Virgin experience - EDITING

[alexanderltd]

HI folks,
ALex here... I'm an old school broadcast editor that's finally decided to suck it up and learn NLE ... so many nuances but sooo many creative rewards.
Ive exhausted & searched the resources suggested and googled for hours to no avail.

Here's my situation:
* I recently shot a christening with 2 SONY's - HDV HVR-A1U and 1 SONY DSR PD170
* I Captured the HDV footages at 1440x1080 29.970 fps @ data rate of 25000kbps as an Mpeg-2 file
* I tried to check the box " split by scene" but it was grayed out so the capture is one continuous hour long clip

Here's the potential problem
I just captured the Sony DSR PD170 footage easily as Videostudio recognized the camera but it changed the capture setting size to 720

A POP UP BOX NOW ASKS ME
" Do you want to change the project settings to match the video's properties so VideoStudio can perform SmartRender? "
I am afraid to click anything as I think it may mean dumbing down the 1440 x 1080 "to match the videos properties" as in match the DVCAM 720 properties.

If I click "NO", how do I increase the size of the DVCAM to match / ( get closer to ) the Sony HDV captured footage.... or do I?
I'm LOST IN SPACE wondering click YES or click NO . Any help would be greatly appreciated by this newbie.

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forum... and the wonderful world of NLE!

First off, if you want to split your HDV footage by scene, there is a freeware program I use which does an excellent job. It's called HDVSplit and a simple Google search should find it for you. It also has the advantage of allowing you to designate your own name for the captured footage, rather than use Video Studio's rather arcane naming system. (As a footnote, split by scene in VS only works with DV footage not HDV footage since that is in fact mpeg-2 video, unlike DV.)

As for the DSR PD170 footage, I am not sure what you mean by VS somehow or other changing the "capture setting size to 720"... How did you capture from the camera? I am assuming (hoping) that you used a Firewire cable (called iLink by Sony) just as you would have for your HDV camera. However, since that camera is a standard definition DV/AVI one, its standard and unchangeable size for the video should be 720 x 480 (given that you are in the USA and so using NTSC).

Now we can get to your Yes/No situation... In Preferences > General, you will see that that box is beside a sentence which reads "Show message when inserting first video clip into the Timeline". And the key word is "first". Given that you have two different types of video (HDV mpeg-2 and DV/AVI), you need first to have decided what you intend making of your project. I am assuming here that you want to make either a Blu-Ray disc or something you can play directly on a HDTV, or even perhaps a DVD. So which is it?

If you want to make either a Blu-Ray or something high definition to play on your HDTV, then I would first insert a HDV clip into a brand new project. The message should show, asking if you want the project properties to match those of the clip. You can say yes. Then you can insert the other clips, change their order in the timeline and do any other editing you want. But in reality, the Project Properties are to a large extent irrelevant here since neither of your video formats are Blu-Ray compatible. So in the end, after you do your editing, there is no point in going to Share and choosing "Same As Project Properties" or "Same As First Clip". Instead, you would choose either Share > MPEG-2 then select one of the 1440 x 1080 or 1920 x 1080 formats available, or else Share > AVC/H.264. Either of these formats is Blu-Ray compatible, and will play back on a HDTV from a USB stick or external hard drive if you don't burn an actual Blu-Ray disc.

If you want instead to make a DVD, then you would choose Share > MPEG-2 and choose one of the standard def sizes (e.g. 720 x 480, 16:9, 8 Mbps) if the project is an hour or less long. Otherwise you would need to choose Custom and change the bitrate down from 8 Mbps (which is 8000 kbps) to something that will increase the amount of video which will fit on a 4.3 Gb DVD disc. As a general guide, 6000 kbps will fit around 90 minutes of video, and 4000 kbps will fit around two hours. Be aware though, that the lower the bitrate, the lower the end quality. And of course, whichever bitrate you choose, your HDV high definition footage will inevitably suffer the most as it is being downgraded from high def to standard def.

