Project is too large to burn-why and what now

[pauli55500]

First time trying to edit digital movie shot on my Sony Bloggie. BTW: I used to be a TV new photog back in the day of Bolex 16mm and Auricon SOF...so I'm only experienced with; a Fearless Houston film processor, masking tape (to hang up the clips); cement and a slicer to join the clips; a film cleaner and pad to clean the edited footage.

Having made my excuses, this is my problem: I shot 1:58min , 720HD MP4 which I've edited down to 1:38 running time. Corel Studio Pro 6x is telling me 10.83GB are needed and my DVD is just 4.7 GB ready.

First: will the Video Studio 6x convert the final product to either MPEG2 or AVCHD so it will play on my Panasonic BD75 DVD player? They appear to be viable options on Corel x6 but the Adobe Premire Elements 3 I tried to use to burn a disc to didn't like my MP4.

Second: assuming Corel will burn it as MPEG@A or AVCHD, how do I break my completed project into two smaller ones so that I can burn them on two discs, assuming it's impossible to compress them into one disc. The finished file is 4.3 GB so why that won't fit onto a 4.7 DVD is another question.

Thanks for any response and Happy Veteran's day (to myself, too).

[canuck]

The 4.7GB DVD size if marketing hype - the "real" size is actually around 4.3GB.

Such a DVD can only hold 60 minutes of "best" quality mepg video. This uses a bit rate of ~ 8000kbs. To be able to burn longer videos to a DVD you have to reduce the bitrate with a resulting loss of quality. I believe for a 90 minute video you would have to reduce the bitrate to about 6000.

Your 1:38 video will never fit an a DVD as AVCHD video. (You need a BD player to play a AVCHD disc).

You say you record in HD video so that means if you put that video (after coverting to mpeg-2 video) on a standard DVD you will lose lots of quality.

[Ken Berry]

To get down to that 6000 kbps bitrate, with your project in the timeline choose Share > Create Video File > Custom. Make sure you select mpeg-2 as the format. Then click the Options button and select the Compression tab. Adjust the bitrate down to 6000 kbps. Make sure you choose Dolby as the audio, as that gives you a few extra minutes of video you can fit into the same space. LPCM audio takes up more space (less compressed) and so means less video.

[pauli55500]

Thanks for you response...

Guess I'll try to figure out how to lower the bitrate and if that fails, how to split the project into two discs.

[BrianCee]

Splitting a project into two (or 3 or 4 or whatever) is very easy so do not worry about that part - it does just introduce the slight inconvenience of changing discs halfway through your viewing - but does allow you to maintain quality.

[pauli55500]

To get down to that 6000 kbps bitrate, with your project in the timeline choose Share > Create Video File > Custom. Make sure you select mpeg-2 as the format. Then click the Options button and select the Compression tab. Adjust the bitrate down to 6000 kbps. Make sure you choose Dolby as the audio, as that gives you a few extra minutes of video you can fit into the same space. LPCM audio takes up more space (less compressed) and so means less video.

Thanks...I will try that...if it degrades the picture too, much, is there an easy way to split the project into two parts for two DVD"s?

[pauli55500]

To get down to that 6000 kbps bitrate, with your project in the timeline choose Share > Create Video File > Custom. Make sure you select mpeg-2 as the format. Then click the Options button and select the Compression tab. Adjust the bitrate down to 6000 kbps. Make sure you choose Dolby as the audio, as that gives you a few extra minutes of video you can fit into the same space. LPCM audio takes up more space (less compressed) and so means less video.

Thanks...I will try that...if it degrades the picture too, much, is there an easy way to split the project into two parts for two DVD"s?

One problem solved, another appears...I did as you suggested...the new, file, rendered with 6K bitrate, is now 3.7 GB...the problem is: Corel can't find the file. It appears in the window explorer window, in "My Projects" along with a text file but when I go to open the project, in Corel, it's not there...any idea of what's going on?

[pauli55500]

To get down to that 6000 kbps bitrate, with your project in the timeline choose Share > Create Video File > Custom. Make sure you select mpeg-2 as the format. Then click the Options button and select the Compression tab. Adjust the bitrate down to 6000 kbps. Make sure you choose Dolby as the audio, as that gives you a few extra minutes of video you can fit into the same space. LPCM audio takes up more space (less compressed) and so means less video.

Thanks...I will try that...if it degrades the picture too, much, is there an easy way to split the project into two parts for two DVD"s?

