Muticam Edit (render) issue VS2021

[cybernick]

I found out another bug I believe.

I use 2 videos and one audio in muticam editor. Video is 1080p 50fps XAVC and the audio is wav 24 bit audio. And files have smartproxy.
After the muticam edit if you put the multicam.vsp in the timeline flatten (by holding the shift) the render (with exactly the same setting with the source files) is muddy.
But if you put the VSP regularly without flattening the render quality is good.

I tested in both nvidia and Intel HW acceleration mode. No change.

Dear community please also test it. If you have the same result it should be communicated as bug.
We know that flatted VSP insert have issues . This will be another one . I really can not understand in every editing project I find 1-2 bugs.

[lata]

Cybernick
Just a little more info please
Right click the MCE.VSP in the library for preferences, are they the same as the video files properties, take special note of the frame rate.
When working with MCE the frame rate used is taken from the project properties.
I realise that the MCE frame size shows as 24 bits, 854 x 480, but never thought that to be an issue as our main project properties should be set correctly to match the video file.
As you are now flattening the VSP I do not know if those sizes will impact on quality, I’ll run a test.

[cybernick]

Cybernick
Just a little more info please
Right click the MCE.VSP in the library for preferences, are they the same as the video files properties, take special note of the frame rate.
When working with MCE the frame rate used is taken from the project properties.
I realise that the MCE frame size shows as 24 bits, 854 x 480, but never thought that to be an issue as our main project properties should be set correctly to match the video file.
As you are now flattening the VSP I do not know if those sizes will impact on quality, I’ll run a test.

yeessss you are right. I did not thing about that. The properties says :

PAL (25 fps)
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 16:9, 25 fps
Frame-based
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
DV Audio -- PAL, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo


This is why it is so muddy. The question is how to set this. Because when I select the 2 video files and one audio in the lib, right click on selected media and select muticam, VS creates the file without asking the VSP properties.
C:\Users\%USER%\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\24.0\MultiCam\MultiCam05.vsp

Should I go open the VSP and change the properties? Not so user friendly.

Strangely those specs are the ones of Smartproxy files.

[lata]

First start a new project
Insert your camera 1 recording to the timeline, should show the messages to match project properties, yes to that.
Clear the timelines
From library select your camera recordings, right click for MCE
This opens the MCE manager then to MCE where you can choose File Save as to give the MCE project a name. Pity we cannot choose a save location.
The mce timelines should now use the same frame rate as your video files, I think it is important to match these frame rates

The new MCE.VSP will be added to the library having a 854 x 480 resolution, but its only a container, we drag that to the timelines which is set for your camera 1, clips open as expanded / editable.
If we flatten the MCE then it should render ok as Same as Project will use the camera 1 settings.
I noticed that rendering a flattened VSP takes much longer to render. Maybe it takes time to unwrap the nested / flattened VSP???

[cybernick]

I would suggest to try with smartproxy enabled. That did work I assume.
Also muticam edit should allow me to choose the VSP properties without those tip and tricks. A nice software should guide the user.

[lata]

Not really tips and tricks as we always recommend that the timeline settings / Project Settings match the video file being used.
It is important that the frame rate matches our video file then all frames in our video are being used within the timelines.
There should be no duplicate frames within the video files

Then we come to MCE, yes it could be more intuitive, yes there could be an option to set Project Properties.
Matching the frame rate allows us to see / use all frames within the video, adding a 25fps video to a 50fps timeline will only duplicate frames and that should be avoided not only on the main timelines but when using MCE.

You did not mention Smart Proxy in your original post basically I was testing flattened renders, there have been reports that Smart Proxy did affect quality when rendering our projects, but that’s a different issue and I believe fixed.

Oh another test using MTS created a MCE.VSP using
PAL (25 fps)
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 16:9, 25 fps
Frame-based
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

So it appears these settings vary depending on the main project properties, as above important to set the main timelines project settings correctly, I would suggest as Camera 1 properties.

[cybernick]

Not really tips and tricks as we always recommend that the timeline settings / Project Settings match the video file being used.
It is important that the frame rate matches our video file then all frames in our video are being used within the timelines.
There should be no duplicate frames within the video files

Then we come to MCE, yes it could be more intuitive, yes there could be an option to set Project Properties.
Matching the frame rate allows us to see / use all frames within the video, adding a 25fps video to a 50fps timeline will only duplicate frames and that should be avoided not only on the main timelines but when using MCE.

You did not mention Smart Proxy in your original post basically I was testing flattened renders, there have been reports that Smart Proxy did affect quality when rendering our projects, but that’s a different issue and I believe fixed.

Oh another test using MTS created a MCE.VSP using
PAL (25 fps)
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 16:9, 25 fps
Frame-based
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

So it appears these settings vary depending on the main project properties, as above important to set the main timelines project settings correctly, I would suggest as Camera 1 properties.

Actually I mentioned the smart proxy in the original post.
Is this smartproxy issue will be fixed in a upcoming patch?

[lata]

apologies I did not realise that Smart Proxy was causing a problem, you did not say that.

As far as I know the Smart Proxy issue affected either 2019 or 2020 but was fixed by Corel and included in their service packs.

I have tested MCE using MTS video with smart proxy and rendered flattened MCE, VSP with no apparent quality issues.


Are you still having quality issues when rendering MCE video

[cybernick]

I will test and let you know. But in any case Corel should make a convenient way to set the MCE project file.
Also when I have smartproxy enabled and make the MCE file after smartproxy files created, the project files goes to the size of smart proxies.

[cybernick]

I have done the test. The project spec size and fps is the same with the cam 1 media. I did it by inserting the file to the timeline and accepting the changes. (1080p 50 FPS) (Smartproxy is enabled)
so the first in the Timeline is the cam 1 source sile , the second is muticam vsp without flattened. And the third is the same mutlicam VSP but flatten. I do not know why but the multicam generated as :

PAL double (50 fps)
Microsoft AVI files
24 bits, 854 x 480, 50 fps
Frame-based
Uncompressed
PCM, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo

I rendered the file as "same as project settings". The first and the second part of the render is nice and clean. The third part has obviously lower res.
Outcome in my case flatten muticam render cause a serious quality degrade. At least in my case and with smartproxy.