Editing MPEG-2

reberclark wrote on 3/22/2008, 11:55 AM
Hello, I am about to purchase a camera that saves standard def 16:9 in MPEG-2 format. What are the pitfalls of editing and rendering this in VMS8 (not platinum). I understand on render VMS8 always re-encodes MPEG-2. All information (upgrade to platinum? problems with audio? should I convert these files? etc.) very welcome from the wise heads of this forum. Thanks.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 3/22/2008, 2:28 PM
If your primary intention is to edit in Vegas then consider a DV camcorder and not an MPEG2 model.
reberclark wrote on 3/22/2008, 3:11 PM
Thanks for the answer. I will be editing in Vegas Movie Studio 8. Can you recommend any cameras? I've got around $600 to spend - everything I find seems to capture in MPEG-2 format.

BTW I just ordered some of your stuff from Rotating Cat Head. Looks good.
owlsroost wrote on 3/24/2008, 7:41 AM
Perhaps it would help (in suggesting camcorders) if you told us what sort of filming you are likely to be doing ?

The camcorder world is going dvd/hard disk/memory card based rapidly - and this is all MPEG-2/MPEG-4/AVCHD based - but there are still good DV tape-based camcorders around which support 16:9 at low prices (compared to what they cost just a few years ago). Have a look at the Canon and Panasonic ranges.

For info/reviews try [url=http://www.camcorderinfo.com/]

Tony
HaroldC wrote on 3/24/2008, 3:25 PM
As an aside, though my current camera uses minidv tapes at some point in the future I might end up using a harddrive camera using mpeg2 format. That or perhaps someone just wants me to edit footage from their camera. I use a canopus 110 to run my footage into the computer. If I connected a camera that uses mpeg2 formating to the canopus would it still end up as an avi in the puter? Or would I run the camera into the vcr, which is connected to the canopus?
Chienworks wrote on 3/24/2008, 6:51 PM
If you go through the Canopus 110 and capture through firewire you'll get a DV .avi file, no matter what source you connect to it.
colinu wrote on 3/26/2008, 7:54 AM
My suggestion would be to bring the mpeg2 files into Vegas, then render them (intact) as a DV quality AVI files. Then do your editing using the AVI files.
ekez wrote on 3/27/2008, 4:18 AM
Real short comment here.
My 1st time into Sony equipment and the HDD SR5 QUALITY is amazing. Appently I am force to use the Camera as my HD player. I would hate to spend hours transfering to a dvd disk and lose quality. Hard Drives all the the way for storage. ( and i've got 4 dvd players and 1 dvd recorder.)

go figure!
reberclark wrote on 3/27/2008, 1:23 PM
Colinu,
Thanks for the reply. I was planning on doing that and am glad to get some confirmation. All the best, Reber Clark
ekez wrote on 3/29/2008, 1:00 PM
Ahh! But the real question is What program to buy to edit mpeg-2?
reberclark wrote on 3/29/2008, 1:17 PM
Well now you have me a little worried...doesn't VMS8 edit MPEG-2? Or can I at least render from an imported MPEG-2 to .AVI?
Chienworks wrote on 3/29/2008, 1:58 PM
Vegas can edit MPEG2 just fine. It will be a bit slowish compared to editing DV. Just keep in mind that rendering MPEG to MPEG will lose quality more than rendering DV to MPEG. Note also that rendering MPEG to DV first will not avoid this loss, and in fact will make it worse. The point is you're better off getting the original material in DV from the camcorder. However, if you start with MPEG you're not lost, it just won't be as good as starting with DV.