One problem solved, another appears...I did as you suggested...the new, file, rendered with 6K bitrate, is now 3.7 GB...the problem is: Corel can't find the file. It appears in the window explorer window, in "My Projects" along with a text file but when I go to open the project, in Corel, it's not there...any idea of what's going on?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
I figured out the cause of my new issue but not the solution. Doing what you suggested produced a mpg file, not the mpeg-2 file I selected and Coral won't recognize it or play it..any ideas?

[BrianCee]

What is your definition of the difference between an mpg and an mpeg-2 file - both just have .mpg as their extension

[lata]

Hi

I don’t understand why VS wont play it when VS created it? Even if you choose the wrong properties it should play.
OK, Maybe some confusion regarding Project Files (VSP) and Video Files MPEG
The option File Open Project is not to open the MPEG but to open a project file.

To add your video to the timeline or library, right click the timeline and select Insert Video, browse for the Mpeg file.

After you rendered the file to 6000kb a thumbnail of the new clip will be placed in the library.
Locate this and play from the library, does it play ok?
Also right click and choose Locate on Computer is an option

If you are still having problems with the new clip, try this:-

1 / Alt+Enter opens the project properties
2 / Choose Mpeg as the Edit File Format
3 / Edit the template to Use 6000kbps
4 / Set the aspect ratio as 16:9 or 4:3 as your original? (general tab)
3 / Set template to use 6000kbps (compression tab)
4 / set audio to use Digital Dolby (compression tab)
OK to close the window, the lower panel should show similar details to

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 6000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Press OK to Modify the project settings

Now Share Create video File – Same as Project Settings
When complete—right click clip in library-Preferences should show properties as above.

To burn a standard DVD
Start a new project, nothing in the timeline
Share create Disc DVD – Opens the burner module
Add Media, top left icon, browse the hard drive for the video created above.

[pauli55500]

What is your definition of the difference between an mpg and an mpeg-2 file - both just have .mpg as their extension

I'm easy to get along with...my understanding is that they're the same...but...Corel isn't opening or recognizing mpg. When I look in my windows explorer, under 'my projects', it's clearly there but when I try to burn it thru VS, the only file in 'my projects' is the text file. I went into windows explorer and added VS as a program to open mpg but Corel isn't doing it.

[BrianCee]

Hi

I don’t understand why VS wont play it when VS created it? Even if you choose the wrong properties it should play.
OK, Maybe some confusion regarding Project Files (VSP) and Video Files MPEG
The option File Open Project is not to open the MPEG but to open a project file.

To add your video to the timeline or library, right click the timeline and select Insert Video, browse for the Mpeg file.

You cannot use "File >> open" to open a video - that only works for projects

[lata]

Hi Paul

After creating the video using Share Create Video File a thumbnail is placed in the library, this thumbnail represents your video file.
You can play that from the library or from the timeline.

If you right click the thumbnail and select Locate on Computer the file will be seen in windows explorer, you can drag that clip to the timeline in the same way as dragging from the library. remember that location.

Ok I assume you have located the actual video file.
Now try to burn a disc…………

To burn a standard DVD
Start a new project, nothing in the timeline
Share create Disc DVD – Opens the burner module
Add Media, top left icon, browse the hard drive for the video created above.

[pauli55500]

Thank you! thank you! thank you! I absolutely could not have completed this project without your assistance and direction.

It might be of interest that a stumbling block for me was when I attempted to burn my project to DVD, I opened up the project that I wish to complete ..the one I was working on. Your instruction, lata, to clear it from the timeline and open up a new project made little sense to me at the time, but nontheless, it worked!

Again; thanks to everyone who offered information and advice..it's a valuable service you're providing and it's appreciated.

[pauli55500]

Stuck, again. I did all you nice folks suggested, and it worked...wife thought the finished DVD was a little too long so I shuffled back to my ancient computer, opened up the project with the completed video in it, deleted a few clips and retried to do what I did before and...problems.

I renamed the edited video, which is MP4, "ItalyEdited", and had it in my timeline and clicked on 'locate on computer' and I cannot find it. It's categorized as a VSP file and 'locate in computer' is taking me to my video file and the video there is the unedited video.

Since it's still MP4, it won't fit on my DVD and I can't seem to make it an MPEG2. I did try lowering the bitrate to 6000 again but it's still MP4...so how do I MPEG-2 it?

Even when I hit the save button on the edited video, it's not today's date so it appears that it's just not being saved.