Double recompression?

XPUser2003 wrote on 10/20/2003, 9:22 PM

Hi!

I have captured an mpeg-2 video in NTSC-SVCD format (i'm running too low on HD space for a full avi at this time) which now I am editing in Vegas. My questions are:

1. When the time to render this into the same NTSC-SVCD format using only Vegas' default template would it apply another compression to the mepg-2 file?

2. If so, how much more quality loss can I expect?

3. Can you suggest ways to keep quality loss as low as possible?

Thanks.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 10/20/2003, 9:25 PM

1 - Yes

2 - Depends on the quality of the capture and the bitrates used.

3 - Get a bigger hard drive and capture in AVI.
3b - If staying in MPEG-2, use the highest bitrate you can.

johnmeyer wrote on 10/20/2003, 9:29 PM

No cuts-only MPEG editing in Vegas. It will re-compress.

XPUser2003 wrote on 10/20/2003, 11:51 PM

Got it. Thanks.

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/20/2003, 11:55 PM

Even if it weren't cuts-only in Vegas, if you are changing the bitrate for another file format, or even simply changing the file format, you'll still get hit with recompression in any application. In other words, if it's 6 Mb in MPG2 for your DVD, and you want a 3Mb for your SVCD, then you'll suffer a recompress with any tool. You're best off starting with an avi, and rendering both files from the master avi, if you can afford the disk space.

XPUser2003 wrote on 10/21/2003, 12:32 AM

I suspected just as much. Now I'm sure. Luckily, Vegas has the option to intelligently match the project settings to the source file setting, up to the final render setting. Will use that measure to tide over my HD/avi trouble for the time being.

Much appreciated, SPOT!