What is the best program to author and add TRANSITIONS?

[joeAgain------]

I cap exclusively in Mpeg-2 video at high bitrates at 720x480 res. with my hardware and capturing programs.

But I'm looking for the easiest and best software to add special effects and transitions between my video clips and burn to a DVD. I've heard the WinDVD Creator does transitions, but found out it doesn't let you import standard format Mpeg-2 (720x480) files.

Can everyone who does this(imports 720x480 Mpeg-2 clips and authors With Transitions between clips)....please tell me which is the best program to use?

[donpedro]

I don't know what is "the best", but I use Pinnacle Studio 8. "The Best" is very subjective term in case of editing software or ice skating .

[joeAgain------]

Can you import 720x480 mpeg-2 files into it to author with transition effects?

(Forgive me for asking that again, but I don't want to buy another program....like WinDVD Creator...that will not let you import those specific kinds of clips, and waste my money again)

please let me know?

Anybody else know about other authoring with transitions that will import those?

[donpedro]

Yes you can, but if you use transitions, it will re-encode your mpeg2 file. I am not aware of ay software that will let you use transitions on mpeg2 and not re-encode (I mean more than just edited part) but I might be wrong.

[joeAgain------]

has the transitions and re-encoding ever caused audio sync problems in your final DVD burn, Donpedro?

(do you think Studio 8 is better than Impression DVD Pro?)

[donpedro]

The only time that I used mpeg2 as source was when I was testing it if it can be done. I never used it for "real" work. For "real" (home video) work I capture AVI from my digital camcorder via FireWire. Cut, edit and so on and then just make (encode+author) DVD.

What exactly are you trying to do ? PS8 is meant to be for consumer video editing (mainly from camcorder). Not to edit movies from capture.

For more info look to link in my signature and for Studio8 you can follow this link.

Pinnacle Studio 8 and DV home video editing

[donpedro]

Impression DVD Pro is good too, but for authoring only. It does not support editing, cutting, titles and so on..... Authoring only. Multy angels, MultyLang Audio and Subtitiles.

[joeAgain------]

Donpedro,
My Dazzle capturing system(hardware and software) is only capable of caping in Mpeg (all types of Mpeg-1 and Mpeg-2), that's all I can do.

So what I'm looking for are only DVD authoring and burning programs that will let me import those(nearly always in my case...Mpeg-2 720x480)video files and add cool transitions between the imported capped files, then burn to DVD.

In light of my situation which would be the best for doing that, friend?
(see my PM too, OK?)

[alenhard]

Just my opinion-
Very few people have had any success with Dazzle products. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but the company has a poor reputation. What is your capture source- i.e. minidv, vcr, tv? Your best bet for editing (adding transitions, fades, etc.) is to work with avi's. Just import your video through firewire or get a device like Canopus' ADVC. Again, I'm sure you don't want to have to spend more money. As far as I know, there is very little mpg editing that can be done on a home system that will create any desirable results.

If you can create something nice with a Dazzle product, you may be the first ever. Good luck!

[BJ_M]

Donpedro,
My Dazzle capturing system(hardware and software) is only capable of caping in Mpeg (all types of Mpeg-1 and Mpeg-2), that's all I can do.

So what I'm looking for are only DVD authoring and burning programs that will let me import those(nearly always in my case...Mpeg-2 720x480)video files and add cool transitions between the imported capped files, then burn to DVD.

In light of my situation which would be the best for doing that, friend?
(see my PM too, OK?)

adding transitions will require complete re-rendering .. in that case you should capture in IPPP 4-GOP for best results ..

[joeAgain------]

Alenhard,
I appreciate what you said, but that hasn't been my experience with the results of my Mpeg captures. True, the company is way less than helpful but I've managed with the help of friends to get things to work exceptionally well with the quality of my caps. If I was starting over with new capture system purchases, I'd probably go with Canapus. But I'm doing very well now with what I have and am very happy with the quality of my Mpeg caps.

