sony vegas avchd to dvd -project settings confusion

[baross]

Hi there I have copied some mts files off my sony hdr-sr11.
when i select the files in vegas it tells me they are :
1920x1080x12 25fps interlaced

what I would like to do is edit these files and output them to standard dvd at the best quality possible.

1. what project template do i chose in vegas ?
2. what do i output to ?

i have read in the vegas help that I should choose the template that matches my output:
"Start a new Vegas project, and set your project properties to the format that most closely matches your desired output format.
For example, if you intend to burn the video to an NTSC DVD, choose NTSC DV (720x480, 29.970 fps) from the Template drop-down list "

but i have heard other places on the net the exact opposite ; that i should choose project setting to match my source files.

im pretty confused.

thanks for your time

[yoda313]

that i should choose project setting to match my source files.

Not if you intend to make a dvd and your files are not in dvd format.

Since your source file is 25fps I am assuming you are pal even though your talking about ntsc output (unless you are planning to send it to someone in ntsc land?)

For pal dvd it would be 720x576 resolution. There has to be a preset for that for vegas for pal dvd output. Use that assuming you want to make a pal dvd. For an ntsc dvd use 720x480.

You would use the highest bitrate the program allows but remember the higher the bitrate the less length you can fit on the disc. Lower the bitrate to put more video on the disc but the quality will be lower.

Also remember you are going from high def to standard definition so don't expect the dvd to look like a bluray because it won't.

[edDV]

Back up and tell us the camcorder model and record setting used. Why did you buy an HD camcorder if all you wanted was DVD? That implies complicated conversion.

True, they never told you that.

Whatever the AVCHD format, make sure the Vegas project format matches.

What version Vegas?

[baross]

that i should choose project setting to match my source files.

Not if you intend to make a dvd and your files are not in dvd format..

Many thanks for your reply yoda but I have read on another forum that I should not choose project settings to match the dvd output like you have recommended but rather I should choose project settings to match my source files. So I am still confused.
here is the link the the post I am talking about :
http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/24/911472

he said
"I can only tell you the correct way to create a DVD from AVCHD-60i. Make sure that you project uses the HD 1080-60i (1920x1080, 29.970 fps) template. Render with the DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream template and the AC3 audio template. "

also I am aware the differenced between ntsc and pal .
thanks!

[baross]

Back up and tell us the camcorder model and record setting used. Why did you buy an HD camcorder if all you wanted was DVD? That implies complicated conversion.

True, they never told you that.

Whatever the AVCHD format, make sure the Vegas project format matches.

What version Vegas?

Hi edDv and thanks so much.
the camera model is sony hdr-sr11.
when i select the files in vegas it tells me they are :
1920x1080x12 25fps interlaced . vegas 8.0

I don't want to just burn to dvd but this is a dvd for a friend.
But I am interested to know edDv what I should be using the camera for rather than burning to dvd.
there are allot of HD cameras out there these days so how are they intended to be used ?

Also about complicated conversion. it doesn't seem complicated to me.
1. import to vegas
2. output to mpeg2
what do you mean ?

if i was to set my camera to SD and render some footage from its SD mode to DVD would the quality be.
worse than HD to DVD, the same or better ?

So you have told me to use project setting to match my files (different to what yoda and the vegas help has said)

I'm still a little confused but I am leaning towards thinking that the help in vegas is wrong.

thanks again edDV

[edDV]

OK, Sony HDR-SR11 (AVCHD) and Vegas 8.0.

I use Vegas 9e Pro which has AVCHD project templates so I'm trying to remember what AVCHD support version 8 had.

Method 1 - 720x576i/25 (PAL-DV Wide) project setting

This will cause a decode and downsize (1920x1080i to 720x576i) when clips are added to the time line. Search/Scan on the timeline will be sticky depending on CPU power. You can speed things up by doing a selective pre-render. You can then export (Render As) DVD Architect MPeg2 Widescreen.

Advantage for this method is you can mix SD and HD material on the same SD optimized timeline.

Disadvantage is you need to do a separate project for HD out.


Method 2 - 1920x1080i/25 or 1440x1080i/25 project setting (matching source).

This is so called native editing where the project setting matches the HD source and other material is converted to camera source format. From this single edit project, you can export back to AVCHD (Sony AVS - AVCHD) for Blu-Ray, to 720x576i/25 for DVD and to other formats as desired. If the source was HDV or XDCAM format instead of AVCHD, an export in source format would "smart render" (render only processed GOPs). This would preserve first generation quality to the export file for most GOPs.

Advantage is a single edit project for HD and SD.

Disadvantage is longer render times for effects and filters. Also, any SD source gets upsized to HD and then is downsized for DVD export which may lower quality.

AVCHD source to DVD quality seems similar using both methods in my quick test.

[baross]

very good edDV.

Much appreciated !

thanks so much for taking the time really make this crystal clear for me.