Widescreen Rendering Issues

Steverobbins wrote on 1/12/2009, 9:30 AM
I have a Camtasia screen capture that I recorded at 1280x720. I saved as an AVI at the same resolution and brough it into Sony Movie Studio.

I am trying to render this as widescreen to then put on a DVD. The problem is, I tried rendering from Sony Movie Studio at both 1280x720 and also 720x480 and both options produce a poor output with major screen flicker.

What am I doing wrong?

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 1/12/2009, 9:36 AM
If you don't want to do any editing at all, you can try bringing that 720p AVI file to DVD Architect directly. If DVDA doesn't support it, then use Vegas: First, you need to setup the right project properties on Vegas, by using the "matching media" yellow icon on the Project Properties dialog. At the end, for DVDs, you need to export using the mpeg2 NTSC Widescreen template for video, and the AC3 template for audio (separately). Then, bring both files to DVD Architect to create the DVD. TVs will de-interlace and you won't see artifacts. However, you can't expect the quality of 720p on a DVD.
Steverobbins wrote on 1/12/2009, 2:19 PM
Thanks for the reply. When I try to enter 1280x760 it does not accept it in the Vegas project properties.

My AVI file from Camtasia was recorded and also saved at 1280x760, should I save from Camtasia at 720x480 instead?

Eugenia wrote on 1/12/2009, 2:35 PM
You bought the wrong software then. Vegas Movie Studio only allows exports up to 800x600. You need to upgrade to Platinum Edition of Vegas to be able to export HD resolutions. It's $55 to upgrade.
Steverobbins wrote on 1/12/2009, 3:12 PM
Ahh, makes sense. For this project (until I upgrade) what settings would you recommend I render as to come out with something viewable on TV even if it's not HD? Should I maybe save from Camtasia at 720x480 and render in Vegas at that same level?

Thanks again for all of your help, I appreciate it.
Eugenia wrote on 1/12/2009, 3:15 PM
Export at 800x450 at 2.5 mbps.
Steverobbins wrote on 1/12/2009, 3:51 PM
ok, one last question for you. I went ahead and downloaded the trial Sony MS 9 Plat and was able to render the 1280x720 but just 5 minutes of video was 15 gigs. An hour and a half would be almost 300 gigs.

What I think I want to do is change my decision on the widescreen stuff and see if I can just put this on DVD in a standard format. I recorded in Camtasia at 1280x720 so based on that, what pixels/aspect ratio should I:

1. Save AVI from Camtasia at?
2. Render from Sony Movie Studio at?

640x480? 420x480?

Thanks again!
Eugenia wrote on 1/12/2009, 4:32 PM
If you JUST want to make a DVD, then you simply export from Movie Studio in the mpeg2 NTSC widescreen DVD template under the "render as" menu. For audio, you export in AC3. Then, DVD ARchitect application, will bring back together the mpeg2 and AC3 files and create the DVD.

In this scenario, you don't need Platinum edition, because the plain Movie Studio edition can burn DVDs. DVDs are not 1280x720 you see, are much lower resolution and quality.

Finally, the reason why you got 15 GBs is because you exported uncompressed. You didn't pick a codec. Avoid QT and AVI from Vegas. For viewing purposes you export in WMV.
Steverobbins wrote on 1/13/2009, 10:20 PM
I've done lots of testing and wanted to report back. One thing to note is that I render from Sony Movie Studio as an uncompressed AVI because I take it into DVD Architect.

OK, Camtasia recording, recorded at 1280x720, produced as a 1280x720 AVI and brought into Sony Movie Studio 9 Plat.

From Sony, I have tried rendering it NTSC and NTSC Widescreen and a few other things. No matter what, if it renders at 720x480 the screen flickers like crazy.

The only way to get a good non flicker screen is rendering at 1280x720 and that won't fit on standard TV's.

Based on that, what can I do to put this content on a DVD that will play and look fine on the average TV?

Thanks again.
Eugenia wrote on 1/14/2009, 8:11 AM
I explained to you above how to do it for DVDs. You do mpeg2 and AC3. I won't rewrite the same thing.

As for the flicker, you are probably referring to interlacing. Interlacing is normal on DVDs. You won't see it on TV.