I'm just looking for a way to author them with cool transitions and burn DVDs from them(either from same authoring program or Nero, if burning is not included).

I know there HAS to be something "out there" that will import 720x480 VBR mpeg-2 DVD formatted caps and do that with the ability to add transitions.

Isn't there? WHICH programs would do that?

[joeAgain------]

Thanks BJ_M,
I'll do that.

Guys,...I've been reading about Pinnacle's DV500 DVD, just now.

Would that do what I want?

[BJ_M]

i think it still re-renders all .. which is to bad as you really need to re-render the ends .. if it works like the dvd2000/1000 - it re-renders the whole thing ..

i dont know of any that dont .. but i may be wrong .. very few people edit in mpeg format as DV has killed that part of the NLE market pretty well ..

[joeAgain------]

re-rendering the whole video would be time consuming, but otherwise OK...right?

[BJ_M]

well 'all right' is open to debate .. it is re-rendering a lossy format after all ...
in true practise you can have good results -- though something has to be lost ..

[joeAgain------]

BJ_M,

Could you please tell me why you said that I you should capture in IPPP 4-GOP for best results because of re-rendering?

Please explain why, if you would.

[BJ_M]

IPPP 4 GOP is a standard (if there is such a thing) for use in encoding a mpeg file when it is known that you have to re-edit it .. straight I frame also can be used and is better for frame accurate cuts and such but straght I frame is not so good for other reasons (you have to have higher bit rate (hence larger file size) to match the quality of IPPP )

the small GOP is used to better make better edits as ideally you should edit on a I frame (but good editors will re-encode around a P frame also between I frames) -- there is not a whole lot of differanace between straght I frame and MJPEG capture . at least far as i know.
MJPEG capture - though once very popular and still used a great deal , has largly been replaced , though many boards still capture w/ mjpeg (example some matrox boards)

the DVD2000 and 1000 can use this method (IPPP 4-GOP) of capturing for exactly this reason above ..

[joeAgain------]

BJ_M,
I've never adjusted the default GOP settings in my capturing program, although I've notice they can be easily. They have worked really fine for me in the past, but now that I'm likely to be re-rendering with PowerDirector...could you tell me a little more about what the settings should be(this is Very new to me).

The default settings are a GOP of IBBPBBPBBPBBPBB, with an I Frame distance of 15 and a P Frame distance of 3.

What should I make those be in order to do what you are suggesting, please BJ_M?
(it sounds like you are wanting way more P's than B's as I've been using...HeHe! What the heck are P's(picture?) and B's anyway)

[BJ_M]

P and B and I frame info found in our excellent glossary


what you are using to capture is excellent in its own right for use as is in DVd production .. but you are further editing the material . correct?

what i am saying is the use of NO P frames at all and each GOP would be thus IPPP - all GOPS would be closed .. THIS FOR YOUR CAPTURE ONLY ..

when you are finished w/ edits -- and ready to re-render out .. use the setting you used before ..

[joeAgain------]

do you mean no B's at all? (you said no P's in your reply above)

Forgive me BJ_M, I'm trying to understand how to do this. If those setting are changed in my capturing program(which is separate from my authoring program...remember, I'm importing my Mpeg-2 files into PowerDirector) and I capture using them, were would I reset my GOP back to finish the process? In PowerDirector? Can it do that?

(forgive me, but I really am trying to understand this new concept)

[BJ_M]

i don't know about that program ...

what do you encode with ? TMPGenc ? or power director ?

in any case - yes , cap at IPPP and when outputing change back ..

if you cap at your original setting - it would certainly work .. i am just suggesting a method better suited to cap'ng when you know your going to edit the cap ..

[joeAgain------]

BJ_M,
my Dazzle hardware is only capable of capturing from analog sources straight to mpeg(either 1 or 2 of any bitrate and resolution I chose).

The caps come straight into my hard drive in mpeg, nothing else. The hardware does the encoding to Mpeg.

