Losing clarity in video footage after rendering.

[lata]

Hi Sheila

You have set the project properties to match your video file.
You can edit the project properties to change the Data Rate aka Bit Rate.

Pressing Alt + Enter will open the project properties window
Or Settings-Project Properties
The settings being used can be seen in the lower panel, you can if you wish copy and paste the details to your post. The Edit File Format should be Mpeg files.

To modify the settings, press Edit
Choose the Compression tab
The data rate can be changed.

As a guide 8000kbps will allow for 60 minutes of video
Using 6000kbps will allow for 90 minutes
40000 will give 120 minutes

Audio Settings
Using Digital Dolby rather than LPMC will further reduce the file size allowing for about 10 minutes more.

After rendering/creating the video file it should be less than 4.3 Gb to allow it to fit a disc.

Hope this helps.

[SheilaN]

Hi Trevor,

Here are the settings for my project properties. The edit file format is MPEG files.

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9334 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

I noted that Dolby Digital Audio is already part of the properties.

For the video data rate - is has variable. Should I leave it at variable, or change to constant?

I think I will use 4000 kbps as our videos are usually between 90 minutes and 2 hours. I also have titles and transitions.

At this point, is it safe to create a video file using "same as project properties"? Or I guess I can just "creat disc" burning a dvd, as long as the video file is less than 4.3 gb? This explaines why I could not burn a dvd before. I would have 90 mins of footage, but the file would be larger than 4.3 gb and I didn't know how to make it smaller. I thought it was the titles and transations.

Will making this change in the project properties affect my original issue of losing clarity after rendering?

Thanks,
Sheila

[lata]

Hi Sheila

There seems to be some discrepancy in your properties regarding the Field Order.
Your original video is DV- Avi and that uses Lower Field
Ken also mentions this in one of his posts, you must use the original field order and that is Lower Field.

You have set Show Messages when inserting……..
Check the original files properties, they should be using Lower Field.
Start a new project and add a video file, from the window that opens, choose Detail.
The right hand panel indicates the properties of the video file.

You should make sure your properties match these. For existing projects change the properties to match.
Then whilst editing the Project Properties set the bit rate/Data Rate to match the duration of the project, Share Create Video File –Same as Project Settings will /should create a compliant file. From Windows Explorer check the size in Gb.
You will soon get used to the data rates required for different project durations.
As higher a rate you can to keep the size just below 4.3Gb.

I do not wish to confuse you but you have another option in checking the rate, With the project open do Share Create Disc-DVD the burner module will open with your project showing a a single thumbnail.
Next—Change the menu to use Thumbnails or Text, Smart Scene uses lots of memory.(Mb)
Take note of the green bar, it must be green, no yellow or red.
Click the Project Settings cogwheel lower left to open a window.
Choose Change Mpeg Settings –Customise—Compression tab.
Change the Data Rate, close the window and view the green bar, in the yellow and the data rate needs reducing, green to short and you can increase the setting.

Now return to the main project to set the desired data rate.

Constant or Variable, I use Constant for any setting above 6500kbps, lower settings use variable.

[SheilaN]

Hi Trevor,

I am a little confused about the upper/lower field order. Below is from my original post when Ken asked me to provide the properties of the DVD as captured on my computer and the output files. These properties were from another project, different from what I copied and pasted in my post earlier today. The original footage was filmed with a canon GL2 mini dv camera. The footage was burned to a dvd using a dvd burner, connected via a/v cables. (I do not have the information on the dvd burner, as someone else did this.) I was given the dvd and attempted to import into VSX5. At the point where I selected the drive on my computer where the dvd was, VSX5 gave me a message that said "no valid content" or something to that effect. I then used freemake video converter to convert the dvd to an mpeg file, which it did and stored in a video folder on my computer. I went into VSX5, while in the edit tab, I opened the folder to look for video files on my computer. I clicked on the video file, put there by freemake, and VSX5 grabbed it. These are the properties from that file and the project after I rendered it. (I did note the difference in the field order at that time, when I was typing the information in the post.)

"Here are the properties of the mpeg files from the DVD as captured on my computer:

File
File format: MPeg-2
File size: 2,779,874 kb
Duration: 5706.573 seconds

Video
Video type: MPEG-2 Video, Lower Field First
Total Frames: 171,026 frame(s)
Attributes: 24 bits, 720 X 480
Frame rate: 29,970 frames/sec
Data rate: variable bit rate

Audio
Audio type: MPEG Audio Layer 2 files
Total samples: 273,915,516 samples
Attributes: 48000 Hz, 16 bit, stereo
Layer: 2
Bit rate: 256 kbps

Here are the properties from the output file, after rendering:

File
File format: MPEG-2
File size: 4,905,296 kb
Duration: 5420.854 seconds

Video
Video type: MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
Total frames: 162,463 frame(s)
Attributes: 24 bits, 720 X 480, 4:3
Frame rate: 29,970 frames/sec
Data rate: Variable bit rate (Max 8000 kbps)

Audio
Audio type: LPCM Audio
Total Samples: 260,201,001 samples
Attributes: 48000 Hz, 16 bit, stereo
Layer: (there was nothing here)
Bit rate: (there was nothing here)"

After following Ken's steps, I started a totally different project, using a different dvd, which ironically, was created the same way. This time however, VSX5 read the files and I was able to import into VSX5. I ticked the box as Ken said, and the project properties matched the video properties. So the original files were upper field first, that's why the project properties are upper field first.

