My Experience With Version 10

[Moonbeam]

I have used the Roxio products for a few years and thought I would share my joy as well as my pain and suffereing. I also have a few questions for all of the experienced users.

 

(I have made a similar post in the past - about 6 months ago, but this one has been updated as I have upgraded to version 10.)

 

I am a typical "dad" user. This means I film my kids (soccer games, basketball games, plays, etc.) with my canon hv10 high def camera. Then I want a dvd to give to the grandparents or parents of teammates.

 

I use media import to pull off the data from the camera to my dell inspiron 9400. This works much better now in version 10. With version 9 this step was really hit or miss. I usually had to disconnect my firewire cable a time or two for the software to notice the camera. This does not happen any more, version 10 works first shot each time.

 

Once connected, I just hit the button to pull off all of the data onto the computer. (While pulling off data it is a good time to do a load of laundry - that way the wife is happy that you are not still sitting in front of the computer!) My older daughter plays soccer for 60 minutes, I "edit" as the game is being filmed - stopping and starting the camera. I end up with about 40 minutes of action on the tape, and this becomes 8GB of data on the computer. File format once on the computer is mpg.

 

First think I do is find "half-time" of the game. I find it is quicker and easier to play the original .mpg file with windows media player and just drag around with the slider bar until I find the split point of the movie. Saw what you will about media player, it is responsive with these hugh files.

 

Next, I usually resume from a previous project setup in mydvd 10 as I have already set up the text fonts and the menu style. I import the movie, edit movie, find half time and split the movie. I delete the second half, add chapters every minute for the first half and then return to main menu. Next I import the same movie, find half time again and split the movie again. This time I delete the first half. Add chapters to the second half, return to the main menu. (By doing this, when the dvd is being played on tv the viewer can go to the first or second half very easily, and then within one-half of the game the viewer can jump around in 1 minute increments. (If your kid scores the soccer goal at the end of the half you don't want to sit through the whole thing again!

 

I have probably done this process 50 times in the last two years. What I have noticed lately is that the software is more responisve if I have the data file (8GB) on an external drive connected via fire wire. If I leave the file local (on the C: drive), the software is less responsive. By responsive I mean the fast forward and rewind (as well as the forward and reverse single frame buttons) actual respond when you click on them. Can anyone explain why an external drive would be faster than a local drive?

 

Next I edit the title text - change the opponent name, add the score, and the date, etc. I may also change the background image if I have a decent picture from the game. I am a little dissapointed in the quality of the background image - it seems a little grainy, even though I pull a picuture in from my 8MB digital picture. Does the user have any control over the quality of this image?

 

Now in version 10 I easily add a slideshow of any still pictures that were taken during the game.

 

Next I burn to dvd. I usually use about 3.5 GB on a 4.7 GB dvd. All of this works very easily. I can do all of this editing and hit the burn button within 15 minutes of the data being pulled off of the video camera. (It has taken 50 dvd's to get this fast!) Rendering and burning the project takes about 1.5 hours. When I am done I have a good record of the game. It really only takes about 20 total minutes of my time, which I think is great. I make a copy for the coach who uses it at future practices to show what worked and what did not work during the game. (This is why I break the movie in the two haves and add chapters every 1 min - it helps the coach jump around a little easier.)

 

Now comes the hard part. Making a "highlight" video at the end of the season. I find the editing tools in mydvd or videowave very weak. In particular I do not like the radio buttons that control the time location of the video. By moving the mouse you can "drag" the wheel and change the time. This is not very precise. I have not found a way to actually enter the time I want to go to. (AVS4YOU is a program I have tried that is really good at this feature.) None of this has changed in version 10, I had the same issued in version 9. Anybody know any tricks to help me here?

 

I usually want to pull out 3 or 4 minutes of video from the 40 minutes I have and I find mydvd very slow and painful to move around. I have improved my process somewhat in version 10. Here is what I do now: I play the movie and add marks at the start and end of a highlight. I repeat this process throughout the complete movie. I can end up with 50 or 60 marks for the 25 or 30 highlights I want. My newest process is the following: Jump to the END of the movie and split the movie at the last marked position, and then delete the last part of the movie. Now mark BETWEEN all of the marks by clicking the mouse between marks. You will see a horizontal line between the marks. You must mark the section you want to delete. You can select more than one - I end up picking all 25 sections to be deleted. Then use the button to "delete clips between marks" - it is the middle button under the "Storyline" tab - it has a little x over top of a horizontal line - in the bottom left corner. This deletes all the clips you do not want. I have found that if I start at the end and move toward the front, my mark clips do not loose their relative position. If I start in the front and move to the back, I lose my relative position of all of the marks I have put in - and then you have to start over. So start at the end and move forward.