So what are you suggesting I do, please?

[BJ_M]

i mean what do you use to edit your mpeg captures and convert to final output dvd mpeg ? .. but you have sort of answered that question ... cap w/ dazzle at setting i mentioned (if possable) - > edit -> render to final mpeg dvd (@settings you used earlyer)

[joeAgain------]

BJ_M,
I'm still not getting it(or one of us isn't)

I almost never do Any editing. I cap usually to DVD compliant Mpeg-2 format, of multiplexed 5Mbps(video), 224000br Mpeg-1 Layer2(audio) 720x480 res.

That is what ends up on my hard drive(multiplexed Mpeg-2 video files...straight thru my Dazzle hardware and capping program. If I edit at all(which is rare), it is to clip out segments with Womble(WIN32-MPEG2). Then I go straight to my authoring/burning software....in this case, it's Cyberlink PowerDirector(or sometimes Ulead MovieFactory2)to convert it to VOB to burn onto a DVD-R disk.

That's what I do.

So, if I change my capturing program to the GOP settings you are suggesting....where in that simple process would I "render to final mpeg dvd (@settings you used earlyer)"?? In the authoring program??

How do I do that? How would I change GOP settings in the authoring software?? (as you sat I should do).

[BJ_M]

adding transitions = editing

therefore ..................................

don't add transitions = no editing required

[donpedro]

adding transitions = editing

therefore ..................................

don't add transitions = no editing required

Yep ! joeAgain, that was my understanding too. So... do you edit or not ?

[Don2050]

Cant Joeagain use Virtualdub or some other software to capture to some kind of avi format ?

Joeagain,

I have tried to edit MPEG2 streams before and I could not find a program that did not have some problem(ie...a/v synch, not being able to precisely edit the frames I wanted due to keyframes, etc...) In short, if you are going to do anything other than simple cut and joins....it is a pain. Perhaps their are precise MPEG editing programs out there that let you manually do what you want and output the files error free.............if you find one let me know

For editing I found the added encoding times of capturing in a non-lossy format much less of a headache than trying to properly editing an MPEG file other than cut and join.

[joeAgain------]

(I guess I'm the only one here with a Dazzle system)

No, I don't have a firewire card to cap in DV, AVI with VirtualDub or anything else. I only have my Dazzle PCI card and software that automatically turns all my caps into any form of Mpeg that I wan't(that's all...only Mpeg).

I've found on the rare cases that I do trim my Mpeg video files that Womble(mpeg2vcr) works very well and produces no audio sync problems at all for me, Don2050.

But lets say that I don't do anything to my raw Mpeg-2 capped clips(which is usually the case)...and want to import them into a program that will add cool transitions between them before burning....I'm back to my initial question,...What programs let you import Mpeg-2 video files and have the ability to put cool effects/transtions between the clips?????

[disturbed1]

Why don't you just use Movie Star?

It has built in transitions (uses directX plugins also), when you produce, just select fastest rendering, it'll only encode the transitions.

For DVCII http://www.spawns.dk/svcd/Index.htm

Ulead's Media Studio can do it, select smart render. Ulead can also use Hollywood FX.

Womble can add transtion too. Select video clip list (under tools) load up your clips, select transtitions between 'em.

Transistions can also be added on the time line (hover over the buttons until "insert effect" comes up). Once again, select fastest/smart render, and only your transitions will be encoded.

I hate to say it, but, RTFM.

[joeAgain------]

Thank you, Disturbed1
(what does RTFM mean?)

Thanks for those suggestions. I know about the very simple ones in Womble, but I was looking for cooler ones....I'll check out those others...they will accept Mpeg-2 imports, right?

I've used MovieStar for months and have been on Spawn's forum and Dazzle forum for a long time, but nobody has ever told me that MovieStar has any featurs for adding transition effects between clips(you know...fade in/out or dissolve, or page flips....those kind of transitions effects).

Which version of MovieStar are you referring too? (I've got 4.23 and 4.24)