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Rendering for Best DVD Quality
I need some help rendering an MPEG-2 file from Vegas suitable for writing to a standard 4.5 DVD with DVD Architect. So far, I have not been happy with the quality of the results of my attempts, and would like to cut to the chase with some expert advice.
I captured a good-quality commercial VHS tape using Sony Capture in Vegas 6. The video is DV format, 29.97 interlaced. Quality looks fine on the PC monitor, with minor color noise, but when rendered to DVD and viewed on a TV the dark scenes are very “boxy” (lots of rectangular blocks all over the place).
I am rendering MPEG-2 files using the MainConcept MPEG codec, variable bit rate, 2-pass settings. Bit rates are max 7,550,000; average 5,750,000; min 2,300,000; DC Coefficient = 10 – per a bit rate calculator on-line at DVD-HQ.
I used Mike Crash’s Dynamic Noise Reduction plug-in to reduce the noise, which works ok. I had it set at 10. (I also tried Neat Video Demo, which seems to work better but adds its watermark on the lower right of the screen. I have used it in the past by reducing the video image in size so that the watermark is outside the image boundary, rendering to another DV file, then cropping the watermark out on the final render to MPEG-2. But this may be hurting image resolution, since I am resizing the image twice in the process.)
I have found through experimentation that reducing brightness and increasing contrast tends to reduce the “boxy” effect. (Is that called “banding?”) I have done this through the Color Correction, Levels, Broadcast Colors, Brightness and Contrast, or other plug-ins. However, this tends to give a murky final image that I’m not too fond of.
I have been looking at the Video Scopes histogram and RGB parade in Vegas, but I do not have the understanding of what I’m seeing that gives me confidence in the adjustments I have made.
Would deinterlacing help? It tends to be a lengthy process. I have tried deinterlacing the video using Crash’s Smart Deinterlace while maintaining the frame rate (29.97). Converting to 24p with 3-2 pulldown seems to add motion blur.
That seems like enough questions for one post. I look forward to excellent advice, rules-of-thumb, best practices, cookbooks, or most anything else you throw my way. Just knowing there’s a place to ask questions helps. Thanks in advance!
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4 Replies
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Get rid of noise reduction. Set to “10” there isn’t a prayer it’s going to look good.
It’s VHS, it cannot be made to look great. The capture size, device, codec all play into this recipe.
Deinterlacing will only soften it further.
Brightness and contrast are rarely appropriate for video, and if your capture conversion is of much quality, you shouldn’t need to do anything to the video.What are you using for capture/conversion? Codec?
Your MPEG settings sound just fine, given that the length of your project is unknown.Douglas Spotted Eagle
VASSTCertified Sony Vegas Trainer
Aerial Camera/Instructor -
> I also tried Neat Video Demo, which seems to work better but adds its watermark on the lower right of the screen. I have used it in the past by reducing the video image in size so that the watermark is outside the image boundary, rendering to another DV file, then cropping the watermark out on the final render to MPEG-2. But this may be hurting image resolution, since I am resizing the image twice in the process.
When you buy the plugin, the water mark goes away. VHS is never going to look good on DVD without some form of noise reduction to smooth out the inherent noise which drives the MPEG encoder crazy. A good capture devices can do this for you. If your’s doesn’t, Neat Video is an outstanding choice for doing this.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
>>When you buy the plugin, the water mark goes away.
Yes, I’m aware of that. The “free” version also will encode just 30 minutes of video at a time. I’ve seen the noise come back around the 30-minute mark.
I’m doing this on the cheap, since I’m not a pro, hence my need for work-arounds. But any other advice on bit rates, brightness & contrast adjustments, etc., would be appreciated.
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> I’m doing this on the cheap, since I’m not a pro, hence my need for work-arounds.
You missed my point which was the purpose of the trial is to see if you’d like to buy the software. The purpose of the watermark is to keep you honest. Circumventing the watermark is no different than pirating the software i.e, you are using software for which you have not paid.
I would recommend that you continue with Mike Crash’s free plug-in or use VirtualDub which has several free plug-ins for cleaning up VHS captures. If you don’t want to spend any money, VirtualDub is the most valuable tool you can own.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com
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