Intermediate Format for editing video...

[Tolwyn]

Let's say I have a DV encoded (compressed) video "clip" and I'm editing it from scene to scene (adding new clips, etc. with wipes, fades, etc.)...

What is the most popular or the concensus on the intermediate format it should be "saved to" for further editing? DV again?

Or, to put another way, if I am happily editing away in (insert video editor here), how would I get that to final render to MPEG2 through TMPEnc?

I'm such a n00b.
Audio I understand. Video is still confusing.

[daamon]

Hi Tolwyn,

You could either save back to DV AVI, or frameserve from your editing software (if it supports it) to TMPGEnc.

Frameserving is nothing to be scared of, it's quite simple:

Instead of saving to a real file, you save to what's called a "signpost" file.

The "signpost" acts as a kind of relay between your sending app (editing software in this case) and the receiving app (TMPGEnc in this case).

When you open the signpost file in TMPGEnc it links to the editing app. As soon as TMPGEnc is ready to encode the next frame, it requests it via the signpost file.

The editing app then serves the frame via the signpost file to TMPGEnc. Hence "frameserving".

All you do and see is "save as (signpost) file" in your editing app, and leave it open. Then "open signpost file" in TMPGEnc and press "Start"...

Sorry for the long answer, but I was put of frameservinf for ages coz I thought it was too technical and difficult. In fact, it's the ooposite...

Hope that helps. Good luck...

[Tolwyn]

You bet that helps.
I've frameserved quite a bit using Virtual Dub. Makes total sense to me. And does exactly what it says.

I don't think my video editing software supports it. The last I was using was Ulead's Video Studio or something like that.

I'm torn on what video editing software to buy. I want something that does some cool stuff, but I don't need professional. More intermediate, I guess.

[daamon]

For free / cheap editors this may help...

Depends on your budget I suppose. You may be able to pick up Premiere 6.0 or 6.5 on eBay for a steal... I use 6.0 and am very happy with it for what I want to do.

[angryassdrummer]

I wouldnt touch Premiere if I were you.
If you have experience with audio, go with VEGAS 5. Its been designed in a similar way to a lot of audio editors, plus its very easy to use -on par if not better than premiere pro

[edDV]

"What is the most popular or the concensus on the intermediate format it should be "saved to" for further editing? DV again? "

For further editing, or to save clips in highest quality, use DV to HDD or back to DV tape. I keep all my best original clips and edit masters on DV tape for future use. Usually there are CDs of project graphics and audio clips as well.

DVDs get authored from the edit master DV material, graphics and audio.

When Blu-Ray (25GB per layer) recordable DVD's arrive I'll use those instead of DV tape.

PS: Best editing software depends on what you will be doing. I use Vegas 5 and Premiere mostly for projects and Ulead Video Studio 8 for chopping up TV recorded material.