Excessive Render times?

dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 7:57 AM
I've got most of my processes off, after my last "made DVD" aborted due to low memory.

Is there a reason what took about :40 minutes to render for a VCD is showing currently to take over 4 hours to render for DVDA2.0?

I was under the impression it's the same MPG file separated from the audio track.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

D

Comments

ScottW wrote on 12/5/2004, 8:32 AM
No, an MPEG for a VCD is not usually going to be the same as an MPEG for a DVD - a VCD mpeg is MPEG-1 and has a different size (352x240); DVD's are typically MPEG-2 at 720x480 depending on whether you're NTSC or PAL - at least that's what DVDA is going to want to create - you can put MPEG-1 on a DVD, but DVDA is most likely recompressing your video to match its standard format (which depends on the project settings). If you go to the optimize screen, DVDA will tell you if it's going to recompress.

In any event, you should always, whenever possible, render from Vegas using an appropriate DVDA template. You have more control over the render settings (if you should happen to need them) with Vegas than you do with DVDA. Also, if DVDA is recompressing you'll take a real hit in quality (especially doing what you're doing).

--Scott
dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 8:54 AM
Have you ever heard of Vegas jamming up on anyone during the "make move/ burn to dvd" process?

This is the first project I've done (haven't even installed the burner yet). I've just been inserting a few menus and introduction movie for the final product.

I just realized. I can't check the optimization since I can't get my Vegas project over to Architect to start.

The Vegas documentation says it could take up to several hours (depending on project size), but mine just sort of hung.

The last VCD I did for [TV] testing showed no "artifacts"...should I consider the checkbox for fast resizing?

Thanks,
D
ScottW wrote on 12/5/2004, 9:17 AM
What "Vegas" are you using? MovieStudio? If it's MovieStudio, you might have better luck over in that forum - I've only played briefly with the trial version.

"just sort of hung" doesn't really tell me much - did you try bringing up the task manager to see if CPU was still being used? Was your disk activity light flashing? It could be that thet machine was just busy rendering

Given the computer specs you posted in the Vegas forum, I would expect a render from Vegas (not MovieStudio, since I know nothing about it) with no effects or anything applied, to render at realtime or better. I've got 2 renders running on my laptop (3Ghz) right now and each is rendering at almost realtime.
dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 9:55 AM
Sorry about that,

I'm using Sony Vegas Movie Studio 4.0.
Task manager said not responding (and the progress bar of elapsed time and time to go just vanished).

How large are the two projects you're working on? Mine seems to move more slowly than should be expected--since I'm not working with video.
ScottW wrote on 12/5/2004, 10:00 AM
Boy I wish Sony hadn't done that naming convention, it plays mind games with everyone.

Not responding just means the application isn't processing windows messages - it doesn't necessarily mean it's not doing something - that you can only glean from the performance tab and whether CPU is being used. Now, whether something useful is being done or not is another question...

Each project I'm currently working is an hour's worth of DV AVI files captured from 8mm film.

JPEGs I do usually render a little slower, mainly because I've keyframed them with pan/crop motion and some other effects.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

One thought comes to mind though - try a trial run with just one or 2 pictures, see how long that takes.

--Scott
dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 10:08 AM
Thanks,

I know the naming convention is a mouthful.

You referred to the DVDA templates earlier; I've not done anything special to need a template (at least I think). I've only setup some background images, upon which my menu links (text only) have been imposed. it works in the preview mode.

I'll try a small portion and get back to you.


dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 10:32 AM
Well, I just tried to send from Movie Studio to DVD about 2 minutes of the project.

It's showing about 30 minutes of 'rendering' time...moving quite slowly. If you carried that estimate to the whole 20 minute project, 3 to 4 hours+ seems a proportionate calc--even though from other posts mine looks to be way too slow.

My CPU is showing 100%.

I think I'm going to have to track down some unnecessary processes.
Liam_Vegas wrote on 12/5/2004, 10:40 AM
repeated from another thread you posted to

That is not unusual for a stills only timeline. However - be careful of the size (pixels) of the image files you are using. unless you are doing any deep zooming into an image you should pretty much keep them at no more than double the size of a standard NTSC/PAL DV frame. The bigger they are in pixels - the longer they will take to render out.

How big are the images within your project?
ScottW wrote on 12/5/2004, 10:45 AM
Re DVDA Templates - with Vegas Video, you render the project to an MPEG-2 file, when you do this you can select from a number of templates to use, and normally you should select a DVDA NTSC (or PAL if you live in PALland) normal or widescreen template. Since I'm not sure of the workflow when doing this in MovieStudio, I can't help out.

With VV, once you've created your MPG and AC3 files, you would then launch DVDA and pull those files in to create your DVD.

--Scott
dornier wrote on 12/5/2004, 11:22 AM
I've tried to keep the photos down around (500k). Some are alot less, but those that aren't needed the resolution. Also, I've pan/cropped alot of them to a smaller size...not alot, but it's noticeable.

My test of only 2 minutes came through okay, but I've got a framing issue now.

It's all slightly, very slightly to the left, and what showed in frame on the movie studio preview window is not matching with the DVD preview 'dashed' boundaries. Some things are fine and others go far outside. Yet they all looked okay in the VV preview.

both apps have 720x480 set in for NTSC.

I am suddenly feeling confused again.

Oh, and the optimization showed no recompression for my video, which was done at Mpeg 1. Where does it change it to Mpeg 2?

Your patience is saintly.
Liam_Vegas wrote on 12/5/2004, 8:28 PM
Why are you rendering this to MPEG1? It's for a DVD right? It should be MPEG2.

In Vegas select File-Render As - select MPEG2 - select the DVDA NTSC template.

Don't know what the framing issue is,,,, but perhaps it is related to trying to produce a DVD with MPEG1 video - when it should be MPEG2.

dornier wrote on 12/6/2004, 11:16 AM
My moviestudio doesn't have FILE/RENDER as a drop down.

I've only seen "make movie" and select the template (NTSC DV 720X480 29.97)

When I go into DVDA and check optimize it doesn't show if it's a 1 or 2.

Also, should I select NTSC or "from project" under the optimization screen?

If I chose the same template in moviestudio before rendering, wouldn't that cover it, and I could just leave it at "from project"?

thanks