Codec for video quality

[Stephen Crye]

Hi Thayalan;

Videography and editing can be great fun, but there is a steep and long learning curve. Don’t be discouraged, read, study and practice!

Wikipedia has a lot of great info. Combine it with Google Translate if needed and you will learn a lot.

I saw in a previous post you use a Panny AC160; that cam uses the AVCHD codec, (AVCHD 2.0 if you have applied the firmware update). You might want to start here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD

Vegas is not going to be able to do a lot of improvement if your source footage has problems. That having been said you can fix a lot of things related to color balance, levels, etc.

Don’t expect overnight enlightenment, most of us have spent years at this and are still learning!

https://vasst.com/home.aspx

https://www.jazzythedog.com/testing/DNxHD/HD-Guide.aspx

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia FX 570, Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V

[Thayalan Paramasawam]

Thank You very much sir for your adivice and helping me on this matter…….thank you…thank you…thank you

[Stephen Crye]

You are very welcome!

The AC160 that I ordered came with the Barry Green book, has a lot of good info.

One easy way to get sharp, noise-free video is shoot with plenty of light. Daylight, or bright indoor light while you are learning to use the cam is probably best.

Have you applied the AVCHD 2.0 firmware upgrade?

https://eww.pass.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/soft/upgac160_e.htm

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia FX 570, Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V

[Thayalan Paramasawam]

good evening sir,

yes sir,i applied the AVCHD 2.0 firmware update…..now i am trying shoot some videos from ac 160 and see the defrends…….

you are great person..helping me

thank you very much sir

[Stephen Crye]

Great!

When I had a camera that would shoot 1080 60p that was all I used. The ability to do a bit of quick slo-mo in post was super-fun!

Here is an example. When I shot the vid I had no idea that a horse would run by …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgsOsMvUK5c

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia FX 570, Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V

[Thayalan Paramasawam]

good morning sir,

Sir,i have question on my pc(dekstop).this is my spec….

Motherboard:ASUS M4A88T-V EVO SERIES
Graphic Cars:ASUS HD 6770 1GB DDR5
Ram:16GB
Processor:AMD PHENOM(tm)IIX4 955 (3.20GHZ)
Operating system:window 7 pro (64bit)

Sir,is there necessary install k-lite codec 32bit and 64 bit,at the moment i all ready install the codec on my pc,but the latest version k lite codec is defrend….when i update the codec in pc pc…they is new settings.
This Is the setting.

DXVA harware acceleration
Enable Internal decoder for H.264 video
Enable Internal decoder for vc-1 video

DXVA decoders use your graphics card to do most of the decoding work. This results in a significantly lower CPU usage.

If your computer dates from 2008 or later, then it is very likely that it supports DXVA. If DXVA can’t be used for whatever reason, then Media Player Classic will automatically fall back to using an external decoder for the video. So you can safely enable it even if you aren’t sure whether your computer supports DXVA.

In some situations DXVA can lead to playback problems, so we advice to use it with caution. These problems are usually caused by a buggy graphics driver. If you encounter a problem, the first thing you should try is to update your graphics driver. If that doesn’t help, disable the internal DXVA decoders in the options of Media Player Classic.

So i stop to install the k lite codec 32bit & 64bit…..i read manual for help.

What is hardware acceleration?
Normally your processor (CPU) does all the work when decoding video. When using hardware acceleration, most of that work is moved to the graphics processor (GPU). It significantly reduces the usage of CPU resources, which can be particularly useful if you have a relatively slow CPU. Graphics chips have dedicated circuitry for decoding video and thus can do it very efficiently.
What is the difference between CUVID, QuickSync, and DXVA?
DXVA is a generic interface for hardware acceleration that was created by Microsoft. It works with all brands of graphics cards.
CUVID is an interface created by NVIDIA and it only works with graphics cards from NVIDIA.
QuickSync is an interface created by Intel and is supported only by the integrated GPUs of Intel Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors. A monitor needs to be connected to the GPU in order to use QuickSync functionality.
The advantage of CUVID and QuickSync is that the decoded video is copied back from GPU memory to CPU memory. This allows the video to be processed further after it has been decoded. They basically act the same as a normal software decoder.
Most DXVA implementations keep the decoded video in GPU memory until it has been displayed. No additional processing can be done on the video. This is explained in more detail below.
DXVA “native” versus DXVA “copy-back”
DXVA implementations come in two variants: native and copy-back. Almost all implementations are of the native type. The LAV video decoder that is included in the pack offers both variants. The internal DXVA decoders in MPC-HC are native implementations, and ffdshow also offers a native implementation.
With the native type, the decoded video stays in GPU memory until it has been displayed. This brings some limitations with regard to playback. The DXVA decoder must be connected directly to the video renderer. There can be no processing filter in between. The video renderer must also support DXVA, which give you a bit less freedom of choice in renderers.
The reason for keeping the decoded video inside GPU memory is efficiency. Many graphics chips haven’t been optimized for copying data from GPU memory back to CPU memory. They are too slow for smooth playback. They can only copy data fast in the other direction. This is the case for old AMD/ATI and old Intel chips.
DXVA implementations of the copy-back type will, as the name already suggests, copy the decoded video from GPU memory back to CPU memory. Such implementations don’t have the limitations mentioned above and act similar to a normal software decoder.
DXVA copy-back only works properly if the GPU can copy the data fast enough. Otherwise it will give stuttering video playback. GPUs that should be fast enough are:
NVIDIA: all models of the past few years
Intel: Intel HD Graphics 2000 and newer
AMD/ATI: Radeon HD 6xxx and newer
How to get subtitles with DXVA?
NVIDIA CUVID, Intel QuickSync, and DXVA copy-back all have no special requirements with regards to subtitles. They act similar to normal software decoders.
Native implementations of DXVA have the limitation that they need to be connected directly to the video renderer. This means that it is not possible to use a subtitle filter such as DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter).
One way to get subtitles with DXVA is to use the internal subtitle renderer (ISR) of Media Player Classic. The pack uses this method by default.
For Windows Media Player and Media Center there is little choice. The subtitle functionality of the ffdshow DXVA decoder can be used. This however does not support VobSub type subtitles (.idx+.sub). It uses a special trick to merge the subtitles with the decoded video inside GPU memory. This can result in bit a pixelation around the subtitles, because some video frames are re-used as reference frames in the decoding of subsequent frames.
Which form of hardware acceleration should I choose?
If you have a fast processor, then the best choice might be to use no hardware acceleration at all. Our recommendation is to use hardware acceleration only when needed. So if your CPU is too slow, or if you need CPU resources for something else, such as heavy processing filters.
Intel QuickSync is the best hardware acceleration method. It is fast and power-efficient.
The second best choice is NVIDIA CUVID. It is the most robust decoder.
If the above two methods are not available on your system, then you need to use DXVA. Which DXVA implementation is best for you depends on your needs. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice:
* DXVA copy-back only works smoothly on very recent graphics cards.
* Don’t use DXVA copy-back if you don’t need to do any video processing. DXVA native is more efficient in that case, because copying data increases both CPU and GPU usage.
* There are three choices for DXVA native implementations in the pack: LAV Video, MPC-HC internal, and ffdshow. Of these three LAV Video is best, ffdshow is worst.
Does hardware acceleration reduce power consumption?
If you have a slow and inefficient CPU and a low-end GPU, then it might give a slight reduction in power consumption. If you have a fast CPU or a high-end GPU, then power usage might actually be higher with hardware acceleration enabled.
NVIDIA cards can go in high performance mode when using hardware acceleration. A tool called NVIDIA Inspector can be used to tweak this behavior and reduce power consumption. Detailed instructions for that will be added here later. Meanwhile you should be able to find it using a Google search.
What should I do in case of problems?
Problems with hardware accelerated video decoding are often driver related. So the first thing you should try is to update your graphics cards.

