so fed up with not being able to burn a decent clip!!!!

[garjobo]

What am I doing wrong! I buy Corel VS X5 ( as well as Paintshop ) - I buy a 2nd harddrive ( to keep my photos/HD footage on ), I buy extra RAM...and the machine (a) seems to run slower!! ( assuming I havent enough power ( only 230volts ) so i disconnect my 2nd HD - for now )..still computer seems to run slower. I also bought a bluray player ( which i cannot seem to connec to the power supply!! )

BUT MY MAIN BUGBEAR IS WITH VS X5..Now, i havent altered settings / I simply tried to burn a 5min clip. First attempt - as it was burning said 'Something invalid' - I ask you!!!! 'something'...what gives..very helpful that. Managed to burn it 2nd attempt.

QUALITY...normal dvd...t'was...ok...just ok...I noticed anything with 'lines' ( aka..a door frame ) certainly looked..how you say..choppy...like a jaggard line..not a straight edge!!!! ..what gives with that!!!!! ..and I also noticed..watching it a 2nd time...within the space of 5mins the clip stopped..for a fraction of a second....about 4 times....I mean come on!!!!

What is wrong with this programme? What am I doing wrong!! what is wrong with my computer...why cant I just produce a passable clip!

Any answers..feel free to share..surprise me..and reply!! I mean...IS IT MY GRAPHICS CARD? Geforce 240....Is it my power supply ( 230w ).....specs below. DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY KNOW????

Appreciate any replies....

PACKARD BELL IXTREME M3720
6.OO GB RAM
640-BIT OP SYSMTE
PROCESSOR CORES 4
TOTAL SIZE OF HD - 932 GB
NVIDIA GEFORCE GT240
GRAPHICS MEMORY 3839MB
DECICATED GRAPHICS MEMORY 1024MB

[BrianCee]

first of all stop worrying about your mains power supply voltage it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the power spec of your computer.

Looking at the spec for your computer that also looks quite good - when you say running slow what do you mean - videos are quite complex files and there is a lot going on when you render a video file and it can take a bit of time.

while I would agree that some of the error messages which VideoStudio throws up are not very helpful I can't say I've ever seen one which says "Something invalid" - it may have said invalid file or similar .

The one thing which did stick out for me in your post though was the words "Now, i havent altered settings" - and there I suspect lies your problem.

It is possible to burn very good quality videos onto a standard DVD using VS X5 but it all depends on what video you started with - and what you converted it to - your reference to jagged lines suggests a frame order problem - where did your original video come from - how did it get to your computer - is it upper frame first - lower frame first - what ? - did you ensure it was exactly the same when you burnt your DVD.

Lets start at the beginning - please explain where the videos came from - how did you get them onto your computer and into VideoStudio - put one of them in the timeline - right click on it and choose 'properties' - copy those properties here.

then do the same with the video file you burnt to DVD - once we see the properties of each one then maybe we can set you straight and allow you to make good DVD's.

[garjobo]

Thanks Brian for taking the time, will do as you say...

See below for properties. I simply, stuck in my SD card, copied to a folder on my PC and then using VS - brought in the clip - right click properties...

( In regard to you saying Power supply...Im happy to get a newer geforce 260? perhaps graphics card ( £80 or so )..and this will require a 400w etc of power..again happy to purchase ( advice welcome )...anything to make editing my movies that little bit more pleasurable ( like i used to enjoy in the dv camcorder days!! )...just this HD business eats at so much power etc...btw, i realise I may not be using true HD most of the time, AVCHD.. instead the lower setting of HG1920. BUT i still expect a decent looking clip..not the jaggy edge on any straight lines/and not freezing for a second.

Finally...It honestly did come up and say 'Something invalid' i was surprised too!! ...can I just mention, I clicked, 'Make disc option' ..i didnt render it first video file then sound file ( never got to grips with that process..in my DV camcorder days i had better results making copies by simply doing the longer process of 'create disc'..and having to redo the dvd menu each time. Anyway, so, I 'create disc'..during burning process upcame that 'Something Invalid'...i swore etc etc then had to throw away my partly burnt disc ( all a trial run anyway )..put in another, pressed burn and it worked that time...and the result was not bad quality really..but that jaggy line and slight freezing.

