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NX70 Recording Times
I have a project that requires 5-6 hours of recording, using my Sony HXR-NX70U. Following editing, I want to fit the maximum time to a standard (4.7gb) DVD to reduce the number of final DVD’s.
According to Sony, SD “HQ” will record 115 minutes on 8gb of flash memory, which converts to about 15 minutes per 1gb. Since this is MPEG-2 and a DVD records in MPEG-2 and holds 4.7gb, would it be correct to assume (doing the math) that the DVD will hold a maximum time of about 70 minutes (15 x 4.7)?
The only SD setting available is “HQ” whereas the HiDef settings include “LP” which provides longer recording time. Could I get a longer play time on a DVD by recording in HD “LP” mode and down convert to SD?
In other words, what is the best way to achieve the maximum amout of playback time on a DVD?Brad White
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4 Replies
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Brad,
Recording and producing dvds are two different items.
You can record in anything you want.When you render, render as a standard avi sd format from the timeline.
Then you compress it into mpeg for the dvd. You can compress more to fit more length onto the dvd at the expense of details. Or compress less to qet the best quality.
Normal compression from avi to mpeg is 6mbits for “DVD” quality.
4mbits compression would get you vhs video quality, and 3mbits would get you lp vhs quality.If you have mostly static images like scenery or powerpoint the 3mbit would not be noticed, but any other time and it would be a degradation.
The second variable you have, is to use double layer DVDs. yes a standard single layer is 4.7gbyte, but a double layer is 8.5
When I put content on DVDs, I do it at 6mbits and get about 2hours 40 minutes on a double layer dvd. About 1 hour and 30 minutes on a single layer dvd.
John Lenihan
John Lenihan
LeniCam Video Productions
https://www.lenicamvideoproductions.com -
Thanks for your response John.
I mostly understand, except the part about “render to avi”.
When I recorded with my miniDV tape camera, the format was avi. I edited in Vegas Pro 10 and then rendered it to mpeg-2. Now with the NX70 camera, standard definition is already in mpeg-2. Why render to avi and back to mpeg-2?
Also I am unfamilar with re-rendering to different mpeg quality levels. The pull-down in Vegas seems to only allow standard mpeg-2.Brad
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If you are simply archiving and not doing any editing at all, then just stay in the original mpeg from the camera and burn it onto dvds.
If you will have to edit at all, to put chapter markers or names of people speaking, then you will have to edit.
I always render to avi first, which is uncompressed, then in DVD architect I select the compression ratio. The reasons I go through the extra steps are:
1. If my project is just a tiny bit too large for the disk, I can compress a little more and squeeze it in.
2. If it is a rough cut, I compress a lot and fit more onto a single disk for a client.
3. I have the avi master if later I want to create something lower resolution for say the web.Because architects accurately predicts how large the end result will be, it is easier than trying to guess the compression in Vegas.
John
John Lenihan
LeniCam Video Productions
https://www.lenicamvideoproductions.com -
I understand now John.
Thank you for your comments and insight.
Very much appreciated!Brad
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