I had what I thought was the clever idea of doing a project in 1/2 D1 (352x480) for output to DVD. It seemed like a good way to save space.
The problem is that MSP doesn't know that I am going to play back on a television and therefore need a 4:3 aspect ratio to preview and edit with. Really all that is needed is for the preview window to stretch horizontally to compensate, but I haven't found a way to set this, if in fact MSP does offer that option.
Have I overlooked something?
4:3 preview window with 1/2 D1
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Chris0709
You are going to run into a lot of problems with that resolution, unless you plan on somehow encoding it back to 720x480 or 720x576 in mpeg depending on which video standard you are using, NTSC or PAL. The DVD standard only allows those resolutions of video. And, if you upconvert your D1 resolution of 352x480 to one of the above, it won't look that great.
1/2 D1 is a valid resolution for DVD -- so it could work for DVD.
Unforunately, I'm not sure how to make the Preview window display it properly.
btw, using Half D1 alone isn't going to save you space (if you plan to use the same bitrate as Full D1). Lowering your bitrate is what will save some space...
Unforunately, I'm not sure how to make the Preview window display it properly.
btw, using Half D1 alone isn't going to save you space (if you plan to use the same bitrate as Full D1). Lowering your bitrate is what will save some space...
George
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LBWood
A good point about the bitrate. I HAD concluded I would keep the bitrate the same.
My thinking was that if I used the 1/2 D1 resolution but kept the bitrate the same, there would be less spatial compression involved and therefore perhaps a better image. The original video source is VHS, so the lower resolution probably wouldn't make a difference. Less spatial compression might.
Of course, if I have to look at the whole thing squeezed horizontally while I'm editing, it's not a viable option.
My thinking was that if I used the 1/2 D1 resolution but kept the bitrate the same, there would be less spatial compression involved and therefore perhaps a better image. The original video source is VHS, so the lower resolution probably wouldn't make a difference. Less spatial compression might.
Of course, if I have to look at the whole thing squeezed horizontally while I'm editing, it's not a viable option.
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Terry Stetler
- Posts: 973
- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 3:34 pm
- Location: Westland, Michigan USA
I typically capture mine from analog inputs using either the RT.X100's VfW or the AIW DirectShow interfaces to either YUV, uncompressed (RGB) or MPEG files.
Once captured I load them into an ATSC D1 (704x480) 4:3 custom project template using the same setting.
These files show in the Preview window as 4:3 (full frame as on a TV) and the realtime performance is only slightly affected.
Unfortunately with YUV or RGB files the Source window still shows them in squeezed mode. MPEG is unaffected. This IMO is a small problem since all show as full 4:3 in Multi-Trim, which is what I prefer to use anyhow. The old Trim Window always squeezes clips so its behavior isn't affected.
Because the YUV and RGB's are uncompressed files edits can be done at VERY high quality then encoded to DVD compliant halfD1 MPEG's with ease. MPEG's also work well if the edits are not too extensive.
All that's necessary in the DVD software is to set it not to transcode already compliant files. The player will take it from there.
Unfortunately this doesn't work using my usual PICVideo MJPeg codec in MSP8 because of a bug that prevents half D1 PICVideo MJPeg files from being used in the source window. Not sure if it's a bug in MSP8 or PICVideo though....
Once captured I load them into an ATSC D1 (704x480) 4:3 custom project template using the same setting.
These files show in the Preview window as 4:3 (full frame as on a TV) and the realtime performance is only slightly affected.
Unfortunately with YUV or RGB files the Source window still shows them in squeezed mode. MPEG is unaffected. This IMO is a small problem since all show as full 4:3 in Multi-Trim, which is what I prefer to use anyhow. The old Trim Window always squeezes clips so its behavior isn't affected.
Because the YUV and RGB's are uncompressed files edits can be done at VERY high quality then encoded to DVD compliant halfD1 MPEG's with ease. MPEG's also work well if the edits are not too extensive.
All that's necessary in the DVD software is to set it not to transcode already compliant files. The player will take it from there.
Unfortunately this doesn't work using my usual PICVideo MJPeg codec in MSP8 because of a bug that prevents half D1 PICVideo MJPeg files from being used in the source window. Not sure if it's a bug in MSP8 or PICVideo though....
Terry Stetler