Videostudio X10 Which is better import or add to library

[lillyastar]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have always added my camcorder or iPhone video to the library. Is it better to use capture and import? My footage always looks a bit grainy, it is never crisp although the raw footage looks fine.

[gewb]

Can you provide a short clip via online sharing (Box, etc.) that we can play with?

[canuck]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have always added my camcorder or iPhone video to the library. Is it better to use capture and import? My footage always looks a bit grainy, it is never crisp although the raw footage looks fine.

The library does not contain any actual video or other files. The library simply shows a number of thumbnails which are actually only a link to the "real" video file.

How did you get the video clips from your camcorder or iPhone to your computer? Unless your camcorder uses tape, you never have to capture but just use Windows Explorer to copy the files from the camcorder to a folder on your computer. You can then simply insert the video file into the timeline.

Personally I never use the library at all for my personal files.

[lillyastar]

I sent them from my iPhone to a folder via the cloud. With the camcorder I copied them to a folder with a firewire. Its an HD canon camcorder that records to built in memory and an SD card. If videostudio is not affecting the raw footage then I think its because I have to compress the video after I publish it as the mp4 file is always enormous. I will have to find a better way to compress it.

[Ken Berry]

Can you tell us the model name and number for the Canon HD camcorder, please? I ask because it seems strange that you are transferring video from it via firewire. The camera would have to have a Firewire port, as would your computer, and Firewire camcorders are restricted to DV standard def AVI, and high def HDV formats.

Doesn't the Canon have a USB port? Or couldn't you plug the SD card directly into your computer or via a USB card reader, and transfer the footage that way?

And when you say the mp4 footage is huge, how big are we talking about? You shouldn't be worrying about compressing it before editing, in any case. Depending on what output format you want, compression can take place during rendering of your edited project.

[lillyastar]

Sorry Ken I made a small mistake - my camera is Canon but the camcorder is Panasonic SDR-H100 its a SD/HDD hybrid. It does have a firewire port. I can't transfer using the SD card as my laptop does not have an SD port. I guess I could get a card reader, but it came with the wire, so I just use that. My last render of an 8 min video was 628,140 kb.
I am making my current project as a promotional video for work. Usually its just family film so it doesn't matter so much, but the work ones end up on the website and my tech guys complain about the size of my videos.

[canuck]

Sorry Ken I made a small mistake - my camera is Canon but the camcorder is Panasonic SDR-H100 its a SD/HDD hybrid. It does have a firewire port. I can't transfer using the SD card as my laptop does not have an SD port. I guess I could get a card reader, but it came with the wire, so I just use that. My last render of an 8 min video was 628,140 kb.
I am making my current project as a promotional video for work. Usually its just family film so it doesn't matter so much, but the work ones end up on the website and my tech guys complain about the size of my videos.

According to the manual for that Panasonic camcorder, it does not have a firewire port but you can connect it to a computer via a USB port. THe SD/HDD means that it records to a SD card or the Hard Disk Drive

Does that camcorder record to tape? Firewire only works with tape camcorders.

Have you used tha software package that came with that camcorder?

[lillyastar]

No it does not record to tape, just its internal drive and an SD card. I don't use their software as I already had Videostudio when i bought it.

[lata]

Hi lilly

If you connect the camcorder to your pc via USB the cameras SD card will show as a removable drive when viewing the PC / Computer, I think windows 10 calls it “This PC”
Just like inserting the SD card to a reader.
If you record to AVCHD, Navigate the folders to find the Stream Folder
Your video recordings should be there.
Copy and Paste those to a new folder on your pc

As you have a hybrid camcorder with both SD and HDD, I am not sure what the HDD will show as when viewing MyPC?, but again you should be able to copy and paste to your pc.

Open Video Studio and import / insert the video files to the program, Library or Timelines.

Right click your clips within Video Studio and choose properties , What are they?

[lillyastar]

Hi Trevor.
Following your steps the properties for an imported clip transferred via usb are:
File format;Quick Time movie files
Movie size:1920x1080
Duration:29.388 secs
video track
Compression:H.264
Attributes:24 bits 1920x1080
Total frames:881
Frame rate:29.978
Duration:29.388 secs
sound track
Compression: MPEG 4 Low complexity AAC
Total samples: 1,298,432 seconds
Duration:29.388 secs

[canuck]

What do you want to do with the video from the camcorder? What settings are you using for rendering?

[lillyastar]

Its to embed on a website and to show clients.
MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 30 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 15000 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 192 Kbps