Vegas Pro10 codec preferences

DelCallo wrote on 1/28/2012, 10:11 PM

I used to know this in previous versions, but cannot recall. In Pro10, where do I find the checkboxes - 'always use ms codec' and 'ignore 3rd party codecs'.

Much of my old DV footage under properties is showing that it was rendered with a MiroDV codec (which I believe is a Pinnacle product). Curiously, those avi's will not play on my Panasonic wide screen HD TV through a WD TV Live Hub. They play fine from the WD to my computer - go figure.

If possible, I would like to re-render that footage to a compatible DV form, but I cannot remember how to control what codec is used during the render process.

I've read on threads somewhere that the SF Codec is a good choice, or the Main Concept codec (do not see either in the drop down list where one sets the render parameters).

Advice would be most welcome.

Thanks.

Del

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 1/28/2012, 10:30 PM

If you were using a Miro or Pinnacle DC10/DC30, the codec is not actually DV, but MJPEG. The Mainconcept trial version will open these files, but you still face issues with the fakey interlace and .5 PAR. Here is a link to the codec:
http://downloads.mainconcept.com/mdl/mdl.php?downloads.mainconcept.com+MotionJPEG+MJPEGCodec_RETAIL_v3.2.4.exe

There were later Pinnacle 1394 cards, but the codec was proprietary and nonstandard I think, and I don't have any experience in opening them.
Why don't you upload a short sample somewhere, and see if others have any tricks for opening them in Vegas.

My WDTV Live doesn't open DV-AVI, so an encode to a more current playback format seems in order regardless.

DelCallo wrote on 1/28/2012, 11:11 PM

musicvid:
Thanks for the reply. Actually, these files open fine in Vegas, and were actually edited and rendered from vegas, as that is the only editor I have used since version 2, I believe.

Since posting the original message, I have been scouring the forum and other sites for information, and, at the moment, am more confused than ever.

I think I was once told that this MiroDV codec on my system was evidence of the installation of some Pinnacle product (I've since switched systems), and there is one Pinnacle product that I have around that used initially when early versions of Vegas Video capture was buggy on my system. The application is called Studio DV and dates from 2000.

I still keep it installed because I use its titler for making scrolling titles (I know I can do this in Vegas, but I still find the process simpler using this Studio project).

Recalling my work flow from back then, I would dub Hi-8 footage (or ealier regular 8mm footage) onto my digital8 cam, then capture the digital dub through Studio onto my computer.

My exploration this evening seems to indicate that the digital8 cam would have used its codec to compress the analog footage, so that leaves me wondering where the MiroDV codec may have crept into the process.

In any event, my problem has to do with watching this footage on an HD TV. I purchased this WD TV Live Hub thingy that allows me to copy avi (and other) video files from my computer to the device's internal HD, then connect via HDMI to the TV. MPEG's play fine, sample avi's supplied with the device play fine, WD support claims that my avi's should play fine (have already had me exchange the device), the miroDV avi's play fine from the device to my computer, and, as mentioned, they open up fine in Vegas.

During the holidays, I loaded these files onto an SD card, plugged it into my daughter's laptop, connected the laptop to the TV via HDMI, and these files played fine then, also.

So, I remain a bit confused as to the source of the problem.

Re-rendering all this footage will be time consuming, but, if I find a solution, I'll just set files up to run during the day while I'm away.

Again, thanks for the reply. Additional advice/suggestions welcome.

Del

PeterDuke wrote on 1/28/2012, 11:13 PM

You can get caught with type 1 versus type 2 AVIs as well.

DelCallo wrote on 1/28/2012, 11:31 PM

How can I determine the type?
Also, would that cause them not to play from this WD device when they are playable through the card reader of a laptop?
Just curious.
Thanks.
Del

musicvid10 wrote on 1/28/2012, 11:54 PM

Download the free MediaInfo from Sourceforge and post the complete details.
Upload a sample as was suggested.

DV-AVI doesn't play on my WDTV Live, period.

I agree, the titler and esp. Spicerack in Pinnacle Studio was pretty cool.
;?)

DelCallo wrote on 1/29/2012, 12:23 AM

Where can I upload a sample?

AVI should be avi, right? What other flavors of AVI exist?

