POOR QUALITY OF DVD

video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/8/2012, 1:47 AM
I created a 1min 45sec project in VegasPro 11 (build 683 64 bit) Win7.
I rendered to MPEG-2 using DVD Architect NTSC video stream template.
I customized the Video rendering quality to BEST in the Project tab. I checked the Video tab and noted that the Video quality slider is all the way to the right and set at High 31.
Variable bit rate shows Maximum - 9,500,000 Average - 6,000,000 and Minimum - 192,000.

I made no other changes to any of the available tabs.

I then rendered the audio using Dolby Digital AC-3 Pro as Stereo DVD.

After rendering I created a new project in DVD Architect Pro 5.2 (Build 135) as a Single Movie, DVD MPEG-2 720x480-60i, 4:3 (NTSC) AC-3 Stereo.

I brought in my Media Project from VegasPro and played it on the Preview option which plays to an external Flat Panel Screen as well as a TV monitor with 500 lines of resolution. Everything looks great on both monitors.

I then "Prepared the current project to a specified folder" and selected BURN to burn it to a disc. I burn to DVD+RW discs.

The Prepare completed successfully and then I burned the disc. When I play the DVD, moving objects - faces turning, hands moving - show blurred edges. A person walking from left to right will have a very blurred face and clothing.

I have tried other render options to no avail. I have burned the same project from the VegasPro timeline "Burn Disc - DVD" command from the Tools menu. The DVD burned from the timeline works perfectly with high quality resolution. I have yet to discover why the quality of the burn in Architect is so poor.

I have used every version of Vegas since v.6 thru v.10. I started with Windows 2000 and worked my way up to Windows XP Pro with Vegas 10. I have never had any quality problems of this description. I purchased a new computer built for video use only in order to be able to use Vegas 11 with Win7 - 64 bit. I am running Vegas and Architect in Win7 compatibility mode.

I hope I am missing something very simple that could correct this problem. I produce large projects (90 minutes to 2+ hours) but I can no longer produce a quality DVD for any purpose.

I will pray a blessing over anyone who might know of a possible solution.

Thanks for any light you can shed on this problem.

Alan

Comments

PeterDuke wrote on 5/8/2012, 4:59 AM
What is your source video? SD or HD?

If you are downconverting HD to SD for for a DVD, you should set the deinterlace method in project properties to either "blend" or "interpolate", otherwise Vegas will do the downconversion on the complete frame rather than individual fields.

If your source is HD then you should use a widescreen (16:9) rather than standard (4:3) template.
musicvid10 wrote on 5/8/2012, 9:33 AM
In addition to Peter's observations, set your Minimum bitrate to 2,000,000. The default is inadequate for most video.

WRT HD->SD for DVD: Remember that you are throwing away 85% of your pixels in the downconversion. You will see the effects and there is nothing you can do to get it back.
video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/8/2012, 12:35 PM
Thanks for your responses. I am using SD captured from MiniDV tapes. I will try the minimum 2,000,000 bit rate suggestion. Does anything else ring any bells. I'll post again after I try the bit rate test.
video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/8/2012, 2:34 PM
Back to the drawing board. I tried customizing the minimum bit rate to 2,000,000. No change in the end result. Still blurry ghosting when there is any noticeable movement of subject matter. Can't produce good DVDs for clients with the new system and VegasPro 11 while using DVD Architect. My business is on hold presently until I find a solution.

I will submit all my info to Sony Tech Support, but their track record of responding in a timely fashion leaves something to be desired.

I'm still listening for any other thoughts and experiments. I can't get my mind around why the DVD Architect preview plays with great video quality and the DVD I burn does not.

Thanks in advance for any further thoughts.
vkmast wrote on 5/8/2012, 4:24 PM
In absence of further thoughts, why not prepare only with DVDA and burn the prepared folder with another software, e.g. the free ImgBurn, to see if it makes any difference at all.

BTW have you tested with different Resample options?
video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/8/2012, 5:54 PM
I do not know how to change Resample options, but will check out ImgBurn. Still fishing.
PeterDuke wrote on 5/8/2012, 7:37 PM
You are creating NTSC video, but is your source NTSC or PAL?

If you are using DV AVI from a standard definition tape camera, the field order will be "lower field first". Make sure that you have LFF set when you render to MPEG2
video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/8/2012, 10:22 PM
Source is NTSC.
With all the previous settings the same, I tried "lower field first", rendered as before, burned a new copy in DVDA and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BINGO . . . . . . SUCCESS . . . . . . THANK YOU . . . . . . BLESS YOU . . . . . .

I am so grateful beyond what you might even imagine. I will now go back with all the settings provided in the Forum suggestions and render my original 72 min project described in my original entry to test all the settings on my client project.

I will report once more with the results as soon as I burn a new DVD.

Peter, thank you for working with me to get to this final step.
PeterDuke wrote on 5/9/2012, 12:54 AM
You are welcome. Glad that you are making progress.
video@joyful-noise.com wrote on 5/9/2012, 2:24 AM
Peter, I just finished burning my 72 minute project which used 2 Sony VX2000 and 1 Sony VX2100 MiniDV cams. The footage was wonderful and now the DVD matches the quality of the original footage. There is serious celebrating in my home studio this early AM. I can't thank you enough for supplying the final puzzle piece to complete the picture. How did you know about the LFF setting to solve this blurry image problem?

I have a new lease on life as a result of this incredible success. Thanks again for responding to my SOS.

Alan
PeterDuke wrote on 5/9/2012, 8:27 AM
I didn't know that the field order was the problem. It was just a matter of going through all the things to watch out for that could cause problems.

Actually, if you have the wrong field order it should only give a slight blurriness, so I suspect that you didn't have the deinterlace method in the project set to interpolate or blend. That's something else to watch out for. This setting is important if you are doing anything that necessitates recalculating the lines in each field.

It's by regular reading forum postings and personal experience that you learn these things.