.mpg vs. m2u files?

jag5311 wrote on 7/14/2003, 11:31 AM

First off, when capturing analog footage, is it normal to have a small moving line at the bottom of the footage? I am using a ADVC-100 analog-digital convertor.

Now the real question.

I have used Pinnacle Studio 8 before, and after converting the avi files it makes them a m2v file and an accompanying wav file.

When using vegas 4, when I am ready to render, I have to choose my file type, which I always pick Mpeg2 since I want to put it on dvd. Then under template, I choose DVD NTSC. I originally tried the DVD NTSC Architect video stream, but that does not come with sound. Anyways, the final product is one simple .mpg file. What is the difference between having that and a separate video and audio file? If I am wanting to make a dvd, and not use the Architect for dvd authoring, what format do I need to do.

Thanks

Comments

Jsnkc wrote on 7/14/2003, 11:44 AM

To answer your first question, yes it is normal to have some picture noise at the bottom of the screen when capturing from analog sources, but don't worry you won't even be able to see it if you play it back on a normal TV. The only time you will see it is if you arte rendering out the clip to be played on a computer through windows media player or quicktime or things like that, then you will be able to see it, but a simple crop of the picture will usually take care of it.

To try to answer your second question, if you're not running low on disc space, then just render it as a MPEG 2 file, usually the only time you need to use seperate streams is if you are trying to cram a lot on 1 disc and you need to encode your audio to AC3 which is more compressed and will save some space. So if you have a short program, then just go with the standard MPEG, and if you're trying to get 3 hours on a DVD-5 then you will need to use seperate video and audio streams and encode the audio to AC3 in order to get it all to fit.

jag5311 wrote on 7/14/2003, 11:50 AM

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Here is another dumb question, but the dvd discs I use are DVD+R and DVD+RW. For real good quality, you are lucky to get a little over an hour on the disc. How to movie studios in Hollywood cram several hours of footage and goodies on a dvd, and still keep the quality steller.

jetdv wrote on 7/14/2003, 12:49 PM

First of all, you can get two hours of video on a DVD with "real good quality". Secondly, Hollywood DVDs hold twice as much data. Thirdly, they use much more sophisticated programs for encoding and manually tweak each scene.

mikkie wrote on 7/14/2003, 1:03 PM

"First off, when capturing analog footage, is it normal to have a small moving line at the bottom of the footage? I am using a ADVC-100 analog-digital convertor. "

As Jsnkc posted yes... This is often the result of capturing from a vcr, or some cable set top boxes. If you want to eliminate, personally I'd check out, see if you have a DV codec v/dub can open, & use that to do a crop/resize, optionally using filtering. Most of the data lost when compressed is lost once, when originally converted to DV... Not too much of a loss re-encoding in v/dub after processing. Optionally can use something like an mjpeg as output in v/dub, use vegas for final DV. More work, but v/dub is so much faster resizing, overall save time.. & of course, all depends on if you have a vfw compatible dv codec installed.

RE: mpg, m2v, & a few other variations... often enough wind up changing the last 3 letters as no one seems to agree on a universal naming. Vegas calls video only mpg, whereas many others call it m2v. RE: audio only, video only, it allows you to do more processing of the video file - if you want to - and is often the only way to input into a DVD authoring app. If you have to have both together in one file, remuxing without changing things can be problematic (use TMPGEnc). Generally create files with both streams or individually as required by your application & workflow.

"How to movie studios in Hollywood cram several hours of footage and goodies on a dvd, and still keep the quality steller. "

One, they have stellar sources much superior to anything we can get our hands on normally. Two, pressing the discs commercially is a different animal entirely the writing to a DVD, & they hold quite a bit more data (= larger, less compressed files). Three, DVDs are often mpg2 encoded scene by scene using some pretty high end hard/soft ware.

That said, you can get an hour's worth of pretty decent quality video on an SVCD, with a mpg2 file size approaching 800 meg. Need a good, clean source, filtered if nec, need to pay attention to your encoder settings, If your player will accept them, if compatibility is not a concern, try other frame sizes (DVD spec includes more then 720 x 480), try time compression where you can, try reducing the audio bandwidth, that sort of thing.

PS: I was slow posting, so please don't fault my repeating some of what jetdv wrote.

jag5311 wrote on 7/14/2003, 2:34 PM

Thanks for all the input and replies. I appreciate it.

Well, on that first question you answered, regarding the think wavy line, I am capturing from a Sony Hi 8, so though its not a vcr, its damn near close enough.

"Slow posting"

You guys were all damn fast! Faster then anyone over at simplydv.com