Sony Vegas 10 - What is the best quality format to save as ?

[Transporter]

I've edited an HD .mov clip in sony vegas, but I dont understand what format I should save as to, to save the good quality.
Please tell me the format (avi \ mov \ mp4 \ wmv) and the properties I have to choose, becuase everything I try is just downscale the quality.

Thanks.

[aedipuss]

almost any format can generate high quality. it's a matter of bitrate mostly. without knowing what the intended destination/viewing hardware is it's impossible to to answer the question.

[jagabo]

Avi, mov, mp4, and wmv are all containers -- "boxes" that hold audio and video, compressed with various codecs (or not). What determines the quality is the codecs and codec settings used, not the container. What codecs and containers you use will depend on what you plan to play the videos on. Most devices can only deal with a limited number of codecs and containers.

[Transporter]

It will be played on windows7 i5 laptop.
What is the best parameters/codecs to save the video quality?

[Cornucopia]

Parameters: same resolution, framerate, samplerate, etc as source. Codec: either same as source or a lossless codec. But if you are targeting a device that is limited in it's capabilities, you need to be setting the parameters, codecs to those that match the target device. And that may necessarily limit the quality.

If this is the situation, let us know and give model #s etc so we can help fine-tune your options...

Scott

edit: ok, if you are playing from laptop, the only limiting factor is if you have the correct decoders/splitters and what the bitrate limits are in your hard drive subsystem. Which gives you lots of leeway.

[Transporter]

Parameters: same resolution, framerate, samplerate, etc as source. Codec: either same as source or a lossless codec. But if you are targeting a device that is limited in it's capabilities, you need to be setting the parameters, codecs to those that match the target device. And that may necessarily limit the quality.

If this is the situation, let us know and give model #s etc so we can help fine-tune your options...

Scott

Well, im looking for a loseless codec.
What should i choose? It seems like every wmv codec in sony vegas just lose quality, so i look for a loseless one.

[aedipuss]

if you are using vegas 10 pro, a generally decent quality can be obtained using the save as type "sony avc/mvc" and the template for internet 1080p with a bitrate around 8-10mbps. if you want to go with a smaller file size maybe use the 720p template and a bitrate of 5-8mbps.

[poisondeathray]

Parameters: same resolution, framerate, samplerate, etc as source. Codec: either same as source or a lossless codec. But if you are targeting a device that is limited in it's capabilities, you need to be setting the parameters, codecs to those that match the target device. And that may necessarily limit the quality.

If this is the situation, let us know and give model #s etc so we can help fine-tune your options...

Scott

Well, im looking for a loseless codec.
What should i choose? It seems like every wmv codec in sony vegas just lose quality, so i look for a loseless one.

A true lossless codec will cause file to be very large, and your computer might not be fast enough to play them in real time (it will drop frames during playback unless you have a very fast system) . Lossless codecs usually aren't meant for playback

You can try ut video codec or amv2 - their decoding speed is very fast compared to other lossless codecs



Most people would use a lossy codec, just higher bitrates to minimize the quality loss. Do what aedipuss suggested above. If you want better quality, just increase the bitrates even higher

[Cornucopia]

He just talked about "saving to good quality"; no mention in that early post about playback. However, knowing the bitrates of lossless, that's why I mentioned the "bitrate limits of the hard drive subsystem".

We really still don't know the true intention for these files yet.

Scott

[_Al_]

I think he wants export to just watch it, otherwise he would stated some special purpose what he wants to do with it.

Export MainConcept mpeg4 avc , you can try 15.000.000 CBR or more, that is Constant Bi tRate, you might waste a lot of bitrate , volume for most of scenes with CBR setting but it is just 1pass . Better choice would be 2pass VBR, Variable Bit Rate, 15.000.000 average and choose min and max wisely. Of course if 15.000.000 is not enough you might raise that or to go other way and drop it. Understand that average bitrate means that final volume of your video would be the same as 15.000.000 CBR, but the bitrate would fluctuate. It is always a lottery what to set to find encoded video quite all right and to not waste a lot of bitrate at the same time especially you do it first time.

[Transporter]

Well, this video is gonna be shown on my friends Wedding, so it must be "playable".
The only problem is when I save it to .wmv, it just skips some frames (maybe because the quality is too poor).

I need you to tell me what Sony Vegas format\codec is the best to be running on Windows 7 using VLC\media player after saving as...

Thanks !

[_Al_]

Render As not Save As ... and then you might try whatever I stated before ...

make sure you have set in settings for export the same parameters - frame per second, size of video and field order (upper, lower or none) - as original clip
projects settings should be also the same as original clip properties

[aedipuss]

I think he wants export to just watch it, otherwise he would stated some special purpose what he wants to do with it.

