How do I edit 4:3 and render to 16:9 w/out...

Sykes wrote on 12/7/2012, 12:38 AM
I wanted to transfer a few of my home (VHS) videos to DVD but at the same time I also wanted bring the contents up close to the 16:9 screen along with 5.1 surround sound. I know how to do all that in Vegas Movie Studio 11, but how can I do this without losing quality after they are rendered? Each program is about 60 minutes and rendered using the standard DVD format of mpeg-2. On longer 2-hour programs, I use 2-pass but it seemed like the rendered materials are a bit degraded. Is there another way?

How I transfer from VHS to DVD:
I first record the tapes directly to a Panasonic DMR-EH55 DVD Recorder deck held by Its internal 200GB HDD. I then burn the materials to DVD and import the contents using VMS 11 by using 'Import DVD Camcorder Disc' under the File Menu.

Comments

Former user wrote on 12/7/2012, 6:57 AM
First off, if you are recording to a DVD, you are introducing some quality loss. The DVD format (MPEG 2) is what is referred to as lossy compression. You get a smaller file, but with the tradeoff for quality. Now, if you import this DVD mpeg file into your editor and edit then, you have to render to MPEG2 again, thus introducing another lossy compression. Also, not knowing how you are creating the 16 x 9 from 4 x 3, it is hard to say for sure, but if you are expanding the image horizontally and vertically, then you are introducing more quality loss. You only have so many pixels to work with and the larger you make them, the softer the image becomes.

Try to keep your videos to 1 hour so you can keep the highest bitrate possible. This will help retain some quality. If you can afford it, buy a capture device that captures to your computer in a less lossy format like DV AVI.

VHS is notoriously low quality to start with and each time you copy or render, you are losing more.

Dave T2
TOG62 wrote on 12/7/2012, 8:40 AM
Now, if you import this DVD mpeg file into your editor and edit then, you have to render to MPEG2 again, thus introducing another lossy compression.

I had the impression that Movie Studio could snart render MPEG2. Is that not so?
musicvid10 wrote on 12/7/2012, 9:35 AM
There are three ways to put a 4:3 image in a 16:9 screen:

-- Crop the image top and bottom and enlarge.
-- Stretch the image to fill the frame
-- Pillarbox, with black bars (or filler) on the sides.

Compression losses aside, only the last option does not introduce quality losses and distortion from enlarging or stretching.
Chienworks wrote on 12/7/2012, 10:23 AM
Actually, even that last option introduces losses from resampling. The image will be shrunk from 720 pixels wide to only 540 wide, so there will be a marked loss of horizontal resolution.

Stretching the image wider is the method that introduces the least loss, though it makes everyone look short'n'fat.

If it was me, i'd do all the editing and authoring in 4:3, since that's what the source is.
Sykes wrote on 12/8/2012, 5:52 AM
Yes, this is the method I use to convert all my 4:3 to 16:9 -- by 'expanding' and bring the picture a bit more up front (or enlarge). I try my best not to overdo it too much and to prevent from cropping out essential materials. It is done with as minimal cropping as possible to preserve its quality. I also create 5.1 Surround for all my VHS transfers. The only time I take the hit is during renderings for final-production.

I did considered buying a Video Capture card as they are pretty cheap these days, but since I have a standalone DVD deck I thought that might do the trick. I guess the deck was designed and really meant for post-production (or final transfers), for most folks it would be okay, but for someone like me with softwares like Sony Vegas, I'd like to put it to good use...and nothing like watching some rare out-of-print material from good ol' VHS in DVD format with 5.1 Surround sound!

So the solution here is to get the VHS material by using a video-capturing card and transfer it to the mega gigabyte AVI format?
Chienworks wrote on 12/8/2012, 9:48 AM
Why bother with 5.1 surround sound? It's entirely a waste since the original is stereo at best.
Sykes wrote on 12/9/2012, 9:52 PM
I have some concert videos and would like to add/separate the crowd in the background when they cheer, but not overly done though, just soft enough to hear. I do keep most of them in Stereo.
astar wrote on 12/13/2012, 9:15 PM
VHS -> Blackmagic or Osprey video -> uncompressed -> NTSC Widescreen project setting -> crop to 16x9 -> render to NTSC Widescreen -> burn to DVD.

I do VHS -> Blackmagic -> MS encoder 4 and just encode .WMV in real-time, and play them from a PC hooked to the TV. It is much easier than the whole DVD process.
Sykes wrote on 12/15/2012, 1:44 AM
Black Magic and Osprey products are just way too much money and not worth it. I might get a Terratec since I am using an Aureon 7.1 Universe and familiar with the brand.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037FU4YW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A17MC6HOH9AVE6