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  1. Member Bansaw's Avatar
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    I have a lot of AVI files I have to archive.
    I'm using Premiere Pro CS3 and am experimenting with the MainConcept plug in to produce H264 MPGs.
    I reckon that the H264 will give me the best quality.

    My question is: I need to be able to open these resulting MPGs on SOny Vegas Studio.
    How can I export the AVIs in such a way that they will open on Vegas (while hopefully maintaining the H264 quality) ?
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  2. Why don't you leave them as the original AVI? By definition that is a lossless archive. Re-encoding them will only reduce the quality
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  3. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    To clarify: "lossless archive" meaning you're keeping what to you are the ORIGINALS, so if you need to reuse them at a later date, having kept the originals means there is no loss.
    We don't want to confuse anyone into assuming that because it says "AVI" that it is using lossless compression codecs internally. I'd venture that in the majority of cases, it ISN'T.

    But I agree with poisondeathray, KEEP YOUR ORIGINALS! Disk space couldn't be at THAT much of a premium, and you DON'T (usually) want to lose quality. Even if you use higher bitrate h.264, you'll likely be losing something...

    Scott
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  4. Member edDV's Avatar
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    This is especially true if your "AVI" codec is a camcorder format like DV. Most x264 GUIs force a deinterlace although it is possible to encode interlace. The loss of quality isn't worth it. Archive DV as DV.

    I triage my camcorder files tossing those I know I'll never use. The prime clips I archive DV. Secondary clips like talking heads at conferences or time dated interviews, I encode to interlace MPeg2 (bottom field first) for archiving to DVD. The only DV format clips I archive to h.264 are TV caps.
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  5. establish some system , at least two HDD (one +backup) and store those original avi's, you edit them or make movies from them

    you write from UK so this goal is reachable, our own DVavi originals is perhaps the only thing that is worthy to store and backup as oppose to whatever else, so why not to keep originals, it can make difference

    ranting, BEWARE, you've been warned -> then you proceed to edit it or convert it to something else on your media device that cannot play DV avi , our top world managers made everything in their power to NOT allow us to play DV avi directly but to convert it, made DVD, export it to whatever crap in between, just to watch our own home videos, I know it is tape device but their brains omit that it needed to be digitize to process it in any way, or it is just greed on their part which is even more sad,.., excuse me,..,weeping, blowing my nose,... . Nowadays even to stream 25Mbit (DV avi) is ok. It is really interesting to watch like new technologies pop up any day and then it could be forgotten in an instant, how many people have DV avi in their computer , legal stuff, the only thing that is actually worthy to store as I said earlier (home video generally, it is utmost unique what we have) , ..., size of it becomes smaller and smaller with time continuum advancing ,..., chipset makers - congratulation
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  6. Member Bansaw's Avatar
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    Thanks all. Just to clarify, I do very much need to compress down to save disc space. We do a -lot- of footage per week and simply don't have the disc space.
    I figured H264 was the best in terms of quality for size. BUt then again I want Sony Vegas to open it (because we have people out there who are using it).
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  7. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Bansaw View Post
    Thanks all. Just to clarify, I do very much need to compress down to save disc space. We do a -lot- of footage per week and simply don't have the disc space.
    I figured H264 was the best in terms of quality for size. BUt then again I want Sony Vegas to open it (because we have people out there who are using it).
    Are you sure you can't afford hard disks to save as DV? ... ~75 hours per TB?

    It would help if you gave a description of the content so we can judge compressability.

    Next best for Vegas/Premiere editing is interlace MPeg2 at higher bit rates (~8+Mbps) ... or ~ 225 hrs per TB.

    As for editing h.264 in Vegas, which version of Vegas are you using?

    What are your quality standards?
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  8. Member Bansaw's Avatar
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    Thanks. The archive files are to be sent out to people in different locations. Some abroad. Thats why it would be nice to send a disc out there. People are using Sony Vegas Studio 9 out there. A few have a later version but not many.
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  9. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Bansaw View Post
    Thanks. The archive files are to be sent out to people in different locations. Some abroad. Thats why it would be nice to send a disc out there. People are using Sony Vegas Studio 9 out there. A few have a later version but not many.
    That is a strange definition of "archive". An archive is a representation of original camera source that can be accessed for a re-edit.

    What you are describing is more a production intermediate. Is maintaining quality an issue or are you going for the smallest file that works with Vegas? As said above, I'd go for origiinal DV or interlace MPeg2 in DVD format. MPeg2 bitrate would depend on your tradeoff for quality. I'd go for full 9500 Kbps CBR (1 hour mode) per DVD.
    Last edited by edDV; 28th Apr 2012 at 09:09.
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  10. Member Bansaw's Avatar
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    Maintaining quality is an issue, and also the filesize so it can fit on a disc and be shipped abroad if requested. Thats why I thought of h264.
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  11. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Bansaw View Post
    Maintaining quality is an issue, and also the filesize so it can fit on a disc and be shipped abroad if requested. Thats why I thought of h264.
    H264 is more difficult to edit and for hand held interlace camera video, you won't get that much more compression performance vs. MPeg2. VBR will introduce editing issues. If these tapes are other than locked down camera talking heads, then interlace should be preserved through editing.

    MPeg2 in DVD format is a safe way to go*. The Sony AVC (h.264) codec can be tested as an alternate. Start with Blu-ray 1080i then modify settings for SD. Here's a start point. You may need to upgrade all the field versions of Vegas to edit h.264.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Sony_AVC.png
Views:	426
Size:	105.1 KB
ID:	12211

    Starting point for SD PAL AVC (assuming 16:9 wide)

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Sony_AVC_SD_PAL.png
Views:	471
Size:	107.1 KB
ID:	12212


    * All versions of Vegas will "smart render" MPeg2. That means cuts only editing in the field will be lossless to DVD so long as bit rate and frame size are maintained. h.264 will take a re-rencode hit during simple cuts editing.
    Last edited by edDV; 28th Apr 2012 at 10:04.
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  12. What compression do your original "AVI" files use? Can you clarify that it is DV-AVI as many have assumed here

    If you don't know, check them with gspot or mediainfo
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