[alexanderltd]

KEN MY COMMENTS / RESPONSES IN CAPS ( IM REALLY NOT SHOUTING )
WOW !!THANKS FOR THE WELCOME AND AN AMAZING ANSWER AND MOST OF ALL YOUR VALUABLE TIME

Welcome to the forum... and the wonderful world of NLE!
THANK YOU SO MUCH

First off, if you want to split your HDV footage by scene, there is a freeware program I use which does an excellent job.
GREAT - I THINK IT'LL HELP IMMENSELY

It's called HDVSplit and a simple Google search should find it for you.
COOL.... I'LL DOWNLOAD AND FIGURE IT OUT

It also has the advantage of allowing you to designate your own name for the captured footage, rather than use Video Studio's rather arcane naming system.
I ASSUME THAT IT WILL RENAME BOTH FILES - THE HI RES MASTER AND THE LOW RES ONE (FORGOT THE NAME) FOR FASTER EDITING - SO THEY'LL SYNC

(As a footnote, split by scene in VS only works with DV footage not HDV footage since that is in fact mpeg-2 video, unlike DV.)
GLAD YOU TOLD ME, I COULDNT FIND WHY IT WOULDNT ANYWHERE...

As for the DSR PD170 footage, I am not sure what you mean by VS somehow or other changing the "capture setting size to 720"...
SORRY - I DID USE THE iLINK CABLE AND THE PROGRAM AUTOMATICALLY DETECTED THE CAMERA AND LOWERED THE CAPTURE SIZE TO 720 X 480

YEARS AGO IN THE ANALOGUE WORLD WE'D TRY TO 'TIME' EVEN SAME MODEL # & AND BRAND CAMERAS SO THEY MATCH.
TODAY I DIDNT KNOW HOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2 CAMERAS WOULD LOOK OR ACT AFTER THE CAPTURE ... IM JUST TRYING TO SQUEEZE THE HIGHEST QUALITY OUT OF THE FOOTAGE AND BY MAKING THE BEST CHOICES ON SETTINGS ETC ETC AND OF COURSE THE COLOR MANAGEMENT PROCESS ONCE THE EDITING PROCESS IS STARTED / COMPLETED

How did you capture from the camera? I am assuming (hoping) that you used a Firewire cable (called iLink by Sony) just as you would have for your HDV camera. However, since that camera is a standard definition DV/AVI one, its standard and unchangeable size for the video should be 720 x 480 (given that you are in the USA and so using NTSC).

Now we can get to your Yes/No situation...

In Preferences > General, you will see that that box is beside a sentence which reads "Show message when inserting first video clip into the Timeline". And the key word is "first".
Given that you have two different types of video (HDV mpeg-2 and DV/AVI), you need first to have decided what you intend making of your project.
I CAPTURED THE HDV FOOTAGE FIRST 4 TAPES AND I'VE JUST CAPTURED THE FIRST TAPE FROM THE DV CAMERA WHERE I GOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE MESSAGE BOX SAYING
" Do you want to change the project settings to match the video's properties so VideoStudio can perform SmartRender? "

THAT MESSAGE STILL AWAITS MY ANSWER AS i DONT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS IF I CHOSE THE WRONG SETTING AND HAVE TO RE CAPTURE THE WHOLE LONG TAPE AGAIN. I'M A LITTLE DENSE AND IN UNCHARTED WATERS ....SORRY I'LL GET IT

I am assuming here that you want to make either a Blu-Ray disc or something you can play directly on a HDTV, or even perhaps a DVD. So which is it?
YES A DVD WOULD PROBABLY BE THE DELIVERY MEDIUM

If you want to make either a Blu-Ray or something high definition to play on your HDTV, then I would first insert a HDV clip into a brand new project.
MY 1ST CAPTURE WAS FROM THE HDV... BY DOING THAT - HAVE I STARTED A NEW PROJECT UNWITTINGLY OR , AFTER EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CAPTURED, DO I START A NEW PROJECT

The message should show, asking if you want the project properties to match those of the clip. You can say yes.
I CANT REMEMBER- IT MAY HAVE WHEN I STARTED CAPTURING OR ONCE AGAIN IM STILL WONDERING IF YOU "START NEW PROJECT " MERELY BY CAPTURE PROCESS

Then you can insert the other clips, change their order in the timeline and do any other editing you want.
ONLY MY 1ST HDV CAPTURE HAS BEEN DRAGGED ONTO THE TIME LINE WHILE THE REST SIT IN THE LIBRARY BOX

But in reality, the Project Properties are to a large extent irrelevant here since neither of your video formats are Blu-Ray compatible. So in the end, after you do your editing, there is no point in going to Share and choosing "Same As Project Properties" or "Same As First Clip".
OK GOT IT - ONCE IM DONE ALL THE SWEETENING / EDITING

