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08-24-2011, 04:01 PM
Finalfront Finalfront is offline
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Just to Preface: I began this project with absolutely no knowledge of video editing, formats, encoding, etc. Everything I know I have pieced together from various internet sources. If any of my assumptions are incorrect, please don't hesitate to correct me. I want to learn.

Over the past few months I have been carefully editing video of my parents trip to china. The initial video was captured in full HD using the AVCHD format and edited in Pinnacle Studio 14 Ultimate. The end product is 158 minutes long.

A sample of this video has been encoded using the Windows Media file type with the Preset of HDV 180/60i 1440x1080, 5.1 surround. This sample was streamed over our home network (capable of up to 100 Mbps I believe) and watched through an XBox 360 on a 46 in flat screen (sorry I don't have the exact specs). The video appeared to suffer from the "combing" effect typically associated with progressive encoding vs interlacing.

The entirety of this home video has been burned to a standard 4.7 GB DVD. Pinnacle Studio doesn't appear to specify a file type, but a Video_TS folder was created containing .BUP .IFO and .VOB files. Progressive encoding was not checked, so I assume interlacing was used. I was happy with the function of the DVD. No "combing" appeared. However, the quality of the video had to be reduced to %40 and basicly defeats the purpose of having captured in HD.

This brings us to my current dilemma. I am planning to re-encode the project to a file (I have no Blu-Ray capable drives in my computer, so it will have to be written elsewhere). There are a number of settings available to me, and I'm not sure which is best to go with:

Use Progressive Encoding? (y/n)
The only TV in our house with a Blu-Ray player is the flat screen mentioned above. (I assume anywhere else we may watch it will have a comparable TV if they have a Blu-Ray player). Will it benefit from Progressive encoding, if the DVD appeared fine without it? Should I do it anyways?

Always Re-Encode Entire Movie? (y/n)
Not entirely sure what this is for. Should it be necessary?

Image Type: BDMV (AVC) or BDMV (MPEG2)
Not entirely sure what difference this will make. Should this be necessary?

Thanks so much for your time.
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  #2  
08-25-2011, 11:45 PM
Steve(MS) Steve(MS) is offline
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What is the original file extension name?
Do you still have the original file?
The reason I ask is to find out what progs. would be best for editing and compressing (if needed).
You can make either or both a DVD and blu-ray compatible file.
I have read where videoredo HD can do edits on HD files without re-encoding and perhaps a very basic menu.
Whatever editor you use, make sure it isn't re-encoding while making the cuts.
If your file can be accepted by BD Rebuilder, that may be the best program for compressing.
It can make either a blu-ray file or DVD structure file or both.
Another program is called MultiAVCHD, it can do the same plus make menus.
Since my knowledge is extremely limited IRT HD camcorder files, hopefully others can contribute ideas for you.
You probably need to supply the bitrate of your original files also.
You will have to decide whether you will use dual-layer on both your Blu-ray and DVD copies.

I have been using BD Rebuilder for compressing a blu-ray to BD-25 and also use it to compress the blu-ray to
DVD single layer.
Output is very good with this program.
That is a long run time for DVD, you may need to use a dual layer or split it on 2 single layers.
For Blu-ray, it will likely depend on bitrate whether to use 2 discs or one.
I am not sure about blu-ray dual layer, others may have suggestions IRT.
I don't use them, too expensive.
Use IMGburn for writing to disc(s).
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  #3  
08-27-2011, 09:09 PM
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Replying as I read the first post...

Quote:
Just to Preface: I began this project with absolutely no knowledge of video editing, formats, encoding, etc. Everything I know I have pieced together from various internet sources. If any of my assumptions are incorrect, please don't hesitate to correct me. I want to learn. .... Over the past few months I have been carefully editing video of my parents trip to china.
Sounds interesting! And you're definitely coming into this with the right attitude. Too many people want video editing to be a simple exercising of mashing a few buttons on the keyboard, combined with a few clicks of the mouse, with a DVD read-to-watch popping out of their computer. But it doesn't work that way. Helping others learn is what we do here.

On that note, welcome to the site.

Quote:
The initial video was captured in full HD using the AVCHD format and edited in Pinnacle Studio 14 Ultimate. The end product is 158 minutes long.
I'm already cringing at the mere mention of that program. It's infamous for its many, many faults.