Soz for going on..

Specs,

FILE FORMAT: PAL HDMW
FILE SIZE: 129,846KB ( * As mentioned this is just a 5min clip )
DURATION: 83,520SECONDS

VIDEO:
VIDEO TYPE: H.264 VIDEO. UPPER FIELD FIRST
TOTAL FRAMES: 2,088 FRAMES
ATTRIBUTES: 24BITS, 1920 X 1080, 16:9
FRAMERATE: 25.000 FRAMES / SEC ( * As mentioned this is from a Panny HDC TM700, AVCHD...but I did record this clips..most of my clips in lower quality HG1920 to save space on my sd card )
DATA RATE: VARIABLE BIT RATE ( MAX. 16800 KBPS )

AUDIO:
TYPE: DOLBY DIGITAL..
SAMPLES: 4,008,960 SAMPLES
ATTRIBUTES: 48000 HZ, 5.1 CHANNELS
LAYER: NONE
BIT RATE: 384 KBPS

OK...AND THIS IS FROM WHAT I BURNT LAST NIGHT - 5MIN CLIP..dvd brought into timeline as you said to do...

FILE FORMAT: PAL DVD
FILE SIZE 322,720 KB
DURATION 345,120 SEC

VIDEO
VIDEO TYPE - MPEG 2 VIDEO UPPER FIELD FIRST ( * What better lower upper? seems didnt have a choice using SD..just set up for Upper first ..ok? )
TOTAL FRAMES: 8,628 FRAMES
ATTRIBUTES 24 BITS, 720 X 576 , 16:9
FRAME RATE: 25,000 FRAMES/SEC
DATE RATE: VARIABLE BIT RATE ( MAX. 8000 KBPS )

AUDIO@ DOLBY DIGITAL..
SAMPLES, 16,565,760 SAMLES
ATTRIBUTES 48000HZ
LAYER NONE
BIT RATE 256 KBPS

Well I did what you said..and results..look..similar? Any ideas to improve..and appreciate letting me know about that better graphics card.

[ianwoody123]

Hi

I too have a Panasonic TM700. I too record in HG1920. I do not have a blu ray player so record everything onto a normal dvd disc. I download from the SDHC card direct to a folder on an external hard drive connected to my computer. I then import the video into the timeline (I am using Video Studio Pro X4 Ultimate), do the necessary editing and then save it as a project file which essentially leaves the footage in its native state. I then clear the timeline. To burn a disc I then go to the Share > Create Disc > DVD option. Where it says Add Media I then add the saved VSP File (Video Studio Project File). Once this appears on the timeline I go to the next step of creating a menu, preview it and then go to the final burning stage. At this point I click on the Project Settings (cog wheel) icon on the bottom left hand corner of the window and go into "Change MPEG settings > customize". I leave everything on the General tab as it is but under the Compression tab I move the DVD quality to 100% and the Audio Bit Rate to 384 then click "Ok". I then make sure the "Don't convert compliant MPEG files" box is ticked and click OK again. I then click on the disc icon with an "i" on it which gives more settings for burning and change it from maximum to 4x to give a slower burning rate. Lastly I click on the delete temporary files in the working folder (to the right of where it shows the available/required hard disk space). I then click "Burn" and leave it to do its process. To date I have found this gives a good end result. Things like chain link fencing and something like a pavilion roof with lots of roof tiles may not be perfect but the picture I get on the final dvd is usually very clear. I video anything from mounted games (sports day on horseback) to rugby games so it does test the capability of the camcorder and the programme to deliver a good final product. Btw I am using PAL not NTSC. Hope this might help you.

[BrianCee]

garjobo

Your properties seem to be OK - many users have reported poor quality going straight from editing to burning a disc and like Ianwoody suggest find that the solution to their problem is to take easy steps - I go one step further and actually create a new video file to take into the burning module.

