MP4 files

[mwsing]

When I share my project I store it as MP4. However, while the rendered project is initially stored as an MP4 file, it soon changes and show as a Vidiostudio VSP file. I want it to stay as MP4 so that friends without Videostudio can still open it. How can I achieve this?

[asik1]

You don't "share" a project, you share a video file, like mp4.
You "save" a project as vsp file.
It looks as you misplaced your render output folder. look again where you put your files.

[lata]

The VSP is a Video Studio Project file, this is a small file containing the editing details applied to your project and is used specifically by the program. Think of it as a note pad containing scripts.
When we do Share to create a video, the process renders the project VSP to a video file, you have chosen MP4. This file is separate to the VSP and saved to the hard drive in the location chosen on the Share panel, File Name and Share Location, just above the Start button.

When render is complete a thumbnail will be placed in the library, ( edit tab) if you locate that, a right click for Locate on Computer will find the new file, which you can share with your friends.
Of course will be a much greater size in Mb / Gb compared to the associated VSP which in comparison is Kb’s

Hope this helps

[mwsing]

I think that my brain stopped working for a while. I remember now that for many years I didn't create MP4 files but created output to a disc which I could give to people. I assume that the only way to create MP4 files now, if I need to, would be to open the VSP file in Videostudio and do a new Share to create an MP4 file. Am I coprrect?

Thank you both for your helpful advice that got me thinking along the right lines!

[Davidk]

Depends on the type of disk you were creating.
If it was a DVD - typical for people to just play, then the disk format wasn't mp4 but mpg2 which is the standard for TV playable DVD's. Many older viewers are more comfortable with this type of information distribution - what they are used to - but it doesn't deliver the resolution in the final product you may want.
If you are still looking to distribute a rendered mp4 file - a full-HD resolution file - to friends there are several options:
1. after rendering, upload the mp4 file to a public folder in an on-line drive like dropbox or one-drive, and email the access link to your distributees: they would need to download it before playing.
2. copy the rendered file to a usb stick, or a DVD blank formatted as a data disk, and mail those out
3. create an AVCHD or Blu-ray disk with the playable rendered output, and mail distribute those. Note that there are limits on the playability of this type of disk;
a. AVCHD can be rendered to a standard DVD disk blank, but it will use much more of the disk space for a shorter playing file: think 60 mins instead of 120. It also needs a blu-ray player to play it back, even if you have suitable player software eg VLC. The file format will be different, indicating the type of video file that's on it.
b. a Blu-ray disk has the almost the same constraints as AVCHD: needs a blu-ray disk to record on, and both a blu-ray burner and player.
However, most new computers and TV players are typically fitted with blu-ray capable players now, and the separate "bought" players from electronic stores are to a similar standard. So if those hardware items have been bought in the last 5 years they are probably capable: read the supported formats list in the burner/player documentation.

[mwsing]

Thank you. Most informative

[mwsing]

After a very long gap, I have now realised that the DVD player is likely to become extinct like the dodo, so I need to convert my videos stored on DVDs into MPG files for my family. The way I have done it for a couple is to capture the disc data into Videostudio and then re-render it to produce an MPG file. Naturally this is very time consuming so I wonder if there is a quicker way? Last time we discussed this I recall one suggestion was that it might be possible to open up the file and, as you know, you get a Video_TS file with each chapter listed as a separate .VOB file. Someone suggested that I could change each extension to a .MPG file but I can't work out how to do that.

I would really appreciate an update. Many thanks for your patience all of those who helped so long ago.

[lata]

Hi mwsing
Importing your DVD disc will import the jVob files as mpeg2 files

Some details on my we site here

http://lata.me.uk/corel/importdvd/dvd.htm

This process is a better option than renaming the vobs to mpg as it should avoid combining / rendering the 1Gb files (vobs are limited to 1Gb)

[mwsing]

Thanks Trevor. That's essentially what I was doing and now I know why I was getting the whole project twice! However, your instructions stop once I have imported the video But I assume I then still have to go through the rendering process and Sharing process to create the MPG file - or am I missing something?

[lata]

The DVD disc contains the movie files as vobs, these are Mpeg2 type video files
When we Import Digital Media as the instructions above the files extension is updated to be MPG so we now have Mpeg2 type files.
If you have just the one Mpeg2 then no extra share needed

If you have several mpeg2 files then yes you may need to render again to create one file

File Sizes- a DVD disc holds 4.3 Gb of data so your movie files could be upto 4 Gb

Of course if you wish to add to or edit the files then you would have to use Share to complete the process otherwise no extra rendering.

[mwsing]

Yes, when the file is sitting in the timeline it says that it is .mpg However, when I save it then it is saved as a .VSP How do I save it as a mpg file?

[lata]

When you do File Save or Save As you are saving the project as a VSP ( Video Studio Project)

The file on the timeline is a MPG, this is already saved to your hard drive within your working folder
Right click that clip for "locate on computer"

If you view the web tutorial again you will see the 4th image shows a working folder, you can chose any folder on your hard drive to store the imported mpeg's

Hope this helps

click image for larger view

[Ken Berry]

And just to add, a .vsp file is a text file. It does NOT have any video in it. It is a simple file which simply tells VS what is in the project (video, images, music etc), where it is located on the computer and what editing has been done to it. So as Trevor has indicated, you have to look elsewhere ("locate on computer") to find the actual video itself.

[mwsing]

Thanks both for your great help. I am now progressing apace. Since we haven't been travelling since the onset of COVID, I have not been doing any filming or editing for several years, so your guidance was exceeingly valuable.

[mwsing]

I WASaking great progress, but now Videostudio keeps freezing in the middle of the Import step. Any ideas? The computer is also giving a little beep from time to time when this happens.