Best Encoder with Premiere Pro 1.5 ???

[mc4]

Hi, I use Premiere Pro 1.5 to capture and edit my videos, but have some doubts when converting the AVI file to DVD.
Usually I use the Premiere option "Export to DVD" and it does all the convertions and burns the DVD, but I think that the final quality isn't great.
I thought to use the "Premiere Pro Video Server Plugin" and frameserve to "TMPGEnc 2.5 Plus".

Shall I got better DVD image?
Any help?

Thanks in advance,
Miguel

[edDV]

Give more info on your

1. Source File
2. Project settings
3. MPeg2 encoder settings

You should be getting very good quality if the source is also very good.

[mike909]

I agree with ed.
Ppro uses mainconcept mpeg2 encoder. If you are thinking you will see a huge difference from mainconcept to tmpgenc to procoder to a whole slew of other mpeg2 encoders...probably not. You can read and do comparisons untill your blue in the face between encoders, but you should be just fine with the built-in mainconcept encoder.

[daamon]

I thought to use the "Premiere Pro Video Server Plugin" and frameserve...

I don't know if you have to pay for that plug-in, but the Debugmode Frameserver is great, it works with Premiere Pro 1.5 and is free. I use it alot.

[mc4]

1. Source File
2. Project settings
3. MPeg2 encoder settings

Hi edDV,

Footage of DV video, captured with an "Helmet Cam" that injects the video+audio in a Sony DV cam.

Premiere Pro:
Video Settings
Compressor: None
Frame size: 720h 576v (1.067)
Frame rate: 25,00 frames/second
Pixel Aspect Ratio: D1/DV PAL (1.067)
Color depth: Millions+ of colors
Quality: 100 (out of 100)
Fields: Lower Field First

Audio Settings
Compressor: Uncompressed
Sample rate: 48000 samples/second
Channels: Stereo
Sample type: 16-bit

Export from Premiere Pro 1.5 with Premiere Pro Video Server to TMPGEnc Plus

Settings of TMPGEnc:

Stream type: System(video+audio)
4:3 display
25 fps
CQ 2000/8000 Kbps
Interlace
10 bits
Highest quality
GOP 1-4-1-1-15

I hope this help. Thanks
Miguel

[mc4]

I don't know if you have to pay for that plug-in, but the Debugmode Frameserver is great, it works with Premiere Pro 1.5 and is free. I use it alot.

Hi daamon,
Thanks for the input. I'll try also Debugmode (as you sayd it's free) and compare it.
Thanks,
Miguel

[mike909]

Mc4,
what were your mpeg2 encoder settings when you exported from premier using the built in mainconcept encoder? I would be surprised if your output from tmpeg is of noticable greater quality than that of ppro's built-in mainconcept. (given comparable settings of course)

[edDV]

The internal Mainconcept MPeg2 encoder should have worked fine. Are you saying the MPeg2 encode resulted in lower quality compared to the DV timeline? Maybe the encoder settings were wrong.

TMPGEnc Plus is slower but should also give good results.

[mc4]

, but you should be just fine with the built-in mainconcept encoder.

mike909,

Thanks for your input. If you're right about the built-in Mainconcept Encoder, maybe it's a loss of time trying to get better encode quality.
As you saw in my other answer, I get the video from an Helmet Cam, so the image isn't as good as we want and I thought that I can have a better encoder to compensate ...

Regards,
Miguel

[mike909]

Mc4,
If you have the time, it can't hurt to experiment on your own with other encoders. Generally speaking though, it probably won't help in your situation. As Ed has asked, the "final quality" you are speaking of...is that compared to the DV Timeline in premier? It sounds like your source footage may not be as high quality as you are looking for, in which case...no encoder can help. You may want to experiment with some Ppro video filters/plugins. (ie. magic bullet editors has a nice way of adding/changing color). Simply changing tint/hue/saturation etc. can surprisingly produce nice looking DV sometimes. Good Luck.

[edDV]

Post some sample frames and we may be able suggest filters.

[mc4]

Maybe the encoder settings were wrong.

Guys,

Sorry for the delay. I was trying some different settings, but as I have some images that change quickly ( shooting from an helmet cam in a offroad motorcycle) I don't like the final quality f the DVD, so maybe I didn't use the right settings in the encoder (built in Mainconcept Mpeg Pro).

Here are the settings I use:

General:
Disc Name: Moto_TT-3
Timeline Markers: Yes
Loop Playback: No

Preset:
Custom Preset
Comment: High quality, CBR transcoding of DV content

Video Summary:
Codec: MainConcept MPEG Video
Quality: 5.0 (high quality)
TV Standard: PAL
Frame Rate [fps]: 25
Field Order: Lower
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Frame Width [pixels]: 720
Frame Height [pixels]: 576
Bitrate Encoding: CBR
Bitrate [Mbps]: 7.9720 (high quality)
M Frames: 3
N Frames: 12

Audio Summary:
Audio Format: MPEG
Codec: MainConcept MPEG Audio
Audio Layer: MPEG-1, Layer II Audio
Sample Size: 16 bit
Frequency: 48 kHz
Bitrate [kbps]: 384

Encoding:
Export Range: Entire Sequence
Fields: Lower
Maximize Bitrate: No
Force Variable Bitrate: No

DVD Burner:
Burner: E:\PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-109
Speed: Auto
Burner Status: Ready
Number of Copies: 1
Record Options: Record

If you have any sugestion, I'll apreciate :P

Best regards from Portugal
MC4

[dipstick]

It looks like the only thing that can help you is a better camcorder. You should have got great results with the settings you choosed.

If you're getting lots of macroblocks, you may want to experiment with some filters like convolution in Premiere Pro or Virtualdub.

I didn't know they raced dirtbikes in Portugal, I was actually born near Chaves......not to far from Porto. I now live in the US where there's lots of dirtbike racing among others.

[mc4]

If you're getting lots of macroblocks...

Hi dipstick, the problem is not with macroblocks but we could say "microblocks", It's like a pixelisation of the movie, the image is granulated and not very crisp and smoth, I don't know if I can explain it.
As this happens more when the images change more rapidly, maybe I must use other GOP settings to get the best quality. What do you say?

I didn't know they raced dirtbikes in Portugal ...

Now, about dirt bikes in Portugal, for many years, maybe since the 80's, we have lots of them here in Portugal. Near Oporto where I live, we have many places to ride (till now it's allowed) and every weekend I with my CRF 450X and with some friends go ride and make some movies.

Nice to ear from you and regards

[mike909]

Your settings look fine, and that 'should' give good results. If you could post an image of your source and the same image of the resulting mpeg2 that would be very helpfull. It sounds to me like your source footage just isn't as clear as you want it to be. Kind of like when I shoot indoors with my canon zr-50mc without good lighting (it's very grainy and low quality looking).