Newbie: List of Q's, Edit GoPro videos (MP4 and H264) and upload to youtube

[adamsnez]

Hey all! The world of editting has got me addicted, but there's sooooo much to learn!

Using mainly GoPro videos (MP4 and H.264). Main purpose is to upload best quality HD files to youtube / vimeo. There’s so much info to learn when you’re new, it’s WAY overwhelming. I’ve compiled a little list of stuff that will really help me get some stuff answered – and yes, I’ve been researching like crazy.. there’s just TOO MUCH to learn.

Question list:

1. Some files load into AE fine, others don’t – just previews a grey screen. Any thoughts behind this? Gotta be some codec thing, BUT it's weird because it's being captured off the same gopro

2. The files that won't load from #1, what's the Proper way to re-encode (is that the word I’m looking for?) these files so they can load into AE fine? All I currently do is load them into MP4cam2avi and click “Start”
(see link for pic showing all my preferences – these are all default settings, should any be changed?)
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5512/mp4camsettings.jpg

3. the warning msg in MP4cam (see link in #2), what does this mean exactly? "Safe" to proceed or should I be doing something different?

4. If I have a project in AE, I always render as following:
Render Queue, Render Setting = Best, Output Module = Lossless.
This creates an AVI file, I’m not even sure if you can change it, but is AVI the container I want to render to? (I’ll then be bringing into Vegas and finalizing)

5. I’ve downloaded GSpot, but not exactly sure if I need to be doing anything with this program… As far as I can tell, all it does is show me codecs installed on computer – is it useful for anything else? If not, what's the point of having it?

6. I’ve also installed Lagarith, but NO IDEA when/how to use it/why I should even have it on computer?. All I know is it’s a “lossless encoder”. Input?

7. When I have my Vegas file complete, I’ve been exporting to MP4, which I would now upload this file to youtube (see link showing my Vegas settings.) - yes I'm aware youtube won't keep my vids at 59fps. (should i be using a higher bitrate than 8,000,000bps?)
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/1231/vegassettings.jpg

Okay….So in short recap, to get a movie into watchable format, I:
AE > Render to lossless AVI
Import uncompressed AVI to Vegas
Vegas > Export MP4 > using some settings I found on internet

Anything you guys would change in my settings / methods ANYWHERE?
Remember, looking for as little loss as possible from original GoPro footage, while not keeping the HUGE file sizes of them. I’ve been reading about encoding in other programs, but no idea about that – so I’m just finalizing in Vegas. What say you guys? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

[Baldrick]

I changed the thread title so it better describes what you are doing.

AE? Adobe premiere elements?

2,3. Can you import it the avi h264 in ae? You might have to install the x264 vfw first.
4.Can't you export to avc/h264 directly in ae?

[poisondeathray]

AE probably means After Effects

Why are you using AE at all? Why not import the gopro footage directly into vegas ? Are you adding effects in AE ?

5. I’ve downloaded GSpot, but not exactly sure if I need to be doing anything with this program… As far as I can tell, all it does is show me codecs installed on computer – is it useful for anything else? If not, what's the point of having it?

not really - only to identify video information specific to that video, and if you have proper codec to view on your computer

6. I’ve also installed Lagarith, but NO IDEA when/how to use it/why I should even have it on computer?. All I know is it’s a “lossless encoder”. Input?

Most often purpose is used to go between programs. Lossless means no loss from compression in the same colorspace. If you used lossy encoding format, each time you go between programs, you would incur generation loss (throw away information)

Anything you guys would change in my settings / methods ANYWHERE?

For encoding settings - I wouln't leave average and max bitrate the same. Max bitrate should always be higher than average (to allow for peaks) . Setting profile to "high" instead of "main" will give marginally better results. I wouldn't bother rendering 59.94 FPS for youtube. Lower quality at a given bitrate.

[adamsnez]

I changed the thread title so it better describes what you are doing.

AE? Adobe premiere elements?

2,3. Can you import it the avi h264 in ae? You might have to install the x264 vfw first.
4.Can't you export to avc/h264 directly in ae?

your #2,3 note - once I change it to AVI using MP4cam2avi, it loads in after-effects fine. (like I mentioned also, SOME gopro files load without codec change, most don't - and just show a grey preview screen [until i convert]

As poison mentioned, AE is After Effects. I've read NEVER export from after-effects if you're going to be using the file afterwards - which i am, in Vegas. So that takes care of your #4

AE probably means After Effects

Why are you using AE at all? Why not import the gopro footage directly into vegas ? Are you adding effects in AE ?

5. I’ve downloaded GSpot, but not exactly sure if I need to be doing anything with this program… As far as I can tell, all it does is show me codecs installed on computer – is it useful for anything else? If not, what's the point of having it?

not really - only to identify video information specific to that video, and if you have proper codec to view on your computer

6. I’ve also installed Lagarith, but NO IDEA when/how to use it/why I should even have it on computer?. All I know is it’s a “lossless encoder”. Input?

Most often purpose is used to go between programs. Lossless means no loss from compression in the same colorspace. If you used lossy encoding format, each time you go between programs, you would incur generation loss (throw away information)

Anything you guys would change in my settings / methods ANYWHERE?

For encoding settings - I wouln't leave average and max bitrate the same. Max bitrate should always be higher than average (to allow for peaks) . Setting profile to "high" instead of "main" will give marginally better results. I wouldn't bother rendering 59.94 FPS for youtube. Lower quality at a given bitrate.

Poison,

When I'm using twixtor, I import my clip to AE, render, then AVI import to Vegas (also, will be using AE for other effects in the future once I get a hold on all this 'compiling' business...) - a follow up to my original question: I found where to change your render file type, but do i want to be using lossless AVI? or something else to go into Vegas (the best for file size VS quality, if it even changes w/ containers)

your #6 reply - that I completely understand, I'm just not sure if it's rendering using LAGARITH, or some generic After-effects 'lossless' codec....If it is, how am I to change to Lagarith, or if I even need it....All I know is the option under RenderQueue in AE is "lossless" (whichever codec it's using, I have no idea)

your final reply - I will raise my max bitrate then, to say 10,000,000 (??).....I'm going to keep it as 59.x frames, for personal watching through my own PC.