[Eddie White]

Andy thanks for your response. I tested the Sony MXF(HD EX) template HD EX 1280×720-60p template. So you recommend Sony MXF to render as to get better quality over AVI or MainConcept MPEG-2(mt2)?

“export the audio to Dolby Digital AC-3, then use the “DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen Video Stream” preset to export your video.” You suggest these render as templates in Sony Vegas after I rendered all my segments as one final segment with Sony MXF. So I should render the audio and video seperateley?

Audio:
“export the audio to Dolby Digital AC-3”
Sony Vegas won’t allow me to render the audio as AC-3 PRO but will allow me to render the audio as AC-3 Studio. So is AC-3 Studio the correct audio template?

Video:(MainConcept MPEG-2)
“then use the “DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen Video Stream” preset to export your video.”
This template setting is for SD DVD? Couldn’t I use HDV 720x30p template instead of DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen Video Stream”? HDV 720x30p looks better when I watch it after it’s rendered. But 720x30p recompresses in DVDA and DVDA NTSC Widescreen Video Stream doesn’t recompress in DVDA. Is that why you don’t choose 720x30p because it loses quality when recompressed in DVDA?

What template should I use for HD DVD(Blue Ray)? Is HDV 720x30p the correct template since my settings are 16:9 1280×720?

Thanks for your help it’s much appreciated. Learning this tech stuff is like learning Chinese for me.

[Eddie White]

Thanks I downloaded Mark’s bit rate calculator. For one of my split projects that is 1:59 long I used these settings to calculate a bit rate: Disk Type: DVD-9; Audio Encoding: 192 kbs; Safety Margin: 5%; VBR. Are these settings correct? For Audio should I render dvd as 192 kbs or 384 kbs? Should I have a safety margin and if so what percentage?(I noticed the higher safety percentage reduces the quality percentage of the dvd; 89% quality with 5% safety).

Marks Bit Rate Calculator recommended bitrates are:
Min: 4376; Avg: 8760; Max: 9608

What bitrate number should I set and save in DVDA(4376, 8760, or 9608)? DVDA default bit rate is 8.000.

When I render with Sony Vegas you mentioned I should use the DVDA m2t templates with Vegas. So in Sony Vegas I should not render as AVI or Sony MXF(HD EX). I should render as Mainconcept MPEG-2(mt2). Then import drag the mt2 file into DVDA to make the DVD?

“Make sure match media to project … is ticked in your project properties.” I couldn’t find where to check this setting in my properties in Vegas.

Thanks very much for your help. Your time and help is very much appreciated!

[Eddie White]

Hi Nigel,

I will split the project into two parts and use 2 dvd’s Verbatim DVD+R DL 2.4x 8.5GB. I would like to know if my Sony Vegas project properties and Sony Vegas Render properties and DVD Architect properties are correct for getting the best quality onto DVD. Should I render to AVI then MainConcept MPEG-2(mt2) or skip AVI and render directly to MainConcept MPEG-2(mt2). I was told that I shouldn’t render things to AVI first because you’ll loose quality and I should try rendering to Sony MXF(HD EX or HD422).

I want to create a master that I can use for Blue Ray and DVD.

Your expertise is much appreciated. Thank you.