Export MainConcept mpeg4 avc , you can try 15.000.000 CBR or more, that is Constant Bi tRate, you might waste a lot of bitrate , volume for most of scenes with CBR setting but it is just 1pass . Better choice would be 2pass VBR, Variable Bit Rate, 15.000.000 average and choose min and max wisely. Of course if 15.000.000 is not enough you might raise that or to go other way and drop it. Understand that average bitrate means that final volume of your video would be the same as 15.000.000 CBR, but the bitrate would fluctuate. It is always a lottery what to set to find encoded video quite all right and to not waste a lot of bitrate at the same time especially you do it first time.

the mainconcept encoder in sony pro 10 is extremely crippled. for pro 10 the sony avc/mvc encoder is highly preferred. just the opposite of pro 9 & 11 in which the mainconcept encoder is better.

[Transporter]

Well, those settings are good to save the quality?

[jagabo]

You need to use a higher profile than Baseline. Try High.

[Transporter]

You need to use a higher profile than Baseline. Try High.

Tried "High", but the picture is still doesnt go "straight" it skips..

[jagabo]

You need to use a higher profile than Baseline. Try High.

Tried "High", but the picture is still doesnt go "straight" it skips..

Then something is wrong with your computer. Or it's very old.

[Transporter]

You need to use a higher profile than Baseline. Try High.

Tried "High", but the picture is still doesnt go "straight" it skips..

Then something is wrong with your computer. Or it's very old.

Im using pentium i7 2600k with 8gb RAM. (win7 64bit)
Maybe this is because I dont have some codecs ?

[jagabo]

Something is set up wrong if you can't play 1080p30 video smoothly on an i7 2600K.

[Transporter]

Something is set up wrong if you can't play 1080p30 video smoothly on an i7 2600K.

Well, look:
I have to original .MOV file I got it from the photographer, this is a 6minutes movie, 2.61GB and it works GREAT. nothing is smooth.
So I've saved a sample file of my edited video, which is 7secs on 16.1mb and the picture is just smooth.
Maybe I dont have some mp4 codec ?

I really dont get it.

[jagabo]

What are you playing the video with? What reader/splitter are you using? What codecs (decoder) are you using? Are you using DXVA? What graphics card to you have? You should provide a sample of the video that doesn't play smoothly.

[Transporter]

What are you playing the video with? What reader/splitter are you using? What codecs (decoder) are you using? Are you using DXVA? What graphics card to you have? You should provide a sample of the video that doesn't play smoothly.

The original mov file is played by quicktime.

the mp4 file ive saved with sony vegas is played with media player

[Transporter]

Here is a download link for the sample file i was saved in Sony Vegas.
Look at the first frame - the globus when it turns around the word "Europe" just skips. (or its just on my machine ?)
In the original movie it goes straight without any skips.

Maybe you can tell me where is the problem ?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vu7wk0kpkifq6sw/sample.mp4?m

[aedipuss]

the video doesn't skip at all here. the bitrate is too low, it's only 1000kbps and the size is 640x352?? not the 1920x1080 in the template. if that's your source file it's going to look like crap no matter what you render it to.

[edit] sorry i had a video play at the link and used a downloader that got the small playing file. i used the direct download and got the 1920x1080 file. still no skipping, but it does seem to have blended frames from poor de-interlacing.


[Attachment 13971 - Click to enlarge]

[jagabo]

The video from the download link, sample.mp4, is 1920x1080, progressive, 29.97 fps, about 18000 kbps average. But the source was interlaced and the video has been deinterlaced with a blend filter. The effect of that may be what you are calling "skipping". Keep the video interlaced and you won't have that problem.

[Transporter]

the video doesn't skip at all here. the bitrate is too low, it's only 1000kbps and the size is 640x352?? not the 1920x1080 in the template. if that's your source file it's going to look like crap no matter what you render it to.

[edit] sorry i had a video play at the link and used a downloader that got the small playing file. i used the direct download and got the 1920x1080 file. still no skipping, but it does seem to have blended frames from poor de-interlacing.


[Attachment 13971 - Click to enlarge]

Well, Here is the template properties. Please tell me how could I fix the picture problem.

[Transporter]

The video from the download link, sample.mp4, is 1920x1080, progressive, 29.97 fps, about 18000 kbps average. But the source was interlaced and the video has been deinterlaced with a blend filter. The effect of that may be what you are calling "skipping". Keep the video interlaced and you won't have that problem.

How do I do that?

[jagabo]

Use an interlaced project in Vegas.

[Transporter]

Use an interlaced project in Vegas.

can you please explain it step by step ?
Ive opened my project, whats next?

[jagabo]

Sorry, I don't use Vegas so I can't give you exact instructions.