]

Many MOV files contain bad information that can be corrected very quickly by opening the file in Quicktime Player (with the Pro features enabled), and then doing a "Save As" with a new file name. That saves it as another MOV file, but with errors corrected.

The video and audio isn't recompressed, so the quality is the same, and it doesn't take long to do.

[dmz]

Thanks you for your wise reply. My question would then be, why would a reputable company like Canon write an import from camera program that produced "bad information"?

David

[dmz]

According to my quicktime player I need to spend money on the pro version. Ive already spent a heap on videostudio - if they want to be a video editing software company why dont they recognise many common video formats?

David Z

[erdna]

Did you veryfy the "good looking" Movie Maker file with MediaInfo. Did it keep the original MOV properties? I doubt...

[dmz]

Im sure lots of people using videostudio run into this problem. How is this normally resolved? How do you get the best quality output if you cannot reproduce the original settings exactly?

[skier-hughes]

Thanks you for your wise reply. My question would then be, why would a reputable company like Canon write an import from camera program that produced "bad information"?

David

Sometimes it's not bad, they make it their "own", then they don't tell others what they've done, so it's guessing in the wind.

[skier-hughes]

Mediainfo is not a video editor, it is like comparing apples with pears. Editing video is a different process to recognising files, and is a different process to playing files, so media players can often play video files that video editors cannot edit.

What are the custom settings you are choosing?

Which settings did you choose in WLMM? This only saves out as a wmv file, so I'm supriosed it is fairing better, unless you chose a custom HD file option from that programme.

[dmz]

When I went to Share in VS, I tried to emulate the input file so I chose and MOV file and frame rate of 50fps and the same ratio of 1280x720 and the result was awful - pixelation and really poor quality.
I tried mp4 but I cant seem to set the frame rate to 50fps.
But my general question still stands - there are many of us that have a video file from somewhere and want to use videostudio to edit it and get the best results. So what do people do? Is it really the case that I have to try about a dozen different file types and options to work out which is the best format given my input?
I have used videostudio for years and have had no problems as my panasonic GS300 produces and avi file which seems to be one of the rare formats that VS can understand (by understand, I mean that when you drop the video into VS you get the "do you want to change the project settings to match your input" popup).
But I wanted to update to a newer camcorder but I fear that videostudio will become useless because it will produce a video that cannot be reproduced.
Perhaps I need to explain - when I video I believe in take lots and edit, rather than regretting missing something.
So the first thing I do when I download a video is to trim it to get rid of the bits I dont need and then save this as my new Master file. It is important that this master file be the same format as the original to eliminate any loss in quality. I then use this Master file to apply more edits such as adding text etc.....
So this first step was fine with my GS300 but appears not to be possible for any modern camera as VS understands only a tiny amount of video files.
However, when I look at youtube I find that some people have used VS with a Canon EOS 550d and got great results? I wonder how they did it?
Cheers
David

[lata]

Hi David

First I own a Canon 7D which I believe creates the same type of files.
I have to say I use the camera is an image camera with video capabilities.
It is not a dedicated video camera, It does however produce excel ant video.
There is a guy called KOBRA76 who uses the same camera 550 as far as i know is now producing good video.

David please right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they?

Note that the Compression details are empty.

Canon use H264 codec associated with Mov, I have yet to find a way to re-encode using Mov H264. Maybe we need QT Pro?????
I do not think VS can read this correctly hence the blank Compression details,
and the reason why Share Create Video File - Same as First Video is not available

Anyway using Make Movie Templates Manager -New I can create a template to :-

QuickTime Movie Files
24 bits, 1280 x 720, 50 fps
Frame-based
MPEG 4 Visual
50% Quality, 24 Key Frame Rate
None, 8.000 KHz, 8 bits, Stereo

Try that ..............

There are other compression options, sure there is one that will give good video.

As i say i don't use the cameras video function other than testing.

I assume you wish to upload to YouTube and not create a DVD Disc

Are you able to make a sample available, maybe via 4Shared. i could try a few conversions to test the quality.

Post Edited

David have you set Enable 50p editing from the Settings menu.

[skier-hughes]

It is important that this master file be the same format as the original to eliminate any loss in quality. I then use this Master file to apply more edits such as adding text etc.....
Most files these days are made with lossy formats, so any changes made and resaving means you lose a certain amount of quality, even saving as same as project settings. The compression factor just keeps compressing.

So this first step was fine with my GS300 but appears not to be possible for any modern camera as VS understands only a tiny amount of video files.

I'm sorry, but how many video file types have you tried?


However, when I look at youtube I find that some people have used VS with a Canon EOS 550d and got great results? I wonder how they did it?

Maybe they bought Quicktime Pro? Maybe they converted using some other conversion utility? Maybe their set up and order of installing apps, which apps they have installed, not installed compared to yourself means they can work with the programme and files. It's a complicated business. As they have done it, it sort of rules out all your other arguements and criticisms that VS can't work with files from your camera!!

[dmz]

Thanks - Ill try some settings when I have some time.
I understand about lossy - Sometimes I wonder that my Panasonic video cam with a mini-dv tape is actually far better than todays modern full HD gizmos cause it least it comes in as DV format which I understand is non-lossy. Are there really no video cameras that produce non-lossy full hd?
I have 3 other "photo" cameras that can take video. All of them VS doesnt understand so I have to spend hours trying to experiment with the best output video format.
Cheers
David