Get me started on the right track on AVI editing please

[holeepassion]

Hello everybody

I am trying to edit a one year worth of avi's from my Canon S3 IS. It was done in 640 x 480 30fps frame. I have guessed from the posts here that I should be using NTSC. However, I just realised recently that there is a format for NTSC and PAL in the camera for 30 fps.

I have been processing most of my AVI's using NTSC format in VirtualDub, especially the deshaker using the HD AVI 1.333. I think I might have misunderstood the aspect ratio by choosing the HD version, is this going to affect the final outcome in my DVD output later on ? I am not too keen to go back and redo them all, it has taken me a few weeks !!!

I have just gotten Premier Elements 4 which comes with DELL XPS. Now, despite quite an easy editing after some experiments, I realise that the DVD authoring sucks !!! Also, it does not provide the option to save in DV AVI format, meaning without compression I assume. Even Windows Movie Maker (WMM) has this option !!! I like some of the premier elements editing but I cannot save in high resolutions for further processing !!! Conversely, I like WMM's ability to retain the original version after editing, but WMM does not have great editing power !!! I also need to use Premier's ability with time editing to make it move faster or slower.

So, as figured, I have quite a lot of questions on this:

is there a great free video editing that has the capabilities I have mentioned above which allow perhaps no compression or lossless commpression ???

what is the best free DVD's authoring out there ? Premier's templates are not looking good ... a fair bit of artifact !!! We may not be pro but we do not want to look crappy either Adobe !!! Secondly, Premier does not allow customanisation !

i am creating the DVDs for possible sale in different countries. What sort of settings that I have to be aware of please ? Is there a software that would assist me to make the DVDs flexible and hence playable in different countries ? I have been advised to go with the NTSC format as NTSC TV does not like PAL system apparently. That is all I know for now. so, what other settings which I could control in my DVD's authoring/production.

Thank you for your upcoming responses ....

[Baldrick]

You can save as dv-avi(720x480) in WMM. The video will be reconverted but it will be reconverted in most advanced editors.

You don't have that many good free dvd authoring too choose from, dvdauthorgui, dvd styler, guifordvdauthor. But they have usually no templates and you have to convert the avi video to dvd using an standalone encoder. See our tools list under Authoring(DVD). There some free authoring tools that also convert video but they have VERY limited authoring capabilites like dvd flick, favc.

You can only make a NTSC or a PAL dvds, you can't mix formats on a DVD. I would make NTSC, it works fine in most PAL countries too as many players/tvs support both system.

[holeepassion]

Thanks Baldrick ... i have to stick with the lossy premier elements then ...

peace

[guns1inger]

However, I just realised recently that there is a format for NTSC and PAL in the camera for 30 fps.

I think if you read the manual you will find this is purely for analogue output. The video files are still 30 fps, and NTSC is still the best solution.

[AlanHK]

You can only make a NTSC or a PAL dvds, you can't mix formats on a DVD. I would make NTSC, it works fine in most PAL countries too as many players/tvs support both system.

Actually, you can. It may not be strictly to standard, but I've made DVDs with both PAL and NTSC titles, and they've played on my and several of my friends' players. This is in a PAL country. So rather than convert, you can just make a test mixed disk and see if it works.

I use GuiForDVDAuthor, it issues a warning, but will allow you to do it. Other authoring apps may be more anal.

[Baldrick]

You can only make a NTSC or a PAL dvds, you can't mix formats on a DVD. I would make NTSC, it works fine in most PAL countries too as many players/tvs support both system.

Actually, you can

It wont be a standard DVD-Video but as you say it will probably work fine on many players. If I was going sell DVDs I'm not sure if I would make such DVDs...or well I guess DVD-R media would be a bigger playback problem than mixed PAL/NTSC...

[guns1inger]

Other authoring apps may be more anal

You mean other apps may force you to be specification compliant. The issue is simply one of format, but mixing formats and whether or not the player will adjust. I have also made mixed formats discs for my own use, and I have seen them work on some players, play only one format on others, and even play PAL fine but give distorted output trying to play NTSC as PAL because the disc was authored as PAL with NTSC material. It's not strictly a DVD Video, and therefore comes with no guarantees. It's just like authoring a DTS only disc. It often works, but it's no compliant.

[AlanHK]

It wont be a standard DVD-Video but as you say it will probably work fine on many players. If I was going sell DVDs I'm not sure if I would make such DVDs...or well I guess DVD-R media would be a bigger playback problem than mixed PAL/NTSC...

Of course I wouldn't do this if I was selling disks, or even making them by the dozen. But I rarely make more then two or three copies of any disk I author, so if I can save a few hours, or combine some related features on a single disk instead of two by bending the rules, as long as it works on my player that's good enough.

Examples: combining cartoon features from various sources.

You mean other apps may force you to be specification compliant.

Yes. But the same apps often force you to reencode compliant video as well, for no good reason.