choppy video

[mkastner1]

Using VS 8. Fixed the out of sync audio by capturing my analog video as an AVI file, turning off smartrender and unnecessary processes in msconfig. Now the final product has choppy video at the beginning of some clips. Any ideas why? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[lancecarr]

If you are referring to choppy video in "preview" mode then that would be normal. The only way to really tell is by rendering a final video file and viewing it in another program like Windows Media Player or similar.
If you are referring to choppy video when a final video file is played you will need to post much more data about the properties of your raw footage, the output properties as well as system specs to allow the forum to give meaningful responses.

[mkastner1]

Thanks for your quick reply to my post. The choppy video occurs after rendering to final dvd format. It is not noticeable in the beginning but starts about 3/4 of the way through the 40 minute project. Don't know how to solve this or why it happens toward the end of the project and is not noticeable at the beginning.

Properties and system specs are as follows:

Capture: NTSC, YUY2 720x480, 29.970 fps, no recompression, Upper Field first (for analog), ATI Rage Theater, AVI Format

Project Properties:NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3

System Information:
Windows XP Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2
Compaq Presario Pentium IV
80 GB
CPU 2.40 Ghz
2.39 GHz
512 RAM
Seagate External Hard Drive (USB) (I use this drive for video storage and editing) 300 GB

Again, any help is appreciated. Thanks very much!

[GeorgeW]

is that during playback in a dvd player? or playback on your computer?

what is your video bitrate, and what type of audio are you using

Are you encoding using CBR or VBR (Constant or Variable Bitrate)

[mkastner1]

Thanks.
The choppiness occurs when I replay the dvd on a dvd player.
I'm using Soundmax Digital Audio.
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
LPCM Audio, 48 KHz, Stereo
Hope this additional information is what you were looking for.
Let me know what you think.

[GeorgeW]

The bitrates you posted are quite high for home made dvd's. And since you are using VBR encoding, there is a chance that bitrates spike above the bitrate you specified.

Try CBR 6500kbps for your video. And if your dvd player can playback mpeg audio, use that format instead of lpcm audio (not all ntsc dvd players can play mpeg audio). Or, if you happen to have the AC3 plugin for VS8, then use that format over lpcm and mpeg audio.

Some items that can help (bitrates already mentioned)
-total bitrate (video plus all audio tracks) under 7500kbps
-for lower overall bitrates, go with Dolby Digital audio (or mpeg audio for PAL discs -- mpeg audio is not fully compatible with NTSC DVD Players)
-don't fill up entire 4.37gb disc -- keep it around 4gb
-no sticky labels
-burn slower (instead of 8x or above, try 4x and below)
-use quality discs (try different brands)
-turn off virus scan and don't use computer during burn process
-check for burner firmware updates
-check for software burning patches

[mkastner1]

thanks - I'll try your suggestions and let you know the result. appreciate your help very much!

[mkastner1]

Sorry George, still no luck. Used 6500 and 6000 bitrates and mpeg audio. Don't know quite what to do at this point.
Thanks.

[heinz-oz]

I would go to a friends place and play it on his DVD player, hopefully a different brand to see if the same problem occurs. This advice might sound stupid but I found out the hard way, how different and unpredictable DVD players are. It was in my early days of video editing, I wasn't even burning DVD's then, only SVCD. To cut a long story short, my burned CD was a bit choppy in areas and the sound was way out of sync. I was pulling my hair out and tried all sorts of tweaks and work arounds in MSP6.5. To no avail. I ended up with 16 different versions of this particular movie, all out of sync to varying degrees and all more or less choppy.
Finally, someone suggested to play it on a different player in order to eliminate my player as the source of my problems. I went to a friends place and, would you believe it, no problem at all. All 16 versions went fine.
Go figure.

[mkastner1]

OK George - will do and try it on a different dvd player. The video is choppy and also shows an edginess around people, etc. Like steps. Anyway, will see if a different player will make a difference. Thanks again!

[THoff]

OK George - will do and try it on a different dvd player. The video is choppy and also shows an edginess around people, etc. Like steps. Anyway, will see if a different player will make a difference. Thanks again!

Those are classic field order problems. It could also explain the choppyness.

[mkastner1]

Would you suggest using lower field first?
Thanks.

[THoff]

Use whatever the opposite of your current field order is.

As a last resort, use Frame Based, which will de-interlace the two half frames. It will eliminate all jaggies, but you'll wind up with motion that isn't as smooth. Then again, people like the film-like look of 24p video, so 29.97p/25p may not be such a bad thing after all.

[mkastner1]

Thanks - I'll try that - appreciate the advice and will let you know how it turns out!

[mkastner1]

I have virtually eliminated the choppy video. Here's what I did:
Captured my analog video in AVI format. Created a video file: in the pull down menu I selected MPEG2 format, frame based. I then recorded a dvd at 2.4 recording speed. thanks all for your advice - I do appreciate it very much!