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New to Sony Vegas Pro 11 – best rendering format/setting
I’m new to Sony Vegas Pro 11 and have tons of questions but for now I just have one.
Here’s my process for far….about 10 years ago.
I converted old VHS tapes to VOB files using a Panasonic VHS to DVD player/converter. Results were about 90% quality.
I then converted the VOB files to MPG files….don’t remember what program I used….quality is also about 90%.
I then cut clips from the larger MPG files into a bunch of smaller clips (I used VideoRedo)….quality is also about 90%.
I now realize the quality isn’t that good compared to the original VHS tapes.
I’m thinking about starting over and using SV to open my VOB files, select the clip and render the clip.
So, what’s the best rendering type/setting for what I’m doing….I see lots of choices but the only ones that seem familiar are MPEG and AVI formats.
I’d also be editing the clips and adding filters to enhance the quality so I’d like to use a format that doesn’t lose quality every time I save it.
Thanks.
IG.
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28 Replies
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My suggestion, if the tapes are still in good condition, is to reconvert the tapes. I use an old Sony video camera to convert the output from a VHS player to DV in pass through mode. The camera interfaces the DV to the computer through a firewire connection. Vegas can capture directly from the firewire.
Once you have the files, do all of the desired editing in Vegas. Do not convert to intermediate files. When the editing is finished, render the video to the DVDA MPEG-2 format. The bit rate used to render the video determines how close to the source it stays. Render the audio to the Dolby Digital Pro format. DVD Architect will know how to use the video and audio files to burn a DVD.
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If I understand you correctly, the older video cameras can receive VHS output and pass through to the computer….that’s pretty funny, since I just gave away my old video camera.
Since I don’t have a video camera, is there an alternative option.
In what format will the VHS files be converted to via the camera or other option.
Also, you feel its best to do all the editing and when done render in MPG format. I assume this is to reduce losing quality?
Comment: lets say I convert 10 VHS tapes to 10 videos. What’s the best way to combine clips from different videos short of importing the different videos and doing all the editing.
Note: what I did before was create individual clips but obvious that’s not the best way.
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Your best solution is to buy a used Canopus ADVC300. You plug the S-Video or component (A/V) cables from the VHS player into the ADVC300, and it outputs DV AVI over Firewire.
Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com -
How do I tell if I have a fire wire and if I don’t what other options do I have?
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How do I tell if I have a fire wire and if I don’t what other options do I have?
===I figured it out and I do have a firewire.
Next step to buy a Canopus ADV300.
Thanks.
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If your PC Motherboard doesn’t have a Firewire port, you can buy an add-in card for it. As I said, the ADVC300 to firewire is the best because there is practically no compression of the video data. (DV-AVI is compressed 5:1 but every frame is an i-frame, so practically none).
Failing that, use a Plextor Convertx (or similar) that takes the S-Video or component A/V and converts the video to MPEG2 and spits it out over a USB port. MPEG2 is compressed so there’s a quality loss in that step.
Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com -
I do have a fire wire and I just placed a bid on a Canopus ADV 300.
Wow, are they expensive.
Three questions:
1. can I use SV to capture the video directly from the Canopus?
2. in what format will SV capture the video in?
3. when I capture the video can I burn it directly to DVD (not sure I even need to do this)?Thanks again.
IG.
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Is this project a one-time thing only?
Do you really want to waste money on a VHS capture device in this day in age?
VHS tape loses quality over time and they suck to begin with too!
Chances are the capture you did 10 years ago will look better than anything you will be able to capture today.
So, first, you should check if Vegas can open and edit your VOB files. Most likely it should be able too.
If Vegas can work with your VOBs, then your set!
If not, then find the codec that will allow Vegas to work with your VOBs.
If you can’t find the codec, maybe some other app like Adobe Media Encoder can convert it for you to another format that Vegas can work with.
So that should be your starting point before you go out and waste money on a VHS capture device!
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[Bruce Aguinaldo] ”
1. can I use SV to capture the video directly from the Canopus?
2. in what format will SV capture the video in?
3. when I capture the video can I burn it directly to DVD (not sure I even need to do this)?”1. Yes, probably. If it doesn’t, then use the freeware program Scenalyzer.
2. DV AVI
3. No. A DVD needs an MPEG2 video file *and* an AC3 audio file. If you’re lazy you can let DVDA do the encoding for you. If you don’t care about menus you can make the DVD directly from the Vegas timeline. I’ve never done it that way, so I can’t help you with that.Once you ave the AVI files on the Vegas timeline, you can edit the movie all you wish, then encode an MPEG2 video file and an AC3 audio file to bring into DVDA to make the DVD. If you follow these steps you will get the best quality possible.
Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com -
[Bruce Aguinaldo] “I do have a fire wire and I just placed a bid on a Canopus ADV 300.
Wow, are they expensive.”The biggest advantage of the 300 over the 55 or the 110 is that it has a built-in TBC which helps clean up VHS tape errors.
If all you want to do is capture, then save your money and get one of the cheaper models.
Realistically speaking, the method you’re currently using (Video Re-Do) is giving you the best quality possible without putting a LOT more time and effort into this process.
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