Just to start with, I have been on Google extensively all afternoon, but thought its time I actually posed the question here.
I am shooting for a DVD next month. Did one before several years ago and it turned out stellar but it was all different then. To start with we shot on Canon XL cameras which are SD to begin with. Then edited with FCP and finally authored with Adobe Encore 2.
The point being there was no downscaling and very little transcoding going on. This time we have a pair of Panasonic GH4 so I plan to shoot in 25p 1080i - as we are in the UK.
Editing prog may be FCP again, I wont be doing it, but will be authoring the end result. Programs I have available are Magix Video Pro X6 and TMPGEnc Video MasteringWorks 5
I just made a test project, loaded four clips into the timeline, added chapter markers and burned it and it looked like total ass.
So I think that trying to do everything in one program is not the way to go. ProX7 is a great editor but maybe lacking in other areas.
So at what level should downscale take place ideally? Currently thinking I should export edited timeline as lossless AVI file - import into Vdub and resize, save again and import into TMPGEnc to encode as DVD complaint MPG file, then impost back into Magix to author.
Am I overthinking this? Do I actually need to resize with Virtual Dub or can I downsize and recode all at once with TMPGenc?
Any ideas or sugestions?
Thanks
Please define "total ass"
Well, it sort of looked like badly encoded VHS content. Only more colorful.
Never used FCP so might be different but, in all of the NLE programs I've used, just capture your clips directly through your software, edit in that format and, export in mpeg 2 for including in the DVD.
Maybe try a different method of exporting/trans-coding from within the software.
Like Pete Allen, I don't use FCP. I suggest you follow his advice.
The shooting - editing - burning process is is like a chain with links. Check at each link to find out where your material is being degraded. If your system does not allow you to monitor at each stage, maybe you are using the wrong system?
At the moment my testing is being done without FCP. I have imported clips onto a 1080p timeline in Magix Video ProX6, put chapter points on and output as DVD using the DVD burn and encode module of that program.
The loss in quality comes at the resize and encode stage.
I have just experimented with TMPGenc and inported clips, downsampled and encoded as MPG2 DVD format and imported this back into Magix to author.
Its not perfect but it WAY better. So I'd say that its too much to hope for one program to be able to do it all. When you buy pr video editing software such as ProX, Premiere, Vegas etc its annoying that a cheap program like TMPGenc or a free one like Vitrual Dub will do a better job.
When you buy pr video editing software such as ProX, Premiere, Vegas etc its annoying that a cheap program like TMPGenc or a free one like Vitrual Dub will do a better job.
Sorry but, I would say if you aren't getting good results with a pro editing program, it's more likely to be user error than the software not performing.
Try a few different methods or, search online for tutorials.
which final Cut?
don't you have compressor?
Sorry but, I would say if you aren't getting good results with a pro editing program, it's more likely to be user error than the software not performing.Try a few different methods or, search online for tutorials.
I think you'll find that not all pro editing programs give the same result. And this is what I am hearing from many people. I am not happy with the results I am getting with ProX although its a perfectly good editor. And I have been experimenting with different methods, and so far have found at least one better way of doing it.
And there are others. If one has enough knowledge then one can get jiggy with AVIsynth scripts, frameserving to VirtualDub, Lanczos3 resizing and all kinds of things that are out of my comfort zone.
And of course if you have the money you can buy Cinema Craft Encoder for about a grand or so. And there are others at price points north of this that are used by Hollywood studios. So its really not an easy thing to do, and there is no do-it-all package available that seems to give decent results. My point was that certain small specialist and cheap programs do a better job than some of the heavyweights. Fact.
So at this point I am ruling out user error as I have used the software at various bitrates and at the highest quality settings. But thanks for your comments.
Have a look here, just substitute some other intermediate codec for the Edius one..
"Using TmpgEnc Video Mastering Works 5 for downscaling EDIUS HD to PAL SD or NTSC SD with superb results, no downscaling artifacts"
Thanks very much Claire - thats a good guide.