adobe premeire quality issues

[slaird]

Anyone out there use Adobe Premeire or know about quality issues.

I have long, frustrating problem. I have been using my Sony DV Camera (TRV17) and have captured quite a few videos on to my computer using firewire.

I've spent quite a bit of time editting weddings, my children, etc, but I still can't seem to get a decent quality vcd or svcd out. I've tried fileserving and tmpgenc with EasyVCD. I've also tried saving it as an avi and using Nero and NeroVision to burn the cd's, but no luck. The quality comes out worse than a regular video and what good does it do to have DV?

I can however export the video back to MiniDV and then hook my camera up to my VCR and copy it on to a tape, but how time consuming and useless to a VCD, SVCD, or even a DVD in the future?

I believe my problem might be with compressing in Adobe. I can't seem to get a decent picture coming out of Adobe unless I use the long process stated above. Does anyone out there have suggestions? How can I track down the problem? I'm assuming my quality should be better than a video tape, not worse.

My specs are:
AMD 1900, 768 MB 2700 DDR, 240 GB of HD (160 + 80), etc...

[q1aqza]

If you rae using v6.5 then the inbuilt MainConcept encoder usually does a great job. If earlier version (I have little experience of) then from what I've read the best results would be to frameserve from timeline to TMPG or to CCE, alternatively create a DV file from timeline and put that through TMPG or CCE.

[mkelley]

I can't speak for VCD, but I do a *lot* of DV-AVI editing in Premiere, and exporting using MainConcept (free with Premiere 6.5) produces DVD quality video -- it's actually eerie how good it looks (in some ways my tiny little Sony DV camcorder seems to be better than what we produce using our three-chip broadcast quality cameras at work).

Workflow is capture in Premiere via firewire, edit and then export using high or even mid DVD compression (anything averaging 5mbps is just fine). I burn using DVDLab and, well, as I say, the results are superb. One of our travel videos was viewed by 30 or so friends on our big (80") screen and nearly every one wanted us to market it -- they said it was better than most stuff they see on broadcast TV (they weren't referring to the quality of the video, of course, but that likely had something to do with them accessing how good the overall experience was).

[slaird]

mkelley-

Thanks. This is very promising. Do you mind if I ask you what Sony DV camercorder you have and what settings you use to capture? I'm actually using Premiere 6.0. Is there a big difference between this version and 6.5?

When you export using MainConcept, is that a fileserving process?



Anyone else have suggestions for SVCD? I'm still at that stage but someday would like to move to DVD.

[mkelley]

I'm at work right now, but my Sony is one of the first "palm sized" mini-DV camcorders Sony released (I bought in it 1997). It's about the size of a couple of pocketbooks, and has the LCD that swings out from the side. They don't apparently even make anything like it anymore, but this one comes the closest:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProduc...0sXhu&Dept=dcc

6.5 is worth the upgrade alone for MainConcept, the MPEG2 encoder that comes with it. It is a high quality (broadcast studios use it) encoder that will encode your video in near real time (it takes about two hours to do 95 minutes or so of video). It will also do VCD (MPEG1) if that's what you need.

Take the plunge to DVD -- with burners going for less than $200 and disks now less than $2 a piece, there's no excuse not do go this route.

[learner1]

The mainconcept encoder is integrated into Premiere 6.5.
There is no need to frame serve. All one needs to do
in Premiere is to export timeline-select MPEG. There are
settings for VCD, SVCD, and DVD that one can select.
The thing that is missing is the actual author/burn
process. That gap will supposively be filled by the new
Adobe Encore coming out in the summer.

[mkelley]

Well, actually that's not *strictly* true, as Premiere 6.5 comes with a DVD authoring program (Um, DVDit? I can't remember, as I use DVDLab).

But you're substantially right in that Encore will be positioned as Adobe's authoring program (although at $500 it seems a bit pricey compared to some up and coming alternatives).

[EricB]

slaird,

You may also just be dissatisfied by the quality of VCD level video. Yes with a good source they can look good, but it is much easier to make a great looking disk using DVD quality.

You mention in your original post using Premiere and TMPGEnc which is at least as good and maybe better than the encoder in Premiere 6.5. So if you did frameserve from Premiere to TMPGEnc, you should be able to get a good quality disk. I would suggest encoding a disk using SVCD template in TMPGEnc or make a miniDVD (record to CD-R but only plays on computer) to see a higher quality output. If your source material is decent, you should be able to make good, full screen material with a miniDVD. Try Ulead MovieFactory for authoring your DVD or SVCD files from TMPGEnc.

[slaird]

EricB-
Thanks for some more ideas. You guys are all wonderful. I thought this was going to take days to get some decent posts.

I have often thought about the quality of my capturing. I wondered if I was using the right settings, etc. However, the fact that I can get a decent picture when I export to MiniDV hints to me that I'm doing something right.

I'll try your suggestions of making a miniDV that works on computer just to see if I can get a better quality. I've heard of decent quality on SVCD, but I don't think I am even there. It is really grainy and not very good.

Thanks again.

[BJ_M]

make sure you upgrade the main concept encoder in adobe 6.5 to the latest version (found only through a link on main concpet site)

[EricB]

slaird

I didn't mean your "captures" are poor quality, just not studio quality. My home movie stuff varies from really good (outside lighting, smooth camera work) to lousy (poor lighting, jerky movements). VCD is much less forgiving to poorer quality source because you chew up bandwidth just processing noise! Backgrounds crawl, bits flash, etc.

So you can do one of two things: improve your footage or use a more forgiving format like DVD. After conversion of DV to DVD, I can't tell the difference between my DV camera and a DVD version when played on the TV.

BJ_M: I think he indicated he is still using 6.0 so the MainConcept upgrade is not an option unless he buys the stand alone version. TMPGEnc should really do the job!

[BJ_M]

slaird

I didn't mean your "captures" are poor quality, just not studio quality. My home movie stuff varies from really good (outside lighting, smooth camera work) to lousy (poor lighting, jerky movements). VCD is much less forgiving to poorer quality source because you chew up bandwidth just processing noise! Backgrounds crawl, bits flash, etc.

So you can do one of two things: improve your footage or use a more forgiving format like DVD. After conversion of DV to DVD, I can't tell the difference between my DV camera and a DVD version when played on the TV.

BJ_M: I think he indicated he is still using 6.0 so the MainConcept upgrade is not an option unless he buys the stand alone version. TMPGEnc should really do the job!

yes you are right -- i meant if he upgraded to 6.5 instead of that not so hot encoder that was included w/ 6 (LSX) ...

tmpgenc can certain do the job really well also !

[PaulRW]

The original Main concept encoder with 6.5 has a known bug in burning VCDs and SVCDs.

If you go to adobe site ( or main concept directly) they will point you to an upgrade which states that it cures "VCD and SVCD quality issues"

I hope this helps

Paul