Quote:
A sample of this video has been encoded using the Windows Media file type with the Preset of HDV 180/60i 1440x1080, 5.1 surround. This sample was streamed over our home network (capable of up to 100 Mbps I believe) and watched through an XBox 360 on a 46 in flat screen (sorry I don't have the exact specs). The video appeared to suffer from the "combing" effect typically associated with progressive encoding vs interlacing.
The original DV video is interlaced, bottom field encoding. If the XBOX 360 is anything like the original XBOX (hacked with XBMC), then it doesn't understand interlaced non-DVD video content, and won't apply any sort of deinterlacing filters. I'm not sure that this is 100% accurate, since I don't own that model of XBOX, but it's highly likely, based on the symptoms, as well as knowledge of earlier XBOX systems.

Quote:
The entirety of this home video has been burned to a standard 4.7 GB DVD. Pinnacle Studio doesn't appear to specify a file type, but a Video_TS folder was created containing .BUP .IFO and .VOB files.
This is no longer HD, but down-converted to DVD (standard resolution 480i).

Quote:
Progressive encoding was not checked, so I assume interlacing was used. I was happy with the function of the DVD. No "combing" appeared. However, the quality of the video had to be reduced to %40 and basicly defeats the purpose of having captured in HD.
Most likely Pinnacle did a lousy deinterlace on your video. That defeats the purpose of quality, too. There's really no way to reduce resolution of interlaced content with prior deinterlacing. And that's best done with higher-end hardware or software deinterlace methods not found in Pinnacle software. You'd want something like NNEDI2+YadifMod with a Avisynth script for proper deinterlace, followed by a good Avisynth down-resolution method. Then encode that to MPEG-2, author and burn to DVD-Video disc.

Quote:
This brings us to my current dilemma. I am planning to re-encode the project to a file (I have no Blu-Ray capable drives in my computer, so it will have to be written elsewhere). There are a number of settings available to me, and I'm not sure which is best to go with:
Quote:
Use Progressive Encoding? (y/n)
No.

Quote:
The only TV in our house with a Blu-Ray player is the flat screen mentioned above. (I assume anywhere else we may watch it will have a comparable TV if they have a Blu-Ray player). Will it benefit from Progressive encoding, if the DVD appeared fine without it? Should I do it anyways?
An HDTV always de-interlaces interlaced content with a high quality hardware deinterlacer. The better and newer the TV, the better that hardware is. For example, a Sony TV is always going to be superior to the budget box from the local Walmart or Best Buy.

An HDTV always then scales to the native resolution of that HDTV. In most cases, 720p for older sets, or 1090p for newer sets. Everybody is always watching technically "HD" video, even if the source is much lower quality. To illustrate this, draw a picture on a piece of paper. Cut it up. Now cut it up some more. Did the quality change by making it into more pieces? (i.e., "more resolution). No, of course not.

Quote:
Always Re-Encode Entire Movie? (y/n)
Not entirely sure what this is for. Should it be necessary?
HDV (interlaced) is 1440x1080i, which isn't a valid resolution for Blu-ray. You'll need to use 1920x1080i, which is a valid HD spec. So you'll be forced to re-encode, whether you want to or not. HDV is a hack of DV, expanding it to double the horizontal resolution (720x480i ~ 1440x1080i). However, it has to be horizontally re-scaled to fit to "proper" distribution formats, when interlaced. 1440x1080p24 (progressive) is part of the BD specs. But this isn't progressive.

Blu-ray specs have changed, had addendums/updates several times, but I don't believe the lack of HDV/1080i has changed. It's not legal, not a valid spec for the BDMV/BDAV formats.

Quote:
Image Type: BDMV (AVC) or BDMV (MPEG2)
Not entirely sure what difference this will make. Should this be necessary?
AVC is H.264, which is less space, and can be superior quality.
MPEG-2 is larger file, to achieve same quality as AVC, assuming there's enough space on the disc to do so.

Also realize not all authoring programs can use both AVC or MPEG-2, for authoring Blu-ray media. TMPGEnc Authoring Works, for example, is MPEG-2 only. Ideally you'd want AVC, but it depends on which one is allowed by your video workflow (i.e., the authoring tool is the weakest link here).

I've also not joined the world of Blu-ray production just yet, but that day is coming. (A need is finally here.) I have, however, been working with HD video for a few years now. Mostly for streaming apps, streaming sites, and other content producers (who would burn their own Blu-ray media, from the HD files delivered on hard drives).


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  #4  
08-28-2011, 09:38 PM
Finalfront Finalfront is offline
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Originally Posted by admin View Post
I'm already cringing at the mere mention of that program. It's infamous for its many, many faults.
I have learned all to well why you cringed. Ive been through hell with that program. But I must admit, when I finally found out how to get to customer support (ended up making like 5 accounts for their various websites) it was remarkably good.

I've leaned some new stuff, and actually have a clue what I'm doing with these settings. Thanks very much for your help.
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