Workflow Question - Compilations

safrican wrote on 5/27/2011, 9:26 AM
Hi all, have a question regarding workflow.

I have started using 2 HD cameras but my target is still currently DVD. This will probably change in the next 6-12 month to be BD and I would like to keep the ability to use the same project later on to create BD's.

I have been trying a couple of different ways and here is my experience so far. Any input is greatly appreciated. I mostly work with compilations, it keeps things simpler.

First Method
1. Capture in HD - Edit in Vegas
2. Export to AVCHD
3. I will do this for to 4 or 5 separate videos.
4. Go into Vegas, pull in all the AVCHD files and arrange them in a new project.
5. Make DVD into DVDA
Pros, easy to do.
Cons, take long to export to AVCHD, slightly lower quality end result (at least to me, not as crisp and some anti-aliasing in the DVD's)

Second Method
1. Capture in HD - Edit is vegas
2. Make DVD and save the mpeg and ac3 file.
3. Do this for 4 or 5 separate videos.
4. Since you can't paste them back into 1 big mpeg / ac3 in vegas I pull them into DVDA and compile the disc manually.

Pros,
Easy to do
Quicker than above (since no AVCHD export)
Crisper end result, not anti aliasing issues

Cons,
DVDA has to be manual, so it take 5 minutes to create the playlist etc
If you use scene selection to state at one clip, you cannot skip to the next physical video. (Or at least I have not found a way to do that. It will play them all from the playlist but not skip from video1.mpg to Video2.mpg in a DVD player using the skip button. )

Method three - Just tried this yesterday
1. Capture in HD - Edit is vegas
2. Don't export, but save the project.
3. Do this for 4 or 5 separate videos.
4. Open new project and cut and paste the other projects into the new one.
5. Make movie the entire project out as 1 big mpeg / ac3 into DVDA
6. DVDA - Create disk.

Pros
Quick, can skip between movies if selected from a scene.

Cons
Cut and paste get very messy very quickly
Cut and paste doesn't take track envelopes with it, so all the envelopes need to be redone.
Project can get out of hand easily.
Had 2 or 3 crashes while doing the cut and pastes.


So, I know this is very long winded but for the folks that know, what is the typical / best workflow for getting HD into crisp DVD quality (standard DVD 720X480) but still keeping the option to use the same project later on to create a great looking BD disk.

Comments

Jack S wrote on 5/27/2011, 9:43 AM
Hi
I think your first method is the best and it's the one I use. I'm still working in SD but I'm sure that if you use the same rendering template that you used when rendering the individual videos the compilation should 'smart render' with only any additional editing at the compilation stage being rendered. The quality of your individual videos should not degrade.

My system
Genshin Infinity Gaming PC
Motherboard Gigabyte H610M H: m-ATX w/, USB 3.2, 1 x M.2
Power Supply Corsair RM750X
Intel Core i7-13700K - 16-Core [8P @ 3.4GHz-5.4GHz / 8E @ 2.50GHz-4.20GHz]
30MB Cache + UHD Graphics, Ultimate OC Compatible
Case Fan 4 x CyberPowerPC Hyperloop 120mm ARGB & PWM Fan Kit
CPU Fan CyberPowerPC Master Liquid LITE 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler, Ultimate OC Compatible
Memory 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5/5200MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB
MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB - Ray Tracing Technology, DX12, VR Ready, HDMI, DP
System drive 1TB WD Black SN770 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD - 5150MB/s Read & 4900MB/s Write
Storage 2 x 2TB Seagate BarraCuda SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200RPM
Windows 11 Home (x64)
Monitors
Generic Monitor (PHL 222V8) connected to GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Generic Monitor (SAMSUNG) connected to iGPU

Camcorder
SONY Handycam HDR-XR550VE

safrican wrote on 6/1/2011, 5:31 PM
Yep, that seems to work okay, just painstakingly slow.

What is the right codec / setting to use for inter mediate renders.

I use a Canon HF-20 put out mts files that are 1920X1080 60i.

Thx

Eugenia wrote on 6/1/2011, 6:38 PM
For intermediate codecs your choices are Avid DNxHD, Matrox AVI, and Cineform. All third party codecs, need manual installation. Only the first two are free, but Cineform is by far the best of the three (most active development, extra tools, fast encoding and decoding speed). If you install Cineform make sure Matrox AVI is not installed on the system -- they collide.
safrican wrote on 6/1/2011, 8:57 PM
Do you happen to have a "howto" on the Avid codecs ?
Jack S wrote on 6/2/2011, 11:43 AM
I'm relatively new to VMS10 but what's all this about intermediate codecs? All I do is bring the individually rendered segments of my compilation onto a new timeline, add any additional sections (titles, overlays, etc.) then 'Render As' using the same settings I used to render the original segments. The compilation then produces the final video with only the additional sections being rendered. The original doesn't recompress because it doesn't need to. It works for me every time. Simple!

My system
Genshin Infinity Gaming PC
Motherboard Gigabyte H610M H: m-ATX w/, USB 3.2, 1 x M.2
Power Supply Corsair RM750X
Intel Core i7-13700K - 16-Core [8P @ 3.4GHz-5.4GHz / 8E @ 2.50GHz-4.20GHz]
30MB Cache + UHD Graphics, Ultimate OC Compatible
Case Fan 4 x CyberPowerPC Hyperloop 120mm ARGB & PWM Fan Kit
CPU Fan CyberPowerPC Master Liquid LITE 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler, Ultimate OC Compatible
Memory 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5/5200MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB
MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB - Ray Tracing Technology, DX12, VR Ready, HDMI, DP
System drive 1TB WD Black SN770 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD - 5150MB/s Read & 4900MB/s Write
Storage 2 x 2TB Seagate BarraCuda SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200RPM
Windows 11 Home (x64)
Monitors
Generic Monitor (PHL 222V8) connected to GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Generic Monitor (SAMSUNG) connected to iGPU

Camcorder
SONY Handycam HDR-XR550VE