Can't trim back end of video in DVDA 5

otspbob wrote on 10/17/2008, 11:59 AM
I have a 2.5 hour "master" clip from which I'd like to make two smaller DVD projects. When I slide the out point of the clip back and forth, the disc space usage adjusts accordingly, and DVDA renders only the selected portion. But when I slide the in point back and forth, the disc space usage doesn't budge, and it tries to render everything from the beginning of the master clip (regardless of where the in point is) to the out point. So in an extreme example, if I try to set the in/out points to the last five seconds of the clip, it'll still try to render the whole clip. Not so if I set them to the first five seconds of the clip. Why is this? I'd rather not have to re-render the master clip into two smaller clips. The DVD is already authored, and I'm running out of time. Thanks in advance...

Comments

byloox wrote on 11/19/2008, 2:08 PM
This is a good question. and one I have spend hours trying to figure out because it would be absolutely absurd if DVDA understands it does not need to re-render the video that lies outside the out-point but not the in-point.

In other words, DVDA has included the tools to simply move the in-point of a video to, for example, timecode 10minutes and the help file confirms that the purpose for this is so that the first 10 minutes are not rendered so as to take up and waste space on the DVD. Yet despite all this, DVDA completely ignores the video in point.

I've tried adding markers at the 10 minute mark (using same 10-minute example) thinking that maybe the Scene 1 marker is still at timecode zero but no luck. Video Buttons, no luck. Playlist workaround, couldn't come up with one. DVD Scripting, well, don't get me started on that. Personally, I LOVE using a snippet of my video as the intro (or background), just a personal style thing... and so this happens to me more often than not. Of course, this issue extends to ANY video you want to use a portion of... either you start from the beginning of the video or else you are forced to re-render :(

Not to belabor the issue as I am sure you all "get it" but here is the result of the ignored video in-point.

1. I have a 1 hour video, which I intend to render and include in my project as normal.
2. In that same video, there is, for example, a 1 minute clip that would make a GREAT INTRO to the DVD.
3. Unfortunately, I never realize this while I am still in Vegas... so...
4. I copy, rename, and then paste a copy of the entire 1 hour video into my project, which effectively doubles the size of my project... which is bad.
5. Following DVDA's documentation, I set an in-point and out-point that isolates the intro material so that the remaining 59 minutes are not included in my project.
6. PROBLEM: DVDA only recognizes the out-point, and includes all material from timecode 0 to the out-point no matter what, just as the original poster explained.
7. The most recent time this happened I needed video from timecode 40min to approx 42min, but could not get a 2 minute clip, only a 42 minute clip!!

So now I am left with a Hobson's choice:
Either *abandon* the intro altogether because it will overflow my disc (and who wants to see a 42 min. intro anyway?) or *stop* what I am doing, head back to Vegas and render the 2 minute clip from the video and then import that into back into DVDA for use as an intro....

Personally, I choose option 3: render only the portion between the In-point and the out-point. Only I seriously can't make this work.

So please, can someone who understands what I am doing wrong chime in. I know the issue is with me because Sony would have to be moronic for the "set in-point" tool in DVDA5 (or 4.5) not actually "set" the "in-point".... although with some of Sony's (still my favorite) decisions lately, I am now starting to wonder.
bStro wrote on 11/19/2008, 9:27 PM
If the video is to be encoded (or re-encoded), the In and Out points determine which portion is included on the disc. If the video is not to be encoded (or re-encoded), the In and Out points only determine which portion is played, but does not affect what's included on the disc. This is because the only way for DVDA to edit (chop off one or both ends) of a file is to re-encode it, something which you are frankly better off not letting it do unless absolutely necessary. (For example, if the file is an AVI.)

By the way, you have a third option: Edit the file in an editing app that does smart rendering for MPEG2.

Rob