My procedure - on completion of editing go to Share > Create Video File and make a DVD compliant mpeg2 video - view this video in another player (Windows Media player for instance) - so now you know if you have a good video - if it's bad at this point find out why.

Now when you go Share > Create disc in VideoStudio if there is anything in the burn module time line delete it - import the new video file you have just made.

on the last page in the burn module uncheck "Burn to Disc" and check "Create DVD folders" - click on burn (no need for a blank disc in the drive - so no wasted disc)

Now check the folders using any software DVD player (Windvd for instance) - now you can check the final quality and if good burn the Video folder to a DVD - if not good find out what has happened between making the video file and burning it.

Yes it takes just a little more work but it is worth it to get a good final DVD and not waste any more blank discs

Why not give that a try and report back.

[lata]

Hi ianwoody

Just an observation................
When you said " I then make sure the "Don't convert compliant MPEG files" box is ticked "
The operative word being "Compliant Mpeg"

You have added a project file a VSP as such is NOT a compliant Mpeg its a Video Studio Project File, the burning process will convert the file to the settings shown in this window. It will do that whether the box is ticked or not.
I would advise that you set the properties to match your video files properties.
Having said that if you are not having problems why change things?

Its good that the process creates quality video, as I say just an observation........

[ianwoody123]

Hi Trevor

I realise that when using the project file the footage is in its native state ie AVCHD and as such the "don't convert compliant mpeg" is redundant. However I have resorted to using the project files because I found that creating a video file and then burning the disc using that resulted in poorer quality dvd even when asking for compliant mpeg files not to be converted so am probably just being a bit paranoid about it. I was saving the file as a transport stream file and originally that seemed to work well but then for some reason even though I hadn't changed any settings the results were disappointing so decided to try using the Project Files instead and so far that has worked really well for me. As you say, I won't change anything unless I am unhappy with the results as for the moment the dvds are coming out well.

Regards

Sally

[lata]

Hi Sally

It was not a criticism, I have always created a video file first, in the old days there were many problems by using a VSP.
I did have cause to use VSP's for one of my videos, 12 in fact the quality was good.

I have yet to progress to HD video but yesterday ran a test burning a Hybrid disc with disappointing results, for some reason the render in the burner module converted the frame rate from 25 to 24fps. I am sure if I had used a VSP that everything would have been ok, I may have to check that.

You are no way paranoid, just double checking the settings that has to be a good thing,
and its good that you are making quality dvd's

Enjoy

[garjobo]

Thank you Trevor for your reply and IanWoody thanks for taking the time and trouble to literally walk me through the step by step guide.

In some ways Im disappointed that my settings appeared ok...as was hoping there would be something afoot which literally click of a button and heypresto my dvds would look significantly impressive.

However, Ian, I will go through what you suggested when i start my next project..still at the testing stage so to speak and yet to upload all my HD footage and photos to my Harddrive.

As you seem to know your onions- i have two harddrives..but disconnected one of them as it does appear to slow down my computer...but ideally would I save all HD footage to the 2nd Harddrive..be better practice?

As for Create Disc option and the Save Video file and then Save audio file...I have never understood this at all...using both options...the the second option certainly was more of a hassle..and the quality over mulitple copies really did decrease. I would rather stick to Create Disc...and make..say...two copies...then go back...and re-do the dvd menu options etc and burn again...thus giving my another..2 decent copies before i notice deteriation..well back in the MiniDv days i did this.

Thanks again for your replies to this..much appreciated.

[Ken Berry]

An easier option would be to create either an ISO file or DVD Folder on the last page of the burning module, instead of, or as well as, an actual disc. Then you could burn any number of full copies, with menus, using a third party program like Nero, Roxio or a freeware program like ImgBurn.

Or with one actual disc, you could use an even wider variety of programs to simply "Copy Disc".

[lata]

Hi

Just to add to Kens comments regarding burn a Disc Image Iso file, Video Studio X5 provides a means of burning these to disc.
The iso file is an exact copy of the disc, once the iso is created you can burn as many copies as you like.

