Best rendering format for Sony Vegas Studios

[John Rofrano]

[Samuel Riesterer] “Mainly, I want to keep all the quality I can (accounting for HD space a little bit) because I delete all the original MOV files and I want the new rendered video compatible with future endeavors (e.g. blu-ray, HD).”

You should render them to either MainConcept MPEG2 or Sony AVC using one of the Blu-ray templates. Then render your audio as Dolby Digital AC3. This is the format that Blu-ray requires.

[Samuel Riesterer] “I am thinking about upgrading to Vegas Studios HD platinum (ver 11) if it means preserving the quality.”

That seems like your best move. I’m not sure DVD Architect Studio 3 even supports Blu-ray.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Jay Patel]

I have taken 40 mins of video using Sony HDR-TD10 in 3d. I have blu ray burner and would like to create 3D Blu ray video to play on my 3d blu ray player.
I have Vegas platinum suite 11 with Architect pro 5.0b.

What is the best setting to view full 3d movie using blu ray disc.

I have created 3d video using redcyan setup and burn on DVD, plays nice, but like to make 3d in blu ray and use the shutter glasses to view the video.

Also, can I make menu on blu ray using Architect 5.0b?

Thanks

Jay

[Samuel Riesterer]

Thanks John for the reply, a few follow-up questions:

What blu-ray format resolution, there are many?

And how fast a computer do you need to render a blu ray 1920X1080 – 60i? I have a AMD Athlon II x4 635 at 2.9ghz with 6gb ram but I seem to crash most of the time when rendering long high resolution videos.

Will I be able to make a standard DVD movie with the blu-ray format? or will I have to convert it?

Also, I can’t seem to find the Dolby Digital .ac3 option to render.

Thank you!!!

[John Rofrano]

[Samuel Riesterer] “What blu-ray format resolution, there are many?”

Use the format that matches your camera. I’m guessing it’s AVC/H.264 since it records MOV files so use the Sony AVC format with the Blu-ray 1920×1080-60i, 16 Mbps video stream template.

[Samuel Riesterer] “And how fast a computer do you need to render a blu ray 1920X1080 – 60i? I have a AMD Athlon II x4 635 at 2.9ghz with 6gb ram but I seem to crash most of the time when rendering long high resolution videos.”

That processor should be fine. Crashing during long renders could be an overheating issue. Watch you temps and maybe try opening your case and see if it goes longer.

[Samuel Riesterer] “Also, I can’t seem to find the Dolby Digital .ac3 option to render.”

It comes with DVD Architect. Do you have DVD Architect installed? if not, you’ll have to render to WAV files.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Ann Spade]

John, I’ve been searching for different answers and you tend to be pretty active and helpful. Thank you!

My question here in this post is, I also film with a Sony Handycam (AVCHD) and work with Sony Vegas Pro 10 and DVD Architect. You say to render the video and the audio separately? I usually render my project as is (audio and video), then drop the video into Architect and it seems to work. I’m not sure what you mean by render the audio with different settings. Do you mean in the audio options?

[John Rofrano]

[Ann Spade] ” I usually render my project as is (audio and video), then drop the video into Architect and it seems to work. I’m not sure what you mean by render the audio with different settings. Do you mean in the audio options?”

No, I mean perform two renders to two separate files, one for video and the other for audio.

Here’s why:

DVD’s use a file format called Video Objects (VOB). The VOB file can use multiple video and audio streams (which is how you get alternate angles and alternate audio on a DVD). Because of this, it is composed of video and audio “streams”.

If you render your output as Video+Audio together, DVD Architect has to pull that file apart and create two DVD compliant streams. Since NTSC DVD’s can only accept PCM or AC3 audio, DVD Architect must convert your audio into either PCM or AC3. Also, DVD’s can only accept SD MPEG2 video. If your video is not compliant with the DVD MPEG2 spec, DVD Architect has to convert your video into something that is DVD compliant. Every conversion looses some quality.

This is why I recommend that you render your video as DVD compliant MPEG2 and your audio as AC3 right from Vegas. Then you will not incur the conversion and loss of quality in DVD Architect because DVD Architect will simply use your files as-is if they are already DVD compliant.

If you are happy with the quality you are getting, then there is no need to change your workflow. If you want the highest quality you an possibly get, you should feed DVD Architect two files that it can simply combine into a VOB file to print to DVD as-is without further conversions.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Ann Spade]

That makes sense and I wish I knew that before! I almost worry having to combine the two files will cause problems, but I am definitely going to try it. In fact, after reading your reply to the previous post I tried it last night. Turns out the overall rendering time for both seemed fairly quick.

I chose to render to the WAV file (I saw on the Sony site you can choose either the Dolby Ac3 or the PCM WAV file). Rendered wonderfully and the audio quality was fab! However, the video didn’t seem HQ. Will this change once it’s dropped into the DVD Architect? I read up on interlacing and NTSC, resolution, etc. Says what looks like the “combing” effect on the video won’t show on a TV. This proved to be true, but I’ve not rendered in the way you suggested (separate files).

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Ann Spade]

By the way! This should’ve come first… THANK YOU for the quick response and the insight! So much appreciated, John. Especially with deadlines coming up.

[John Rofrano]

[Ann Spade] “However, the video didn’t seem HQ. Will this change once it’s dropped into the DVD Architect? I read up on interlacing and NTSC, resolution, etc. Says what looks like the “combing” effect on the video won’t show on a TV. This proved to be true, but I’ve not rendered in the way you suggested (separate files).”

The video on DVD should be at least as good quality as you were getting before. Obviously a Standard Definition DVD is not going to look as good as the HD source since it has 5x less information but it should look as good or better than a DVD made with standard DV footage.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[John Rofrano]

[Ann Spade] “By the way! This should’ve come first… THANK YOU for the quick response and the insight! So much appreciated, John. Especially with deadlines coming up.”

You’re very welcome. Glad I could help.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com