 

Scene detection - has anyone ever figured this out? I have had no luck - even in version 10. I think it is either my file size of my file format (mpg). Anyone ever successfully use scene detection on an 8 gb mgp file?

 

File formats - I wish some documentation existed that would explain the difference in all of the output/save as options. When would you use each of these many formats?

 

My ultimate goal is to burn in high definition on "legacy" 4.7 gb dvd's. When I play back the game from my camera on my hd tv it looks beautiful. When I play the dvd it looks okay. I am hoping I just need to be patient for another 6 to 12 months.

[Guest ml]

I'll need to come back later to really read this post and digest what you're doing.

 

However, a couple of things caught my attention.....

 

If you're editing as you're taping by starting and stopping the camcorder, Capture should automatically break that video into 'scenes' based on when you pressed the record button. Do you have a 'down' arrow on your imported video? This will only work if you're importing using EMC.

 

Frankly, 8GB is a huge file and you shouldn't have to import a file that big. Since you're importing over a firewire from a digital camcorder, you can limit the time of capture and the resulting files will edit together seemlessly.

 

Next, you're using the wrong program to edit the video. Take it into VideoWave first. You can edit easily using 'markers' and dragging the blue bar across the video in the Timeline view.

 

Markers can also be used to mark chapters for MyDVD.

 

Dragging the blue bar on the Timeline view will allow you to quickly move through the video and find the 1 minute time marks.

[cdanteek]

My ultimate goal is to burn in high definition on "legacy" 4.7 gb dvd's. When I play back the game from my camera on my hd tv it looks beautiful. When I play the dvd it looks okay.

 

Your source files will have to be DVD Video compliant with , ifo, bup, and vob, files.

 

Don't let Videowave or MyDVD touch them, just use Video Copy and Convert and burn to disc!

 

cd

[Jim_Hardin]

Is that a Question or a Manifesto?

 

Have you tried reading through the Tips & Tricks of both the V9 & V10 areas?

 

[Moonbeam]

If you're editing as you're taping by starting and stopping the camcorder, Capture should automatically break that video into 'scenes' based on when you pressed the record button. Do you have a 'down' arrow on your imported video? This will only work if you're importing using EMC.

 

Not knowing any better - here is how I capture - I connect camera via firewire then START/PROGRAMS/ROXIO MY DVD 10 PREMIERE/VIDEO/CAPTURE VIDEO/VIDEO - pick my camera - give it a file name and capture the file. This takes 40 minutes as that is how long the recording was. I only get 1 file - a big one - 8mb. The file is captured locally and then I move it to the external firewire drive. Then I import into videowave or my dvd depending on what I am doing. Should I be doing this another way?

 

Frankly, 8GB is a huge file and you shouldn't have to import a file that big. Since you're importing over a firewire from a digital camcorder, you can limit the time of capture and the resulting files will edit together seemlessly.

 

I understand this suggestion and it make sense - I kind of like the idea of being able to hit the import button and walking away, but you maybe right and by doing this I am making my life difficult down the road. Does the program work better (respond better) if I am editing 4 10 minute files instead of 1 40 minute file?

 

Next, you're using the wrong program to edit the video. Take it into VideoWave first. You can edit easily using 'markers' and dragging the blue bar across the video in the Timeline view. Markers can also be used to mark chapters for MyDVD.

 

Thanks I wasn't clear - I do use videowave when I am pulling out the highlight version of the video. It certainly is the better way to edit.

 

 

[Moonbeam]

Your source files will have to be DVD Video compliant with , ifo, bup, and vob, files.

 

Don't let Videowave or MyDVD touch them, just use Video Copy and Convert and burn to disc!

 

cd

 

sorry - I don't know enough to follow your suggestion. I do know how to get to Video Copy and Convert, but that is about it. My source file is the .mpg after using "capture video". (I think that is equivalent to a vob, but do I have to rename the file?)

 

I have no idea what output file to use - too many choices for my feeble mind!

 

At this point I have an HD TV, but no HD/BR burner or HD/BR player. I guess in my dream world I could burn to a legacy DVD (4.7GB) disk and then put it into my (newly - or soon to be purchased) BR player. My hope is that the quality would be closer to when I play back from the camera directly to the TV. I see/read a lot of postings about various players and what disks will work and what won't, but I don't have time to learn all the lingo.

 

thanks for help

 

[Moonbeam]

Is that a Question or a Manifesto?

 

Have you tried reading through the Tips & Tricks of both the V9 & V10 areas?

 

 

Little bit of both. People who don't know how to make a video (the other parents on the soccer team for example) think I am a genius. I think I am a neophyte. I feel like I have a lot to learn and could improve my process dramatically with some advice from some experts. My biggest issue is the amount of time this stuff takes. I am starting to realize that my initial estimates on the time it should take were too optimistic.

