best compression
by Rob Burkhardt
on
Jul 1, 2009 at 5:39:53 am
I have a dance recital video shot over 2 days and ended up with 2 6GB files. What's the best way to fit this onto a DVD? Do I try to fit it on a standard DVD or goto a dual layer with each day on a different layer? And where do I set the compression rate? I tried to use fit to disk in DVDA but that would'nt do anything.
Re: best compression by Rick Shorrock on Jul 1, 2009 at 12:26:03 pm
Rob, this is what I do---and it works every time---to record DVD's from my timeline in Vegas.
1. I downloaded the free Debugmode frameserver from http://www.debugmode.com/frameserver. youi'll have to install it in your plugins folder inside Vegas. This way, when you have your project open and all your effects rendered, you can click File-Render as-Debugmode frameserver. This will open some more boxes asking where to install the file and what RGB settings you want. Pick RGB32. When you click okay, the software will install a ghost file on your hard driver wherever you told it. In this manner, you don't have to render your entire timeline into a suitable avi file that has to be encoded into MPEG2 later.
2. Use Tsunami MPEG Encoder (TMPEnc), which can be bought at http://www.tmpgenc.net, to change the ghost file into an .M2v file, along with a .wav file for your audio. There are alot of great controls on TMPGEnc, such as variable bit rate settings, that will allow you to fit more video on a SL DVD. I do church videos all the time in the CQ (Constant Quality) mode at 6000kb/sec, with dancing and skits and such, and can produce a quality 90 minute video.
Make sure you don't push the limit on your video space you need on your disc, however. You need to leave a little space for menus, if you need them, and button navigation. You can also save some space by rendering your audio separately in Vegas as an .ac3 file. This will take up less space on your DVD than if you used a .wav file.
Not knowing what app you'll be using to burn the DVD's, I am offering generalities at this point. But I hope the info I've given here gets you pointed in the right direction.
Re: best compression by Rob Burkhardt on Jul 1, 2009 at 2:29:57 pm
Steven
Thanks for responding
After converting the 2 days into MPEG2 files I ended up with just under 12GBs of material. I thought the fit to disk fuction in DVDA would take care of this.
Re: best compression by Mike Kujbida on Jul 1, 2009 at 3:57:53 pm
Rob, if I was you, I'd go back into Vegas and re-encode each day using a bitrate calculator so that it will fit on a single-layer DVD.
If I knew how long each day's program was, I could give you numbers from the calculator I use.
Re: best compression by Mike Kujbida on Jul 1, 2009 at 5:35:51 pm
Rob, my guess is that you used one of the default templates.
They're OK to a point but they don't take long programs into consideration which is why I use a calculator on anything over 70 min. in length.
If the video is under this, then I use a CBR of 8,000,000.
For your programs, I get the following numbers (assuming AC-3 audio).
If the quality of the video leaves something to be desired or if there's a lot of low light footage, do it as a 2-pass encode.
It will take longer but, IMO, the gain in quality is worth it.
1 hr. 30 min.
7,904,000 / 6,320,000 / 3,792,000
1 hr. 45 min.
8,000,000 / 5,392,000 / 3,232,000
2 hr.
8,000,000 / 4,688,000 / 2,808,000
BTW, no matter what the calculator says, never go over 8,000,000 for a max number on home made DVDs. Some players and cheaper blank media can't handle higher bitrates and will skip and stutter.
Also, stick to good name brand media.
The two that are most often recommended are Taiyo-Yuden and Verbatim.
Re: best compression by Rob Burkhardt on Jul 1, 2009 at 5:45:21 pm
Mike
Thanks again for the info. Why are there 3 nimbers; I'm on the road and I will have to wait till saturday to try this out.
I always use Taiyo-Yuden and have not had good luck with Verbatium.
By the way what do you think about their watershield product? When I printed on it with with my epson printer I found some disks that after a few months stiil were not dry.
Re: best compression by Mike Kujbida on Jul 1, 2009 at 6:10:15 pm
Rob, the 3 sets of numbers are for VBR (Variable Bit Rate) settings and are the Max. Avg. & Min. settings.
You access these settings in the Custom render options.
Glad to hear that you always use T-Y discs.
I've been using the Watershields for about a year now and remain VERY happy with them.
If it's a small job, I print them myself on an older Epson R-200 and I can wipe them shortly after they come out without fear of smudging.
I only use Epson ink so, if you use generic inks, that may be the reason they don't dry for you.
Re: best compression by Luc Enders on Jul 2, 2009 at 12:57:22 am
If this is for home archival I'd get the regular silver Taiyo Yuden and forego the printable ones. They do last little bit longer in theory (see also http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/10/30/how-to-choose-cddvd-archival-m.... Taiyo Yuden does produce DL silver ones but haven't seen them for sale in the US unfortunately (except ebay I believe).
I agree use 2 pass VBR and limit to 8000 kb/s. The min and max bitrates are not an exact science but I'd typically avoid lower bit rates than 4000kb/s for min to avoid visible compression artifacts in any scene.
For max I typically add 50% of the average bitrate to avoid pulling down quality too much in other scenes but that solely depends on the source material (e.g. mix of scenes complexity).
If you source material is higher resolution than I'd prefer tmpgenc xpress since its downscaling algorithm is definitely better (I did a test last year with all methods and never could match it). Otherwise Vegas will do the job just fine.