Instead, you would choose either Share > MPEG-2 then select one of the 1440 x 1080 or 1920 x 1080 formats available, or else Share > AVC/H.264.
Either of these formats is Blu-Ray compatible, and will play back on a HDTV from a USB stick or external hard drive if you don't burn an actual Blu-Ray disc.
NEVER KNEW ANY OF THIS

If you want instead to make a DVD, then you would choose Share > MPEG-2 and choose one of the standard def sizes (e.g. 720 x 480, 16:9, 8 Mbps) if the project is an hour or less long.
OH OH -ITS PROBABLY GOING TO RUN 1:30 trt

Otherwise you would need to choose Custom and change the bitrate down from 8 Mbps (which is 8000 kbps) to something that will increase the amount of video which will fit on a 4.3 Gb DVD disc.
WOW !!! SO WHEN I CAPTURED AT 25,000 KBPS IT SEEMS IN RETROSPECT TOO HIGH CONSIDERING WE END UP USING A THIRD ...AM I THINKING CORRECTLY .

As a general guide, 6000 kbps will fit around 90 minutes of video, and 4000 kbps will fit around two hours.
SO AN HOUR TWENTY SHOW MAY NEED A 7000 -7500SETTING

Be aware though, that the lower the bitrate, the lower the end quality.
And of course, whichever bitrate you choose, your HDV high definition footage will inevitably suffer the most as it is being downgraded from high def to standard def.

KEN, THE WORDING OF THAT VIDEO STUDIO POP UP BOX STILL FREAKS ME OUT...YOU DID SAY YES
many many thanks kEN


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virgin experience - EDITING
Post by alexanderltd » Tue Jul 07, 2015 4:10 pm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HI folks,
ALex here... I'm an old school broadcast editor that's finally decided to *** it up and learn NLE ... so many nuances but sooo many creative rewards.
Ive exhausted & searched the resources suggested and googled for hours to no avail.

Here's my situation:
* I recently shot a christening with 2 SONY's - HDV HVR-A1U and 1 SONY DSR PD170
* I Captured the HDV footages at 1440x1080 29.970 fps @ data rate of 25000kbps as an Mpeg-2 file
* I tried to check the box " split by scene" but it was grayed out so the capture is one continuous hour long clip

Here's the potential problem
I just captured the Sony DSR PD170 footage easily as Videostudio recognized the camera but it changed the capture setting size to 720

A POP UP BOX NOW ASKS ME
" Do you want to change the project settings to match the video's properties so VideoStudio can perform SmartRender? "
I am afraid to click anything as I think it may mean dumbing down the 1440 x 1080 "to match the videos properties" as in match the DVCAM 720 properties.

If I click "NO", how do I increase the size of the DVCAM to match / ( get closer to ) the Sony HDV captured footage.... or do I?
I'm LOST IN SPACE wondering click YES or click NO . Any help would be greatly appreciated by this newbie.

[BrianCee]

Whenever there are files in the timeline VideoStudio assumes you are starting a new project - and when you capture by firewire VideoStudio puts everything into the timeline - as well as a library pane.

Cancel that yes/no request by clicking on the white cross in the red box in the top right corner of the request box.

now delete everything in your timeline - simply click on each clip and hit the 'Delete' key on your keyboard until the timeline is empty

THIS HAS NOT AFFECTED YOUR FILES IN ANY WAY THEY ARE STILL ON YOUR HDD

If you now want to capture using DVsplit to get your individual scenes then do so - but make sure you delete everything in the timeline

best now to shut down VideoStudio and then open anew to reset every thing

now drag one of your 1440 x 1080 clips from the library pane into the top track of the timeline - you should now get that message and this time you can say yes. - project properties set to 1440 x 1080.

you can now drag and drop as many other clips as you need from the library down into either the top track or overlay track as you wish

[alexanderltd]

MEGA THANKS to Kenny Berry and Brian Cee for taking the time to help me from England and New Zealand.
I am speechless. My apology for the delay but I've been working working crazy hours

I cant wait to try the step by step directions as well as looking at the links you sent me.
If either of you find yourself in Baltimore...dinner is on me

I keep you gents posted once I start moving imagery around.
BEST ALWAYS
ALEX