--------------------------
Just a note on Menu Creation, once you have created the menu, when you close the burner module you are returned to the edit timeline, save the project again by File Save As.
If you return to this project say tomorrow, Share Create disc, your menu's should be in tact.
--------------------------

Create Disc option, there are a few approaches in burning a disc, if your preferred method is to Share Create Disc and you do not have any problems then by all means continue to use that method.

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

Ok we seem to be getting in front of ourselves, you say you are only testing at the moment.
You have a HD video from a Pana 700 camera
You are intending to burn a standard DVD as you did when using DV-Avi. I assume that is correct?

First you should convert the original HD video using Share Create Video File DVD Video 16:9
Play the new video file on your pc using one of your media players.
Is the quality ok, or do you have a problem?

If the quality is ok then you could burn this file to disc without further recoding, the quality you have now is the quality you should expect on the disc.

[ianwoody123]

Hi Garjobo

I do save everything to an external hard drive because I only have 500gb hard disk space on my laptop. Incidentally I now have a new laptop as my original one struggled with the hd footage and it is a core i7 laptop with 16gb ram which means I can run the external hard drives easily. I have a 2tb and a 1tb which are permanently attached (both Western Digital). For a while I used to create a Mpeg transport stream file, tailoring it to the properties of the 700's footage and then use that in the burning process but recently for some reason that did not give the clear result I had been getting which is why I changed to using the Project File and burning from that. Touch wood that has been consistently successful and so I have stayed with that work flow. I tend to burn just the one copy and then do straight copies of it if I need more than one. Obviously the finished dvd is not going to be of blu ray quality but is still very good.

Sally (ianwoody)

[garjobo]

Once again I am indebted to the replies received. Thank you.

Of course you know you lost me early on - Ken has a habit of doing this!! - ISO files / using 3rd party to create...I mean..I'm missing important steps here!!! However, thanks again for the replies.

Thanks Lata, Sally for your replies..trying to keep it simple. Yes I am 'testing' at the moment..had this panny 700 for a year plus and yet to actually make one of my 'masterpieces' like in the good ole' dv camcorder days...I will do as you all suggest though and basically play around with settings...if only things in life were simple aka obviously i want the best possible quality over and over again...I still not sure my computer can handle it!! Certainly no i7 processor though i did just stick in some more Ram - 6gb now. Still tempted with a newer graphics card and power supply ( my motherboard will be ok wont it? )

Cheers once again for repling, appreciated.

[canuck]

A new video card, more RAM etc will not improve necessarily improve the quality of the video, it may only speed up the process. A power supply has nothing to do with video at all.
Creating an ISO (image file) or Video_TS folder set is one of the major video tasks for anyone involved in video work. An iso file or folder set is a "virtual" disc but on a hard drive. It is used to testa project without burning to disc and possibly wasting a disc. the 3rd party program ImgBurn is one of the best free programs available to burn the iso or folders set to a disc.

[lata]

Hi

Just to add a comment regarding Iso files.
First a DVD disc contains a folder called Video_TS, this holds your video files in the form of VOB's, plus a few more files for controlling the DVD Player, these make up your movie.

You can if you wish just create the DVD Folder instead of burning the disc, the folder being an exact copy of the disc's content. You can play the Video_TS folder on your computer this allows you to check the quality before burning a disc, and you don’t make those coasters.

The ISO file is called a Disc Image, think of this file as a zipped Video_TS folder.
and indeed you can if you wish un-zip it using Win Zip to reveal the Video TS folder........
You will also find a folder called Audio_TS this folder is redundant, it hasn’t been required for a long time, ignore it.

I use the Disc Image approach, I play the ISO using VLC Media Player.
I burn multiple disc's using Video Studio X5 -- Tools--Burn from disc Image.

Note
Earlier versions of video studio VS10 provided a VCD/ DVD Disc Image Recorder for burning Iso files.

Hope that makes some sense.............