Best way/tool to edit converted mpeg 2 files?

[digital_frog]

Hi all,

I have a bunch of DVD compliant mpeg2 files that I need to edit (add transitions, effects, music etc). I know it's not a good idea to edit converted mpeg as opposed to the source files but I no longer have the original dv avi files.

Ideally, I'm looking for a video editor that will do the least amount of "damage" to the mpeg files, i.e by re-encoding etc. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

DF

[Tommyknocker]

I believe Video Studio can do your project justice, just remember to set the quality in Project settings to 100%.

[digital_frog]

Thanks for the reply. Just one question: Won't VS try to re-encode using its own encoder after the editing is finished? Or is that unavoidable with any editor when you try to edit mpeg files?

Thanks again,

DF

[Tommyknocker]

Since you want to add transitions and effects, I really do not see any other way. I hope I'm wrong. Gurus can he add transitions and effects to an exisiting MPEG video without re-encoding?

[SaSi]

I recommend you try Honestech's MPEG editor and Mainconcept's EVE editor. Both come with trial versions.

They both claim that the editor won't re-encode when it doesn't have to do so. So, if you just trim the video it saves the output files without re-encoding each frame. When you do transitions, they re-encode the frames participating in the transitions.

I tried EVE a bit and the speed of processing indicates it's not re-encoding.

[Specialist]

- Ulead VideoStudio...

http://www.ulead.com/vs/runme.htm

- Ulead MediaStudio Pro...

http://www.ulead.com/msp/runme.htm

- Ulead DVD MovieFactory 3.0...

http://www.ulead.com/dmf/runme.htm

All of the above use Smart Render technology for MPEG editing.

This means video changed by titles, transitions, filters will be re-encoded precisely where those titles, transitions, filters "touch" the original video.

The portions of video not touched by titles, transitions, filters does not undergo re-encoding.

All of this - of course - requires the user to precisely adjust his or her project settings to precisely match the properties of the source video/audio.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

Thanks for the reply. Just one question: Won't VS try to re-encode using its own encoder after the editing is finished? Or is that unavoidable with any editor when you try to edit mpeg files?

Thanks again,

DF

[digital_frog]

Thanks to everyone for all the tips. I have Vegas 4 so I'll start with that, then give VS7 a try. Thanks again.

[hakeemshabazz]

Sasi / Specialist:

The programs both of you mentioned are exactly what I have been looking for. I'm trying to make a DVD mix, and the only editing I have been wanting to do is fade in/out of each clip; however I did not want to lose any quality. For the time being I was cutting about 10 sec. from the beginning & end of each clip, adding fades to those clips, and then joining the clip back to original.

Sasi:

I tried the EVE 1.2 program. Seems cool, but I must be missing something. From the looks of it, the program slices the video file at the points that have edits, then it only has to re-encode those "indivdual" files, then merges them with the original (sort of like what I desribed I was doing up above...only on the fly & a hell of a lot faster). But when I go to produce my project, I render it, and it goes through the whole file (takes awhile) and ouputs a .mpg file (i was working with a .m2v) that is compressed (about 203 megs compared to the original's 236). The original file, .m2v, had a bitrate of 9.8, and the ouputted .mpg was at 8. How do I get this program to only render the parts that need it?

[SaSi]

I haven't done a full project with EVE. Just played around with it after getting their encoder.

I have read the manual though and I vaguely remember about options for outputing the file that will not force a re-encode. Have you looked at any settings and options for output?

[hakeemshabazz]

There's very little options to mess with. Maybe it is because I am using a demo version? I don't know.

[ticos2000]

I believe Video Studio can do your project justice, just remember to set the quality in Project settings to 100%.

best tool to do that is veges video 4 you can even processed your mp3s as part of the mpeg 2 file., tons of transitions and quality is great, I usually make the moving backgrounds to put on the dvd root menu...looks really fancy