Render best STD and HD DVDs

Mike Keeney wrote on 7/16/2012, 4:39 PM
I'm in over my head. You know, just enough info to be dangerous Does anyone know of a "Best" settings document or video that I can follow to create DVDs?

I am shooting with a Sony HD CX500 that outputs 1080i. I'm using Sony Vegas Premier 9 with its included Architect authoring program.

Vegas will import my AVCHD video into the timeline but then I get swamped with all the Project pre-settings and Render settings while trying to put out a rendered project that Architect will process without losing quality every time I turn around. I've tried several combinations of suggested settings from here and there but the results have been a pile of medium to poor DVDs. I think I have a good camera and software so the problem must be between my ears.

Comments

videoITguy wrote on 7/16/2012, 6:14 PM
Best thing, Mike Keeney, is that using the SonyVegas9Pro and DVDArchPro software means you have to know next to nothing to create good DVDs - there is no other software package that makes it so easy.

1) Edit your footage from the camera as it is ingested into the VegasPro9 Timeline. Just make sure you create an interesting visual story and an appropriate run time for inclusion on a single DVD.
2) Then choose to render your edited timeline with a) video stream template that is there for DVD (yes it is labeled that way) b) render a second time with audio only (preferably AC3Pro) but could be a .wav file for LPCM audio on DVD if you have the file size well managed. These two separate renders must have the same base file name, placed in a single folder.
3)Import these files into DVDArchPro - just choose the video , the audio will come by itself. Your DVD project settings should be something like widescreen 16:9 DVD.
4) Prepare and burn the DVD - that will be the best quality you can extract out of your project - no tweaks necessary.

IF YOU want even better quality - create and burn a Blu-ray disk with the higher quality that your camera can provide as source.
Mike Keeney wrote on 7/16/2012, 7:12 PM
I appreciate your advice. However the $600 for Vegas Pro is not within reach for me. I'll use the settings suggestions you offered as far as they will apply in Vegas Premier.

Thanks, Mike
TOG62 wrote on 7/17/2012, 12:47 AM
Some confusion here, as there's no Vegas Premier. There's Sony Vegas Studio Platinum and Sony Vegas Pro. Adobe have Pemiere.
Mike Keeney wrote on 7/17/2012, 1:18 AM
You are right! I've been reading so much that things are running together.

I have Sony Vegas Studio Platinum V9
kriswaters wrote on 7/18/2012, 1:42 AM
Mike, I know how crazy things are trying to figure out these complex, yet easy things. I use Vegas Movie 9 for my video business...same uploads from camera as you described. Once I choose the 'render as" I choose "file name.ac3" and then "file name.mpg2". Must be the same file name for each extention. In the dropdown box "templates" the default is the NTSC. This is fine, but I have found that the final footage on the DVD is not the best quality. I am playing around with the other templates...basically acording to time restrictions. The higher quality output you choose in the templates, the longer render time. Play around with these templates...watch the video back in windows media player and note the differences in quality. How it plays there, will dictate the final product. Unfortunately, it is by preference according to time needed to render and actual quality. Good Luck
Mike Keeney wrote on 7/18/2012, 12:45 PM
Good thoughts. I'll check these items as I get ready to render & burn

Thanks
Mike