• VEGAS Pro

  Help trimming a DVD

  Posted by Chuck Manly on January 4, 2010 at 11:04 pm

  Good Afternoon Everyone,

  I’ve been asked by a client to shorten a video I did not create.
  They basically want me to trim off the outdated pricing on the end of a 2 minute infomercial and make a looping DVD. This will then be played on a large 42″ plus LCD in a Kiosk. The looping DVD is the easy part.

  I do not know what file (type and properties)to ask the client for.
  They have the source files and a finished DVD but of course don’t wish to pay much.
  What kind of quality can I expect if I import the DVD and use the mpeg2 file?
  Should I ask for a high quality avi file and if so can you tell me what to request?

  I’ll be working in Vegas Pro 8 and DVDA 4.5 for this.

  Thanks!

  Mike Kujbida replied 16 years, 4 months ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Mike Kujbida

  January 4, 2010 at 11:20 pm

  Is there a reason the client won’t go back to whoever did the original edit?

  The easiest way would be to import the DVD into Vegas using the “Import-DVD Camcorder Disc” option, chop the end off and then render it back out at a CBR of 8,000,000.
  You’ll need to know if it’s a widescreen project or not and set Vegas accordingly.
• 

  Chuck Manly

  January 4, 2010 at 11:39 pm

  Hey Mike,

  Thanks for the quick response!

  I’ve been asked to do this because of time and money.
  The original editor wants like 12 hours pay to do this and they are on the west coast.
  The client wants this done fast and they are here in Florida with me.
  If they have a large avi file they can get it to me via You Send It.

  My biggest concern in using their DVD is how big a quality hit are we talking about?
  I do not want this looking fuzzy on a 42″ LCD at a show.

  Thanks!
• 

  Mike Kujbida

  January 5, 2010 at 12:41 am

  “I’ve been asked to do this because of time and money.”

  Find a polite way to tell the client that, given the circumstances, you’ll do the best job you possibly can for them and leave it at that.
  Unless they’re technically knowledgeable, odds are that the client won’t even notice the very slight quality loss.

  “The original editor wants like 12 hours pay to do this…”

  12 hours to trim an outdated pricing tag?
  If they still had the original project & files (which, if they’re a pro outfit, they would), this should be a 2 hr. job., 3 at the most.
  I say this without knowing anything about the job but 12 hr.?
  No way.

  “My biggest concern in using their DVD is how big a quality hit are we talking about?”

  I’ve done this before with videos I’ve created and haven’t noticed much of a quality hit BUT this is with my own work that I know the quality of as well as the bitrate used to author the original DVD.

  “I do not want this looking fuzzy on a 42″ LCD at a show.”

  Try taking a short project you’ve done, do exactly what I described and see what you think.
  You have the advantage of being able to see the difference between the two, I don’t, so trust your eyes.

  “If they have a large avi file they can get it to me via You Send It.”

  If it’s an AVI of the original project then yes, this would be the ideal material to work with.
  Your biggest problem is that you have no way of knowing until you get it if Vegas will be able to open it or not.
  Hence my suggestion to re-edit the original DVD still stands.
  Good luck with the project.

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