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9334 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Which are these project properties I copied earlier. Am I able to change the properties of the original? to lower field?

Thanks,
Sheila

[lata]

Hi Sheila

If the source files were from a Mini DV type camcorder then the Field Order will be Lower Field First.
When you convert the DV-Avi to Mpeg2 you must use Lower Field.

A DVD can us Upper or Lower Field, your second DVD may well use Upper Field, however if the source files were DV-Avi then that would also be wrong, Not much you can do about it now.
When you import the files from the DVD they are not changed, the properties you see will / should be correct, your project properties will be changed to match, re the Show Messages…………..

A small problem with Video Studio is that the default templates use Upper Field.
So by setting the Project Properties to match your video file you can Share Create Video File – Same as project Settings, and indeed use the correct settings.

You provided three properties in your previous reply…
The first is the original Mpeg files as imported to X5, these are correct…..
The second look as though they are created from Share Create Video File DVD, that option will use Upper Field, this is wrong as Lower Field should have been used, hence our recommendation to use Same as Project properties.

The third properties are directly from a DVD and we can assume them to be correct.
HD camcorders use Upper Field, so if a HD camera was used to record the files.

The golden rule is to use the same field order as created when recording the footage.
for Dv-Avi that is LowerField, for a HD camcorder that will be Upper field, for a very old Analogue camera that will also be Upper Field.

[SheilaN]

Thank you so much for your help Trevor. You may remember helping me with a sound problem when capturing. I was using my camera and the tape that was recorded with the church's camera. Since the keeper of the church camera does not wish for it to do much traveling, this was the solution for now, since I can no longer capture with my camera using the original tapes. She will burn me footage on a dvd, using a dvd burner connected via a/v cables. I don't know the process nor what she does, if anything, as far as the properties when she pushes the go button on the dvd burner.

It would seem the only thing I can do is take the dvd in it's original form after she has burned it, import the footage into VSX5, and make sure the project properties match the video properties.

Am I still okay to change the video data rate to 4000 kbps without losing any clarity?

I am learning so much more on this forum than any of the information that came with the software!!!!

Thank you all for all that you do with this forum!!!

Sheila

[Ken Berry]

Am I still okay to change the video data rate to 4000 kbps without losing any clarity?

Well, no! Essentially, bitrate dictates quality, so the higher the bitrate, the higher the output quality. Conversely, a lower bitrate indicates lower final quality. So a maximum bitrate of 4000 kbps will only give quality roughly equivalent to a VHS tape.

The other aspect of the bitrate is size of video. A higher bitrate produces a larger video file; while a lower bitrate produces a smaller file. That's why a 4000 kbps bitrate will allow you to burn 2 hours of video to a DVD, while an 8000 kbps bitrate will only allow half that amount of video on the same DVD. The main difference is the visible quality of the final DVD. So if the VHS quality using 4000 kbps is acceptable to you, then use that. But if it is not acceptable, then the only alternatives you have are either to split your 2 hour (or 90 minute) projects in two and burn them to two single layer DVDs using the 8000 kbps bitrate; or else try burning them to a dual layer DVD at the higher bitrate.

And once again, you must maintain the same Field Order (Lower Field First) throughout the project and in the final burning if you continue to use a DV/AVI camcorder.

[SheilaN]

Thanks Ken,

Just trying to understand all of this as this is new to me.

For the present time, I have to go with the burned DVD that I receive, ignorant to any changes in properties of the original dv - avi files from original camera recording. Now that I have the box ticked for the project properties to match the video properties (those that are on the dvd that I import), and this is what it says:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9334 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Do I leave the video data rate: Variable (Max. 9334 kbps) alone to keep the same quality/clarity as I see it on the dvd prior to importing? And does the (Max. 9334 kbps) mean that it is at the maximum bit rate allowed?

I do understand that Lower Field First is the correct field order for DV/AVI - but when I got the DVD and imported it and had the project properties match the video properties, what's above is what is had, no changes by me. From what you guys are telling me, I can't change the properties of the DVD that I am using. And unfortunately, I have no control over the burning of the footage on the dvd.

thanks,
Sheila

[lata]

Hi Sheila

We now all seem to be singing from the same song book.

Changing the interlacing Upper or Lower field may show itself during playback, vertical lines when panned may show a saw-tooth, a jagged edge, that for me would indicate that the field orders have been changed.

All I can say is play the original DVD to view the quality.

However your video is quite static with little or no panning so the jagged edges may not be that apparent.

Max bit rate, Video Studio uses 8000kbps as its max for its default templates.
8000 is full quality DVD
6000 good quality DVD
4000 good quality VHS.

Again as there is little movement in the video recordings you may get away with a lower bit rate, allowing you to add more footage, Only you can test this and view the final dvd to see its suitable.