? on VideoStudio ac3 Plug

[chako]

Has anyone tried this plug? Currently Ulead VideoStudio 8 allows you to capture in mpeg layer 2 or LPCM audio. I'm wondering if by installing this plug it will allow you to capture in ac3 audio. Ulead support service is very good at collecting your money but not getting back to you.

chako

[thecoalman]

Not sure about Video Studio 8 or the plug but in Media Studio 7 or DVD Workshop you can't capture in AC3. You can only create mpg's with AC3 after editing im Media Studio or create DVD's with AC3 using DVD Workshop.

[chako]

Yes you're correct. I have MediaStudio Pro and it allows you to create an ac3 compliant file after the capture. So in essence you're re-rendering the file twice. This does not provide any advantages to a direct Mpeg capture that the software provides when ac3 is not included in the capture.

A straight capture is helpful only when no edits are needed such as digitizing VHS movies, which is what I'm doing now, re-converting my kids videos. I just don't want to buy a plug that will do the same thing that Media Studio Pro does.

[thecoalman]

The advantage to the direct mpeg capture is you only have to reencode the audio which takes far less time than the video.

Try authoring a dvd with AC3 audio using a AVI with LCPM then compare how long it takes to a DVD compliant MPEG with LCPM and you'll see what I mean.

[chako]

I need to try that. Currently I've been capturing in Mpeg with Ulead Media Studio Pro and afterwards going to the "file settings, create video" which has an option to re-encode with ac3 audio and selecting it. If I understand what you're saying, I should capture with LCPM or "as is" and then Open up Ulead DVD Worshop 2 and author with ac3, which should only re-encode the audio.

[thecoalman]

That's correct providing the video settings in Workshop are the same as the ones on your captured video. If it's working correctly then it should only take a few minutes when it gets to the encoding part. (Should be about 5 to 10 minutes before the disc actually starts burning)

Another way to do this is insert the captured video into Media studio Pro. Select create file. Make sure the video settings are the same as your captured video in the options menu and select ac3 audio. You can then use the video in Workshop, when you get to the burn menu in the bottom right hand corner select "do not convert compliant files".

Additionally if your just transferring your footage to dvd and the only editing your doing is trimming the video, splitting it etc., all of these tasks can be completed with Workshop alone. Media Studio is really an editor and a fantastic one at that. Most consumers won't even scratch the surface of what it can do.

[chako]

Thanks CoalMan! I wish I was proficient at editing in Media Studio Pro though. I'm so used to the simplicity of Pinnacles Studio 9 that I get all confused in learning how to cut in Media Studio since it operates on a time line that you set by a time interval. I will try your suggestions though.

[thecoalman]

Here's a quick guide, go to insert and select color clip, the attribute panel for the color clip will come up. Select pure color, since the first color is black it will switch the entire clip to black. Select OK and place it on the VA line. Drag the edge to to make it 4 seconds long. Insert a video into the timeline in the VB line. Trim the beggining to where you want the video to begin, even slightly before it. To trim select the scissors ion the toolbar and place the cursor on the clip anywhere and single click. To remove the the unwated portion select using the cursor, then right click and secrect clear. Move the clip so it overlaps 2 seconds of the pure color clip. Then from the production library which should be in the right hand corner if you are still using the default display select transition affects from the drop menu. Drag any trsansition to the FX line and place between the color clip and the video clip.



Note: if you wish to do a lot of editing to your clips AVI is the preferred format.

[chako]

Thanks! I will try this one this weekend