Mpg -Editing-DVD lifecycle advice.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Mpg -Editing-DVD lifecycle advice.

Posted by John Stock on October 23, 2009 at 1:26 am

I would like some advice regarding retaining quality through the import, editing, export and burning lifecycle of video media.

Here are the steps I currently use.

1. I record video on a consumer level JVC camcorder (no choice here, 720×576 PAL Widescreen, 16:9).
2. I rename the files from .mov to .m2v
3. I install into Premiere Pro CS3 the DLL ad2ac3dec.dll (I understand this allows Premiere to natively edit mpg, without transcoding?)
4. I create a new premiere project (DV – PAL, Widescreen 48Khz)
5. When importing video I interpret footage as ‘D1/DV Pal Widescreen 16:9 (1.422), I do NOT change any field/interlace options.
6. I do my editing
7. I export via Adobe MEdia Encoder using MPEG2-DVD as ‘PAL Progressive Widescreen High Quality).
8. I import video’s into Sony DVD Architect Pro 5.0. with the same PAL formats and pixel ratios as before and burn the DVD.

During this process I have seen a slight but noticeable drop in quality from the source material to the final output. This even applies to video that has no special effects applied, but simply just ‘cut’. Is it true that because of the DLL I used in Premiere and the fact that I’ve kept the medium mpg2 throughout the process that there should be no quality issues at all?

Any advice to streamlining this process will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Jeff Pulera replied 16 years, 6 months ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
5 Replies

Mike Velte
October 23, 2009 at 10:41 am

The DLL thingy allows for import of Dolby audio. Your work flow will recompress all the footage and result in degradation. Main Concept has a plug-in that allows for Smart Rendering but I think it is $400.
Jeff Pulera
October 23, 2009 at 9:02 pm

I notice your Export setting for DVD is PROGRESSIVE. Is the source video Interlaced? If so, you may be losing resolution by going to Progressive. I know that in Premiere, when I Deinterlace a clip, it takes a quality hit, perhaps “Progressive” does the same thing, tossing out a field of info? Just a thought

Jeff Pulera
John Stock
October 23, 2009 at 9:15 pm

This may sound like a stupid question..

So if the source is interlaced, I should keep it interlaced all the way through the workflow, even into DVD mastering?

Thanks.
John Stock
October 23, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Two more questions regarding this:

Assuming that ‘if source is interlaced, keep it interlaced to DVD mastering’ is true:

1) How do I know if my source material is lower or upper field first?
2) Any titles I make to overlay this material, do I match this, ie (interlaced, upper or lower?)

Thanks again.

(I wish they would get rid of interlacing once and for all!!)
Jeff Pulera
October 27, 2009 at 1:49 pm

When you Import a clip to the clip bin in Premiere, right-click the clip and examine the Properties – this should tell you the specs regarding field order. Make sure then that the Project Settings match.

And yes, keep interlaced video as interlaced unless you have a specific reason to go Progressive on the DVD.

You don’t have to worry about “fields” with titles, just create titles in Adobe Titler or bring in graphics from Photoshop or whatever, project settings will determine proper output for you

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums