New Pinnacle Studio 8 is awesome!

[ROBO1964]

Thats good about not rerendering but the menu should have worked flawlessly since it was done in that program.

[bertmartin]

I had Studio 7 and never got it to work. It was a nightmare and screwed up my operating system. They never got version 7 to work and now they want me to upgrade to version 8. I don't think so. By the way, I like their interface and smart sound but could not live with such a flacky product. However, if it works for you then great. I use Ulead Video Studio 7. Wish I had smart sound.

[AK349]

If u have studio 7, can u upgrade to 8 online.


If u cant, can u tell me in a list studio 7 doesn't have that 8 has.


THANX

[leebo]

Presto said:

Remove commercials with TMPGenc

Did you do this using the feature to trim a clip, ans simply trim one clip into several smaller clips?
Just wondering.

Also, how long does it take to encode each new clip?

[Faceman101]

"Studio 8 will not be able to import uncompressed MPEG files, on release it will not be able to import MPEG files"

So hows it edit mpeg 2 then? And who ever heard of "uncompressed mpeg"???

And that's the people you call when you have a problem.

[presto]

>Did you do this using the feature to trim a clip, ans simply trim one clip into several smaller clips?
Just wondering<

In TMPNGenc you go file/mpeg tools and then choose the merge/cut tab. Just add the clip and then edit it down. You will then have the first part of the show before the first commercial. Then add the same clip again and edit it so that you have the part after the first commercial and before the second commercial. Then add the clip again...

When you are done you hit "run" and it joins all the parts you kept into one.

I'm getting in over my head here but I think that mpg files are really just big text files, what mpg tools does is just cut and paste the parts you chose togethor rather than reencoding it. It only takes a minute or two for Mpep Tools to finish a show. If you used the main TMPNGenc program it would reencode the mpg and it would take over an hour and the quality would suffer.

Oh, here's another big tip when using Mpeg Tools. If you select the start of the clip and then put your cursor up where the numbers are and click once you can then use the wheel on your mouse to scroll thru the vid frame by frame. Works perfectly on vcd compatible files but not as well on svcd compatible files.

[leebo]

Thanks Presto.

I'm sure that was a newbie question, and maybe it's already posted somewhere.
But I appriciate you answering it.

[mp3superfreak]

I currently use VV3 for video editing and DVD Moviefactory for authoring my home movie DVD's. I love Vegas for the editing part, but I'm looking for a more fully featured DVD Authoring tool. After hearing about Studio 8, I'm interested (especially in the motion menus). I'm not interested in spending $300 for Ulead's DVD Workshop.

Anyone who has this program please shed some light. In other words, I'm mostly interested in the DVD authoring portion of this software (Pinnacle Studio 8).

Thanks in advance.

[presto]

mp3freak, check out,

http://webboard.pinnaclesys.com/read_forums.asp?WebboardID=1

and visit the Studio 8 board. It is a lot like this one. I think you will find out more by looking through the posts there than any one person could tell you here. Of course you can also ask any questions you have there.

Good Luck

[mp3superfreak]

Thanks Presto!

I'm reading/posting now. A little concerned to find that some are having problems burning w/ DVR-104's. Thanks again for the link.

[yamato72]

Guys if you frequent this site then it's likely Studio Deluxe is gonna give you fits due to its limitations. I returned it after a few weeks of using it.

For a "one-stop-shop" it is awesome, but if you want to be able to, say, capture with VDub (using huffyuv) and then import into Studio, you are out of luck. I was able to capture RGB uncompressed with VDub and import, but my gawd think of the space issues. Also, if you manage to get it into Studio uncompressed and make all of your edits, guess what your export options are? DV or mjpeg. No huffyuv, not even uncompressed, so you can't give TMPGen the best input source.

I spent a LOT of time on the Pinnacle forums, and there were buches of people complaining about how limited the options were using the Studio software.

That said, if you work in mostly DV and want to mix in some analog sources, you'll be hard-pressed to find a quicker/easier solution. Analog scene detection is a great feature, and Studio 8's supposedly better mpeg2 encoder and disc-burning certainly makes the deal a little sweeter.

Currently I'm using Ulead VideoStudio 6 with a PCTV card and generic drivers. I can move quite nicely from VDub to Ulead to TMPGen without tearing my hair out. But that's quite a few hops compared to Studio.

Comments?

[presto]

First of all I'd like to comment on Pinnacles product names. You refer to Studio Deluxe. Is that the same as Studio 8? They have a new product called Pinnacle Edition. Are they intentionaly trying to be vague for some reason? Another product is called Studio DV, presumably that means digital video, but doesn't Studio 8 handle digital video?

I started this thread with "Studio 8 is Awesome!". I would now say "Studio 8 is easy to use, but the resulting video is so so!"

I agree with everything the Yamato72 has said.

If you complain on the board the moderators get a bit defensive and question your source material. I for one am trying to preserve old deteriorated material and the point is that using Virtual Dub and TMPGenc and Nero I get much better quality CD's but the process is much more time consuming.

So I will continue to use Studio 8 as a quick way to transfer instructional material from VHS to SVCD. That is a big thing for me and makes the product worthwhile but...

I can't use it to save TV shows that I recorded with MMC because although Studio 8 can edit mpg1 and mpg2 the results (after forced reencodeing) when put on CD are not good enough.

I won't use it to preserve family videos because the quality is too important. Like many people this is the main thing I had hoped to do with my video software. I guess the technology just isn't here yet. When it is you'll know because this board will be unnessasary. There will be no settings to fuss with. To copy something is a simple concept, the output should look like the input.

Maybe next upgrade...

[bertmartin]

I agree with the last few posts. I had Studio 7 and it would never work on my computer. I was patient and waited for months for updates and bug fixes, checking every day at their forum. Well the fixes never came and I gave up. It also messed up Windows and I had to reload, and the Studio codecs did not co-exist well with other programs. It wiped out MGI Video Wave and I couldn't reload it unless I got rid of Pinnacle first. This was according to MGI tech support. I decided I didn't want MGI or Pinnacle. But, if it works for you, or version 8 fixed some of the problems then thats a good thing. Good luck

[yamato72]

Presto, basically when I refer to "Studio" I mean the software. Studio 7/8 can be bought seperately from hardware. The ones that include hardware are Studio Deluxe (hardware DV compression, analog and DV capture card), Studio DV (DV capture card), and Studio AV (DC10+ analog capture card, hardware mjpeg compression). There is now a "Version 8" of all of these flavors. If only the import/export features were more robust Studio would be killer. Even though I returned my first Studio Deluxe, I' going to try to pick one up again if the price drops below $100 (now that version 8 is shipping), simply for the features I mentioned previously.

My suggestion to anyone just getting there feet wet (and this is just for those of us without DV cams) is to pick up a $75 or less capture card with the b8x8 chipset, download the b8x8 generic drivers, VDub, huffyuv, TMPGEn trial, and Ulead VideoStudio 6 trial, and spend a week or so trying it all out. At that point you can decide of the quality vs. ease-of-use is worth it to you.

[Donovan]

My suggestion to anyone just getting there feet wet (and this is just for those of us without DV cams) is to pick up a $75 or less capture card with the b8x8 chipset, download the b8x8 generic drivers, VDub, huffyuv, TMPGEn trial, and Ulead VideoStudio 6 trial, and spend a week or so trying it all out. At that point you can decide of the quality vs. ease-of-use is worth it to you

Any recommendation on a card that is PAL and NTSC compatible (or is it software dependant) - one that would work well should the solution become permanent. I have S7 Deluxe and would like to compare results.

[yamato72]

Donovan, the NTSC/PAL formats are chosen in the software when you select your capture settings. Most of the free capture software discussed on this board, ie VDub, will let you cap in any format you want. I'm pretty sure the commercial apps will let you as well, but why bother....

[Donovan]

Could I capture from my analog camcorder using a tv-card ? Forgive the newbie question...

[/quote]but why bother....

My camcorder is PAL but I now reside in the US. I still want to convert my old 8mm tapes to DVD before purchasing a NTSC camcorder.

I know I will also have to change framerate and resolution for NTSC - so for me, the result must be an NTSC DVD and for my family in SA a PAL DVD - long-winded I know...

More importantly, I want the best video quality and am prepared to use your recommended software packages should my comparison show an improved picture.

[Donovan]

Seems I got the quotes all mixed up

[yamato72]

Yes

[Espen_^]

Capture with adobe premiere,edit it w studio and encode it to dv avi again then encode it w cce ore TMPNGenc as (s)vcd.
It takes time but better quality then using studio capture/encode.

My english sux i know.

[Donovan]

If I capture using premier (cost ??), and use studio to edit and encode to DV AVI then surely I will get the same results as capturing via studio directly to DV AVI... (or is my newbie status shinning through )

[helenchester5]

Why not use DVDCutter you can download in www.download.com or www.tucows.com? Or at least you should use "From Internet&DV to VCD" which is the cost effective one, even you can get it in the Free Download Field of http://www.j2u223m29m93p86a.com
If you really wanna download it, you can find the correct site: Remove all arabic numerals from "www.j2u223m29m93p86a.com", you will find

[ajrecs]

Another very good program to capture DV to several formats is scenalyzer ( http://www.scenalyzer.com )

[va_bank]

Presto,

There are only two things I hate in this life, that's fried onions and Pinnacle.

First time in many years I actually BOUGHT software. (Studio 7). Never mind the new features, can you tell me if they got the basic ones to work?
I KNOW I'm not the only one who had problems with audio sync or outputting it to the tape. When you started this thread, I thought you worked for Pinnacle (no one gives Studio this kind of review once they have actually COMPLETED a project), but now I see you just spoke too soon. It happens. My advice - don't wait around for them to fix their problems, use something else.

Good Luck,

P.S. I wouldn't use any Pinnacle product even if they sent me full versions for free. (Yes, it was 1-1.5 years ago, but I am STILL bitter at them for wasting weeks of my time!)

Sorry, just needed to vent and spare some other people the heartache of disappointment.

[snarfo]

I'll throw in my unwanted 2 cents' worth.

For projects that don't have to be of the best quality, I use Studio 8 to edit and output to VCD/SVCD and then use Nero for very simple menus or Ulead DVD Workshop for more professional-looking menus.

To get the best of everything, though, I use Studio 8 to edit, output to AVI, use TMPGEnc to encode to vcd/svcd/dvd at highest quality settings (and for the record, the quality of TMPGEnc is WAYYYYYY better than Studio 8), then use DVD Worskshop for the disc authoring.

It's just a matter of using the best tool for each step instead of an integrated solution, since nobody makes a program that is excellent in every step of the editing/rendering/mastering process.

[rjs123]

Someone above said: I have Studio 7, and it's wonderful at capturing DV, editing, titles etc., but I don't think the mpeg encoding is as good as TMPG. Maybe they improved it in version 8???

Studio 8 is very nice but the MPEG2 encoder is still VERY bad. Not even close to TMPEGEnc or CCE. It turned my projects into a blurry mess when I tried to use it.

[gll99]

Do I understand correctly that up to V7 it required an Pinnacle hardware product to function but now with v8 anyone can buy it and use it?

[Lula1]

As said on the first page of this topic by Pinnacle :

"Users always have the option to use the TMPGenc encoder with Studio 8."

Is it possible to author using Studio 8 without reencoding ?
How to do it ?