I want to create MPEG4 HD files at 25 fps

[ianincrete]

My first video camera was a 30 fps NTSC Japanese import to Europe and I output my videos as MPEG-4 HD files. Then I bought a new PAL video camera. To be safe I uninstalled my copy of VSProX4 and reinstalled it, checking the PAL option. However, when I created my first video clip using the MPEG-4 HD option in the drop down list, it created a file at 30 fps and not surprisingly the panning was very jerky. I uninstalled the program and ticked the option to uninstall all personal data. I also deleted the VSProX4 folders from user/user/my documents/. When I reinstalled the program all my saved projects came up on the screen and it still wants to make MPEG-4 files at 30 fps. Presumably I should have deleted the Corel folder from the progam files folder after I'd deleted the program to get rid of all personal settings. Anyway, my question is this: is it actually possible to create MPEG-4 files at 25 fps (or preferably at 50 fps as this is what I am shooting)? If so, what do I have to do to get VSProX4 to create them? Is there some way to edit the MPEG-4 HD option in the drop down list from Create a Video File? If not, is it possible to make a template for MPEG-4 HD at 25 or 50 fps? If so, does anyone know how to go about it? The reason I'm keen to get this right is that I can play MPEG-4 HD files from a USB stick plugged into my TV. The only other way I can watch them on TV is to create AVCHD files and write them to a DVD.

[BrianCee]

Yes it certainly is possible to create mpeg4 HD files at 50fps.

I am not at all sure why your system keeps reverting - but try making your output by choosing "Custom" from the list of options presented to you when you choose "Create video file" - this will give you access to a settings window with 3 tabs along the top - using a combination of the 'General ' and 'compression' tabs you should be able to set the output and frame rate you need - be aware that settings on the two tabs interact with each other - that is some compressions don't allow some frame settings - experiment.

if you are going to need to do this often you might like to go to "settings >> make movies template manager" to create a custom template which will be available in the drop down when you select 'create video file'

[ianincrete]

I tried that and I had to choose either 264 main or 264 base whatever they are, to get full HD but it immediately entered a non-negotiable 30 frames per second. None of the other options for MPEG4 offer full HD. Any idea how I can stop it reverting? I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program several times today and every time I opened it, up on the screen came all my projects even though I had not only checked the do not keep personal data option when deleting the program but I had also deleted the VideoStudio files from user/user/my documents. When I checked the program files folder after deleting it the last time there was no trace of a Corel folder there. I even did a registry clean? So where on earth is it storing this information makes it revert to 30 fps?

[Ken Berry]

Ian -- I get exactly the same as you when I use mpeg-4 as the chosen output, whether in the main HD choice or under Custom -- though I would be interested to hear how it might be done otherwise.

However, unless you absolutely must have the extension .mp4 attached to your output files, you can always output to AVCHD format, which is of course mpeg-4 using the h.264 codec in a more general way.

If you choose Custom as the output, you then select "MPEG Transport Stream Files (*.m2t)" as the output format. Then under Options in that dialogue box, you go to the Compression tab and select the video format as H.264 Video and tick the AVCHD box below that. Back on the General tab, you will then find that you can set the frame rate at up to 50 frames per second -- at least I can on my set-up.

The only downside to this is that VS will only use a bitrate maximum of 18 Mbps where the current international standard has raised that to 28 Mbps.

You could also make a Custom template using Make Movie Template Manager with the above properties. But in that same Manager, if you already have a clip with exactly the properties you are after on your computer somewhere and with a bitrate higher than 18 Mbps, click on the Add button in the Manager's dialogue box. In the new box which appears, click the "..." button beside the empty File Path window and navigate to where that file is stored. Its path should then appear. Give the new template a name. Press OK to close that box, then Close to shut the first dialogue box. That new template should now appear at the bottom when you next select Share > Create Video File.

