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  1. Hi

    I have a collection of AVI and WMV (and one MPG) from several different cameras (different frame-rates, frame-sizes, formats etc.)

    Now I'd like to see some suggestions on the best way to do the following:
    1. Edit the individual files (mostly simple edits, cutting out unneeded passages and trimming in/out's - but also I'd like to make a few fading transitions).
    2. Achieve the smallest possible loss of quality (!) This is of the essence.
    3. Gather all the files in one DVD - playable in regular set-top-player.

    And I can't figure out the strategy. Should I:
    A: edit the files as they are in some kind of editor (and what one would handle multiple formats at near-lossless quality) - or
    B: convert all to some uncompressed format and then edit?

    I keep looking at different guides but none (so far) cover all bases (different formats, minimum loss and edit). I assume I'll give DVDFlick a shot when I get beyond the editing - but I fear the conversion inside dvd-creators are possibly inferior to individual dedicated software (?)

    As a final addition: if it is at all possible I'd like to know how far freeware programs can go. I have access to Adobe Premiere and Encore (both CS-something) - but not on the PC where I expect to do most of this work - and I don't think these programs are either fast or create particularly pretty (lossless) results, at least as far as my experience goes.

    So many questions... Hope some wizards will work magic here.
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  2. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    I would probably do the edits in the original formats, then do just one encode to MPEG-2 DVD compliant video. Unfortunately, that might take more than one editor when you have multiple formats.

    Lossless would be one alternative, but you would be dealing with very large files, in the range of 25GB or more per hour of video.

    Maybe not entirely suitable, but VirtualDub may be able to handle those varied formats with the right plugins. Or maybe AVIDemux. Then you could frameserve directly to a MPEG-2 encoder and not end up with an intermediate edited file.

    The transitions may be a problem though with VD. If your transitions are between the varied videos, then it gets a lot harder.

    Probably many better methods that others can come up with.

    And welcome to our forums.
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  3. Member AlanHK's Avatar
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    You can load anything into an Avisynth script, edit and filter it and serve it to HCEnc to make MPEG2.
    Then author to a standard DVD fileset using GfD.

    I concede it takes a while to learn, and requires ability to understand script files.
    Plenty of docs and howtos around.
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  4. Member leghorn's Avatar
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    Not really free, but I think ConvertXtoDVD or TMPGEnc Authoring Works might do the job.
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  5. Member
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    Use VideoStudio Pro X3. Just make your video in VS, transitions, titles, whatever, and VS will do the rest
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  6. Thank you for all suggestions.

    I think I should add that I'm running a machine that aint' gonna break any speed records! (laptop running either Vista or XP).
    And from the experience I have so far I would say that most video-editing-related tasks seem to yield better results when as few things as possible is happening simultaneously.

    So perhaps I should concentrate on finding an editor that is able to export in the same format as the source file (clean copy of the parts that aren't affected by added effects).

    Therefore I think I need the most is the non-destructive editor and some exceptional de/re-coding program. Since Avisynth is among the free suggested aplications (and I haven't tried it yet) I'll give that the first shot.

    But please let the suggestions flow. I'm still very interested in finding a suitable approach.
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