Project Properties & Preferences

[Davec]

Hi All,

As a newbie on the forum, I'm looking for the setup that best suit my needs, creating some home-DVD's. I already know that i will use some basic transitions.

What I want to do (at least that's what I think I want to do ... ):
1. Capture footage from DV tapes: Looks like there is a preference to use winDV instead of VS-X5 - why?
2. Create a project: Editing the captured files - adding background music - ...
3. Exporting the result: I have in mind to stay close to the input format, which is AVI type1
4. Create a DVD using VS-X5: I want a menu - chapters - ... Is VS-X5 a good option, or should I look for a different DVD-creator tool?

Questions that pop my mind:
a. As DVD is not using AVI format, at what point should I change the format? creating the DVD or creating the output-video?
b. Should I create seperate videofiles for each chapter - or can I creat 1 big videofile and "add" chapters at the DVD-creation step ?
c. Hardware setup: My desktop is "always on-line". I think that's OK for capturing/editing, but for rendering I would like to reserve all CPU power: How can I acomplish this? - is there a "best practice"? - I don't want to pull the internet cable as it is less accesible, but I am prepared to "start up my computer in a rendering mode", if that's at all possible ...
d. Hardware setup 2: I have my OS on a "fast" C-drive and have 2x750GB HD in raid (raid 1 (?) - mirroring/backup) - this raid-setup is divided into 3 logical drives: E=general data / F=photo's / Z=video. I store all my video on the Z-drive (capturing; project; project music; rendering result; ... - total diskspace=549GB) - Is this an acceptable setup?
e. I noticed that some of my captures won't play in Windows Media Player (error: Can't play file - filetype not supported or codec missing - which is strange as other captures from the same DV tape don't have this issue) - why is this? PS: I've encountered this issue both with VS-X5 capture and winDv capture. This is important to me as I intend to use the captured files as a backup, while I re-use the DV tape for new footage.
f. I can change the VS-X5 Preference, Re-start VS-X5 and see that they are in place - Can't seem to do the same with the Project Properties: they always initiate to MPEG2 & "enable Widescreen (16:9)" - As my footage is in 4:3, I think I shouldn't have the "enable Widescreen (16:9)" option active ....

I know a lot of questions (and I haven't put them all out here ...)
I'm looking forward to any response, but please add the reference to whatever you are responding, just to make it easier for us all ...

PS: I've searched the forum for answers without satisfaction. Might be a good idea to have the answers easily accesible as a guideline for new users.

DaveC

[BrianCee]

Point 1 - it is not really a preference to use WinDV - we sometimes suggest it because for whatever reason VideoStudio and firewire do not want to work on some peoples computer - the other point is that some people do not like the default naming of captured files in VideoStudio - WinDV allows you to name at capture. I personally have no problem with capturing or the naming in VideoStudio - so I always use VideoStudio to capture.

Point 2 - Exactly what VideoStudio is designed to do - and for me does it very well.

Point 3 - The only problems with exporting as .avi is the files will be big - 13GB per hour and what are you then going to do with them - no good burning them to a DVD it will not play on a standard DVD player - choose your output depending on what you intend to do with the video - mpeg2 for DVD - mpeg4 for Youtube etc.

Point 4 - Use VideoStudio - that's what it is designed to do

Point a) - Do the conversion after you finish editing but before you go into the burning module - that way you can check the finished editing in Windows Media player (or any other mpeg player you have) and then make sure you use that video to burn to disc.

Point b) - make one continuous video file and add the chapters in the burning module - you can add chapters in the timeline but the transfer through to the Create disc module sometimes looses them or looses their names.

Point c) - for many years computers struggled to render videos, and we used to have to shut almost everything in order to produce reasonably quick rendering times - but nearly all modern computers will cope with rendering while doing other things at the same time - I no longer shut any thing down when I render.

point d) - sounds OK to me.

Point e)- can't say - would need to see the properties of the videos which do not play to have some idea.

Point f) - project properties belong with a project - if you just open VideoStudio and look at project properties they will show the default - when you open a project the properties should then show the properties for that project.

that's a start - but as in all things in life different people will have different ideas - it's what works for you that matters so don't be afraid to experiment a bit with various functions and settings.

you would also find visit to the Corel Discovery centre useful - have a look here :-
http://www.corel.com/corel/pages/index. ... 00117#all1

and if you want to read questions and answers on using VideoStudio try here :-
http://corel.force.com/index

...