what should i do sir…is it i need enable internal decoder for H.264 & VC- 1 Video.

pls help on this matter sir….your are the only person helping.

thank you

thayalan

[Stephen Crye]

HI;

Just a quick reply.

I strongly urge you to use the standard, built-in Vegas codecs while learning. They are great for 95% of what anyone does, even professionals. For example, I have friends who make a living shooting wedding, sports, and concert videos. They have multiple cameras ranging in price from a few thousand (the venerable Sony FX1) to tens of thousands of dollars (Sony EX3, other XDCAM models).

They use Vegas 10 and 11, most of the rendering is with the Main Concept codec.

Work on understanding Vegas and perfect your camera work. Color Correction, white balance, exposure. Sharp, smooth video. Know when to cut and when to fade.

Details of the codecs and compression are not needed at this point in your learning curve and will only seek to distract. Spend your time shooting lots of footage and producing lots of videos.

Here is an analogy – if you are trying to learn piano, don’t get hung up on piano design. Buy a decent piano and play it a lot! You have a great cam and a great editor. Spend time with them.

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia FX 570, Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V

[Thayalan Paramasawam]

Good Evening Sir,

thank you very much sir for your adivice……i am follow up you sir…….after some adivice from you,i improve my self…you great person,what your are adivicing me,all is is come true to my improvement.again thank you very much.now my ag ac 160 is better then previous,after install the updates…

soon i have more questions……you must help me sir,because in malaysia,we don’t have professional in sony vegas.in my state i am the one using vegas…..

thank you…..thank you….thank you

Thayalan

[Thayalan Paramasawam]

hi,good evening sir…

how are you sir?……now my ag ac 160…works very well and i done 2 wedding ceremony the quality is defrend…..now i need to update my machine (pc) and improve my rendering setting…..pls adivice me on this matter……i am using sv 10……

thank you

thayalan paramasawam

[Stephen Crye]

Hi;

Good to hear that things are working well for you.

Right now is a good time to buy a desktop PC, because the popularity of tablets is hurting the PC market and with Windows 8 coming out soon, Dell and HP both have good bargains. I like both companies. I personally prefer name-brand PCs; some people like to build their own.

Get a computer with a minimum of 6 cores. I personally like to save money by going with a slightly lower clock speed than the fastest for a given model of computer.

A good graphics card is essential, I personally like nVidia, but other people like ATI.

RAM is good in general, but Vegas will be fine with 8 GB. But you might want to get 16 GB just to have it ..

Fast Disk IO is important. Here is where you can go crazy, with things like RAID 10 (striping and mirroring). If you want to keep it simple and cheap just be sure to get fast SATA drives with 10K RPM.

I have two of these things connected, they let me pop drives in and out:

https://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/pro_list/70

Just for curiosity (my Dell is three years old) I went on line and did a config for this system:

https://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=bw1s14a1&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&model_id=precision-t5500

Dell Precision T5500 Workstation
Starting Price $3,149.00
Instant Savings $620.00
Subtotal $2,529.00

But, you could get something similar from HP.

Steve

Win7 Pro X64 on Dell T3400, MultiTB SATA, 8GB RAM, nVidia FX 570, Vegas 10e (and 11) x64 DVDA 5.2(build 133) Sony HDR-CX550V