[ianincrete]

So are you saying that if you try to render to MPEG-4 HD using the preset then it does it at 30 fps? If that's the case it looks like Corel, being an American company, simply decided to use the American standard for that preset. But I don't see why they don't allow us to create MP4 HD at 50 or 25 frames per second from a template. The only options I get are 30 fps or less. After all, MP4HD is one of the two most common formats now for the Internet.

Anyway, I have created a template for.m2t at 50p without AVCHD for uploading my files to YouTube and I suppose I could create a second template for .m2t with the AVCHD box checked. Presumably if I load this onto a standard DVD it will play as a hi-def video clip on my TV via my DVD player. It's just much less convenient than copying an MP4 file onto a usb stick and plugging it into the TV which is what I did before.

[oldcop49]

What you are attempting is not possible because there is no 25fps template provided. Apparently one knows at Corel not that there are customers who use the PAL system. It seems Corel doesn't know that some of their customers are using the PAL system in some parts of the world. It's time Corel should do something about that.

[Ken Berry]

I suppose I could create a second template for .m2t with the AVCHD box checked. Presumably if I load this onto a standard DVD it will play as a hi-def video clip on my TV via my DVD player.

If the first template you created did not have AVCHD ticked, then it will be Blu-Ray compatible mpeg-2. Being less compressed than AVCHD, it will also be larger.

If you create an AVCHD, you should also test whether you can put it on a USB drive and plug that straight into your HDTV to see whether it will play...Some HDTVs these days will do so, but they tend to be no more than about 2 years old.

As for the DVD idea, I assume you mean you would just copy the AVCHD onto the DVD as an archive file. If so, then I doubt that it would be playable via a standard definition DVD player. You would need a Blu-Ray player for that. The latter would also be necessary if you burned the AVCHD to a DVD in the form of an AVCHD "hybrid" disc since that process creates a Blu-Ray BDMV folder on a standard DVD. Most Blu-Ray players -- though not all -- can play such discs these days.

For myself, I regularly put both HDV and AVCHD videos on either a USB stick drive or external hard drive, and plug that into my PlayStation 3 -- which is of course an excellent Blu-Ray player. That happily plays both formats extremely well when connected to my HDTV via HDMI.

[Kingston]

To share to 1920x1080p 25fps MPEG-4, you will have to modify a file. Exit out of Videostudio before modifying the file. BTW, the MPEG-4 HD profile is h.264, just so we are clear on that.

The file you need to modify is named MP4Set.ini and is located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Corel\Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X5. You may not be able to modify the file because of the security settings. I'm not telling you how to change the security settings.

Open MP4Set.ini with Notepad. Scroll down until you get to this line:

VideoSetting197 = 264MAIN264HIGH ; 30000 (/1000)fps; 1920 W; 1080 H; Max 20000 kbps; Min 6000 kbps

Change the 30000 to 25000 so the line now reads:

VideoSetting197 = 264MAIN264HIGH ; 25000 (/1000)fps; 1920 W; 1080 H; Max 20000 kbps; Min 6000 kbps

Save the file. Now you will have a PAL profile, but not an NTSC profile for those particular settings.

Back in VideoStudio when you change the MPEG-4 custom settings, you have to start on the Compression tab and select h264 High or h264 main. Then go to the General tab and select Frame Based and 1920x1080. Then go back to the Compression tab and change the bitrate to 15000 (or up to 20000). You can already select 1280x720p 25fps without modifying the MP4Set.ini file.

[ianincrete]

Great. A wonderful solution, except when I went to save the file access was denied. Since you aren't going to tell us how to change the security settings, it isn't going to work. Now I'm going to have to find out from someone else how to change the security settings. But thanks for the information anyway.

[ianincrete]

It only took a couple of minutes searching the internet to find out how to get access to changing .ini files. So I followed your instructions, slightly different video setting number for VS4, and although the preset is still 30 fps it was easy, following your instructions, to create a template for MP4 at 25 fps and the best news of all, it plays on my TV via a USB stick which is the function I wanted to retain with the 25 fps settings. Thanks very much. I shall retain your instructions ready for when I upgrade to VS5.