[lata]

Hi
Just to add to Brian’s excellent reply…….

Read my Quick Guide to Dv Avi, although written with earlier versions of Video Studio the workflow has not changed.
http://lata.me.uk/video_studio/guides/q ... de_avi.htm

One thing that has changed that may affect your quality is the default settings used by the latest versions of video studio.
I am referring to the Field Order’ DV – Avi uses Lower Field First.
The default templates now provided by Video Studio Share Create Video File DVD uses Upper Field, to come in line with HD video.

It is important that you use Lower Field throughout your editing.

Ultimately you will convert your video/project to Mpeg2 DVD which is used to burn a disc, this also has to use Lower Field.
You may have to Use Make movie Templates Manager to create your own template.

Other than the Field Order everything else is plain sailing……

Point F, read my guide regarding Show Messages……….

[Davec]

Thank you both for the excelent feedback.

One thing ... I used both VS-X5 and winDV to capture the same DV tape to AVI type 1 with scene splitting. I noticed that:
* both produced the # of files
* each scene was slightly different in size - any idea why ?
* both produced scenes that were not recognized by Windows Media Player (although these scenes would play back in VS-X5). I encountered situations where a scene captured with VS-X5 could not played back in WMP and the winDV scene could, aswell as vice versa: winDV scene not playable in WMP and VS-X5 scene playable, aswell as both VS-X5 & winDV scene not playable in WMP. - any idea why ?

[BrianCee]

With regard to the differences in file size - I have never used WinDV so I don't know much about it - are we talking large differences ? - most likely cause is a different bit rate - but without seeing the properties of both files it's difficult to say.

Scenes recognised/not recognised - I have no answer - somewhere deep in one of the programmes or video files something does not click - perhaps someone else has investigated more fully.

[canuck]

Most likely the size difference is due to the fact that the two programs identify the "change of scenes" differently. I believe WinDV bases its "scenes" on the timecode. VS may do the same but it may also use an actual "change of scene" that is if the frame is substantially different from the previous frame, it considers that as the start of a new scene. But those are the "inner workings" of the program with which I am of course not familiar.

Why scenes cannot be played back though is a mystery.
For playing back videos I prefer to use the excellent media player VLC (from http://www.videolan.org). To me it is much superior to WMP and there are very few formats it cannot handle.

[Davec]

I thought that capuring DV tapes to AVI type 1 was just a copy - and not a conversion.

In my example both split up into 50 scenes. VS-X5 dropped about 4 seconds of the first scene - all other durations displayed by Explorer match exactly, so I'm letting it go...

Now about the files that dont play back in WMP: I took a closer look and found out that the first frame contained a part of the previous scene (in those days I still used transitions on my camcorder). I trimmed the first frame of and created a videofile (AVI type 1) that does playback in WMP. I was able to reproduce this with a second example - trimming of 7 frames this time.
Also converting from AVI type 1 to type 2 solves the issue. I used DVdate for that and noticed that resp. 1 frame and 8 frames were dropped by the program. This is probably the easiest workaround.

Thinking of it, if you use transitions on your camcorder, what would be the timecode? My guess is that's the reason why these small differences in filesizes occur. If I'm right about this, my issues will go away as I stopped using transitions on the camcorder.

[lata]

Hi Davec

When we capture DV the video stream is not re-coded but transferred to the pc, yes literally copy and paste on the fly, The data on the tape is DV and saved to the container AVI. The only choice we have is the type 1 or 2
Generally DV-Type 1 is used for DV capture, the difference is associated with audio streams, you would have to do a google to get further info?

The extra frame you see on the adjacent clip is created by Video Studio capture, as though the Split by Scene detection is one frame in error. Surprisingly rendering using Video Studio does not show this frame, I don’t understand why?
Because of this I use Win DV.

When you record using Mini DV Tape you should first record a complete tape with the lens cap on to set the time code for the entire tape.
If you do not do this and replay your recordings you may create blank areas where no time code exists, this will/may cause problems during capture, and may cause playback problems as the software does not recognise the first frame, maybe your playback in WMP.

The use or effects and transitions within the camera should not be a problem but I have never used these options, leaving the editing to PC software.

I also use VLC player, it also plays my ISO files.