Del

john_dennis wrote on 1/29/2012, 1:04 AM

"AVI should be avi, right? What other flavors of AVI exist?"

From the WDTV web site:

File Formats Supported

Video –

AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4) (Didn't see DV-AVI in there anywhere.)

MPG/MPEG

VOB

MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1)

TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1)

MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264)

M2TS

WMV9

FLV (h.264)

If you are going to render to get it to play, I would use MPEG-2 or MP4. Since my target is Blu-ray, I have been converting my Blu-ray .iso images with MakeMKV to play on the hardware players.

John_Cline wrote on 1/29/2012, 1:33 AM

AVI is just a container, it can contain video and audio compressed with any one of probably a hundred different codecs. You can only play the file if that particular codec installed on your machine (or the WD-TV box.) Windows has included a DV codec for quite some time and that's why the laptop can play it.

While the WD-TV device can parse an AVI file, it can only play AVI files which have been encoded with the MPEG 1 or 2 codecs, several flavors of the h.264 codec or the Windows Media codec, it can't play DV files.

Your best bet would be to convert the DV files to an MP4 container with h.264 video using either the Sony AVC or Main Concept AVC encoders.

PeterDuke wrote on 1/29/2012, 2:26 AM

"How can I determine the type?"

DV Date will convert either way
http://paul.glagla.free.fr/dvdate_en.htm

Ulead converter goes from 1 to 2
http://www.ulead.com/download/dvconverter/download.htm

Vegas expects type 2

DelCallo wrote on 1/29/2012, 5:47 AM

Ok, thanks, guys. Although I read that bid about the different types of avi in the WD manual, it did not really sink in that my files were really not compatible because of the type avi that they are. I wonder why WD support did not point that out instead of having me return the original unit for exchange.

I've done some testing with MP4 in vegas on these files. Not too pleased with the results. I'll try MP2 and see if that works better.

Thanks for the additional clarification.

BTW, I did not identify my particular avi as DV-avi. I do not know what it is other than the fact that the codec showing under properities is MiroDV.

Caruso

DelCallo wrote on 1/29/2012, 6:06 AM

One more question. When I render using Mpeg2, what extension should appear with the resultant file, MPG or AVI?

ok, make it two more questions: In my original message, I asked to find the checkboxes that allow you to rule out the ms DV codec and rule in 3rd party codecs. I searched the forum and found a discussion (concerning version 9, I believe) stating that to reach these switches, you have to hold down the 'shift' key while you click on 'tools' - 'preferences'. I found those two preferences and have set 'ignore 3rd party codecs' to FALSE, and found use ms codec already set to FALSE, so I did not change it.

Can someone confirm that these are the correct settings?

Sorry for all the questions, but I really do appreciate your help.
Caruso

John_Cline wrote on 1/29/2012, 6:28 AM

MPEG2 files could have the extension MPG or M2T, never AVI. As far as you MP4 experiments, the quality of the render depends on the bitrate used and the choice of bitrate depends on image detail and the amount of motion. For a standard definition video file, you can get good quality using a bitrate of around 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 and excellent quality at 8,000,000 to 10,000,000. Use at least 128k audio.

DelCallo wrote on 1/29/2012, 7:13 AM

Thanks for the reply, John. The information you provided confuses me, however. If the WD device supports avi's created with MPEG 1,2,or 4, yet the resultant file's extension is other than .avi, how can it be said that the device supports the avi format.

I admit that I am new to most of these formats, totally new to home HD footage, and perhaps a bit slow to catch on, as well.

Please clarify further, if you would. I will try rendering some test footage using the bitrates you suggest.

Thanks.
Del

Chienworks wrote on 1/29/2012, 8:59 AM

The three letter extension on the end of the filename is merely a hint. It doesn't define the contents.

It's possible to have a .mpg file in MPEG format containing MPEG compressed video.
It's also possible to have a .avi file in AVI format containing MPEG compressed video.

When MPEG1 and MPEG2 were introduce a whole new .mpg file format was also created for them. This format is generally used instead of .avi, but isn't required. MPEG4 also introduced the .mp4 format, though many encoders use .avi.

Thing is, there are multiple file formats many of which can contain many different compression codecs. There's no universal answer of knowing what kind of video you have from the file name extension.