 

On the other hand I was hoping to convey to people that others are really using this package with some success and providing some wonderful memories to parents and grandparents.

 

I have been reading the Tips and Tricks for both versions. I feel like I am stuck in between the novice and the expert. The simple questions I know the answers to, the advanced I can't follow as people are talking about file formats and data structures, etc. etc.

 

thanks for soapbox

[Jim_Hardin]

Video is complex and does take time, both to learn it as well as to produce!

 

If you don't "have time to learn the lingo" how do you expect to talk to those whom you expect to answer your questions? How do you expect to understand the answers?

 

I have used Ulead, Sonic (before they bought Roxio) Sony and others. NONE are easy! All require a discipline to learn.

 

I know of no single source that has everything nor with the speed that the industry changes, I doubt there ever will be…

 

There was one book of the Idiots Guide to Roxio but I think it was for V7 and was never updated.

 

Don't know what IFO, BUP or VOB files are? Got Google?

 

Actually 3 people have tried to help you based on your original post but seem to be intent on playing the I don't know card…

 

We will keep trying though!

 

[Moonbeam]

If you don't "have time to learn the lingo" how do you expect to talk to those whom you expect to answer your questions? How do you expect to understand the answers?

 

 

 

Let me give you an example of my "time" issue - under output options you currently have 56 choices for file output types when using mydvd. Quite impressive. Now go to help and seach for output. How many of these different options are mentioned, much less explained? You will find very few. What is the difference between all of those choices? Outputing to Sony PSP is described very nicely in less than 10 lines of text. Those 8 lines of text will save me from hours of searching online. That little piece of help in the manual is a beautiful thing. Now search for IPOD or apple. Nothing under MyDVD help. We now have 14 choices for outputting to BlueRay. Yes 14! Again impressive. But when/how do I choose one over another? Please give me a hint Roxio.

 

When I say "who has the time" - I mean it - who has the time to go and weed through dozens of google hits on a particular file format. Roxio should be providing the same 10 lines for each of the output formats. Am I the only one who feels this frustration?

[Guest ml]

If you don't "have time to learn the lingo" how do you expect to talk to those whom you expect to answer your questions? How do you expect to understand the answers?

 

 

 

Let me give you an example of my "time" issue - under output options you currently have 56 choices for file output types when using mydvd. Quite impressive. Now go to help and seach for output. How many of these different options are mentioned, much less explained? You will find very few. What is the difference between all of those choices? Outputing to Sony PSP is described very nicely in less than 10 lines of text. Those 8 lines of text will save me from hours of searching online. That little piece of help in the manual is a beautiful thing. Now search for IPOD or apple. Nothing under MyDVD help. We now have 14 choices for outputting to BlueRay. Yes 14! Again impressive. But when/how do I choose one over another? Please give me a hint Roxio.

 

When I say "who has the time" - I mean it - who has the time to go and weed through dozens of google hits on a particular file format. Roxio should be providing the same 10 lines for each of the output formats. Am I the only one who feels this frustration?

 

You can find a lot of helpful information on the website www.videohelp.com

[Jim_Hardin]

If you don't "have time to learn the lingo" how do you expect to talk to those whom you expect to answer your questions? How do you expect to understand the answers?

 

 

 

Let me give you an example of my "time" issue - under output options you currently have 56 choices for file output types when using mydvd. Quite impressive. Now go to help and seach for output. How many of these different options are mentioned, much less explained? You will find very few. What is the difference between all of those choices? Outputing to Sony PSP is described very nicely in less than 10 lines of text. Those 8 lines of text will save me from hours of searching online. That little piece of help in the manual is a beautiful thing. Now search for IPOD or apple. Nothing under MyDVD help. We now have 14 choices for outputting to BlueRay. Yes 14! Again impressive. But when/how do I choose one over another? Please give me a hint Roxio.

 

When I say "who has the time" - I mean it - who has the time to go and weed through dozens of google hits on a particular file format. Roxio should be providing the same 10 lines for each of the output formats. Am I the only one who feels this frustration?

Just a continuation of your excuses…

 

I am sorry, but I don't have time to work with someone who is unwilling to even try.

 

 

[Moonbeam]

Just a continuation of your excuses…

 

I am sorry, but I don't have time to work with someone who is unwilling to even try.

 

 

Your ARROGANCE is amazing - and a common thread throughout your replies on this discussion group.

 

Please read the posting above yours from "ml" - very helpful - that kind of suggestion is what people are looking for.

 

If you can honestly read my original post and believe that I am not trying, then your expections for what a consumer video editing package should be able to do are unrealistic.