File Formats

dleathers · Post by **dleathers** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:53 pm

I am new to the Ullead VideoStudio 9 and have a couple of questions. What is the best file format to transfer video from my DV HandyCam to my PC. I am running XP and everything I am trying looks blurry and dull.

Also, what is the best format for playback to get the best picture or would I get a better looking picture burning a DVD?

Thanks for your help!!!!!

bop · Post by **bop** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:30 pm

to get an accurate answer you need io post how you tranfered the video trom your camera ie; firewire or usb and what are you going to veiw the on ie; the computer or stand alone dvd player it would also help if you could post the properties of the video you have

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:10 pm

Video Studio's playback screen is one of its weakest points. It should only ever be regarded as an assistance in editing to show where you are, how things look generally and what the general effects of your editing are. But it's quality is, IMHO, very poor. Anything you capture will nearly always look bad - very grainy and with little real contrast ("blurry and dull" is also a very good description). That being said, those effects are usually only limited to playing back in the program itself (if you follow all the other recommended procedures closely). Have you, for instance, tried playing back the captured video in another computer-based player such as WinDVD or Power DVD or even the Windows Media Player? How does it look then? Whatever the case, your final burned DVD should look VERY much better than it does when previewed in Video Studio.

All that being said, have you read the Recommended Procedures Announcement at the very top of this Board? That should answer your other questions. But briefly, most people agree that you should capture from your digital video camera in DV/AVI format as this emulates exactly the quality of the video in your camera and does not 'stress' your computer. The downside is that the captured files are large (around 13 GB for an hour of video). Some people capture direct to MPEG-2, though this usually requires a more powerful computer and in the past has been known to create issues with the final product. Captured mpeg files are much smaller than DV ones.

Your final question has in effect already been answered: regardless of the format, previews in Video Studio will never look wonderful. And in any case, even if you capture in DV/AVI (which will give the best quality), it will eventually have to be converted to MPEG-2 as this is the format required for you to burn the final DVD.

Anyway, if you don't believe any of this, try burning your project to a DVD, but use an RW disc so you don't waste a blank if you don't like the final result. But I can virtually guarantee that if you follow the other recommended procedures, the burned DVD will look many times better than when you play the original files back in Video Studio.

dleathers · Post by **dleathers** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:49 am

Okay...I am trying to import the video and these are the settings it says to use...

Mpeg Capture Properties:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Lower Field First for digital capture {if capturing analog use "Upper Field First"}
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3 (or 16:9 for widescreen)
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 224 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

But the frame size will go no higher then 320 x 240

Would using a firewire instead of a USB work better?

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:10 am

Use Firewire instead of USB.
USB is obviously giving you a problem.

The plug-in for VS to use is the DirectShow plugin.

MD

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:42 am

Further to maddrummer's comment, unless your video camera is a very recent and more expensive one, it is likely only to have a USB 1.0 port. This is for transfer of still photos taken with the camera, or for using the camera as a low quality webcam. For high quality transfer at full frame size, you need to use the Firewire port on the camera (often referred to as an i-link). The problem is that just about all cameras need Firewire, but none of them come bundled with the cord. When you buy a cord, you have to be sure to buy one with the small 4-pin plug on one end and the larger 6 pin one on the other end for the computer. And of course you need a Firewire port/card on the computer.

But apart from that, my comments about the quality of the preview screen remain valid!!

Rich2Putt · Post by **Rich2Putt** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:19 pm

As a follow-up to Ken's message - RE Firewaire:

Camcorders have a 4 pin plug

Verify the firewire connection to your computer. NOT ALL pc's have 6 pin plugs. Mine has a 4 pin.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:37 pm

Thanks for that Rich. I haven't seen 4-pin only cards in PCs. Mine has two Firewire cards, one with 2 6-pin sockets plus one 4-pin; and the other (as part of a TV capture card) with one 6-pin and one 4-pin socket. My laptop, on the other hand, only has a 4-pin socket.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:41 pm

I haven't seen the 4-pin plugs on add-on cards either, but some PCs with built-in Firewire use them in the front because of the space savings.

I've worked with two different Sony VAIO desktop models (one a couple of years old, one a brand-new Media Center PC) that have the 4-pin plugs in the front of the PC behind a plastic cover.

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