What Format To Output To, For Subsequent Flv Conversion

[PeterPan]

Hey guys,

 

I'm generating three 10 minute Videowave (Creator 2009) "productions" of my wedding video footage, one for our arrival, one for the ceremony, and one for the celebration. When I'm done, there are two things I'll want to do, and each may require some knowledge about file formats.

 

First, I'll likely want to make a conversion to FLV files, so I can host them on my website and maybe Youtube, using a flash player. Well knowing that every time you make a conversion you stand to lose more quality, it's probably important that I export my files in the best possible format for subsequent conversion to FLV. There are a lot of output file types available in Videowave I don't recognize yet, and there are some limitations to the file types that various converters will accept. But I'm thinking it will be best to start by outputting to something like "Normal size AVI", because it seems to be a completely Non Compressed format. But if anyone has done this before, I'd like your suggestions.

 

The second thing I'll want to do is create a DVD, with each of the three sections I've explained. So I guess i should get a leg up on understanding the process. Given three separate "production" files for each of the three sections, what are the basic steps (and Roxio Tools) I'll need to research? And back to the subject of the thread, what's the best format to export these projects to for subsequent inclusion in a DVD, that an ordinary home player will be able to read and render.

[Larry]

We'd probably need to know what format the source video is first. That can make a difference in what type of output you should be considering.

 

As for a DVD, it's going to end up being mpeg2 as that's the standard format of DVD video. Depending on how you want to set up the structure of the DVD in MyDVD, you may be better off just adding the VW projects to MyDVD rather than outputting them and then adding them. That way any encoding that may be required will only take place once, when you burn the MyDVD project.

[ggrussell]

Working with DV AVI is a good idea. I would create a separate Videowave project for each 10 min segment. You can then use those projects for the other things. For DVD, open MyDVD and then add each of the Video project files to the menu. That would create 3 different buttons to play each one. You could add a fourth button that 'Plays All'. 30 minutes would fit fine at best quality.

 

For YouTube, open the Videowave projects one at a time and select OUTPUT TO FILE. Has been awhile since I've used YouTube. Perhaps someone else can suggest a Videowave output format.

[PeterPan]

We'd probably need to know what format the source video is first. That can make a difference in what type of output you should be considering.

 

As for a DVD, it's going to end up being mpeg2 as that's the standard format of DVD video. Depending on how you want to set up the structure of the DVD in MyDVD, you may be better off just adding the VW projects to MyDVD rather than outputting them and then adding them. That way any encoding that may be required will only take place once, when you burn the MyDVD project.

 

 

Thanks Larry! Well the input files... yeah that's a loaded question with a complicated answer. Originally, I started with two sources. The main source was a DVD prepared for me by one person (the one with the better camera), and the files on it that were the main video sections were all ".VOB" files. Not knowing I was going to end up with VideoWave at the time, or what 'ripping" capabilities it had, I noted that my second video source, from another friend with a good (but not quite a high end) a camera, was already supplied to me in AVI format. Well AVI scares me because there are so many varieties, you never know if you have the right codecs. But I figured if I was going to seemlessly mix the two, I'd probably be better off starting with the same format. So I used a program I found on-line called "Magic DVD ripper", to convert the VOB files to AVI, and again to one of the better quality WMV ones.

 

So all that to say, I used all AVI clips during the edit. In retrospect, I'd consider going back to the VOB files on the first camera's DVD and re-doing it, if I could import them directly, but I don't know if I can do that. The reason I'd consider it though is because I note a slight (tollerable but visible to ME) dropping in quality between the converted AVI clips from camera B, as compared to the "ripped-to-AVI" clips from camera A.

 

So to answer your question, I'm starting with all AVI (or some version of AVI which of course is hard to tell), but if I go back and re-do this with the VOB files, then I'll be working with a mixed bag of the imported VOB in the main video track, and the excepts from camera B in AVI files, in the overlay track.

 

For the FLV conversion, I already know that no matter what I do, I'm not likely to get the best possible flash files without a video edit package that can directly output that way, and I'm sure I'll spend the night trying every sensible combination before I settle on the best I can get.

 

 

I don't know if all that helps, but thanks for the tip about the Mpeg2. And yes... If I can export all my Videowave "productions" directly to MYDVD (Which I haven't even run yet!), that likely will save the degradation from another conversion step! Any tips about the VOB files? Could I have imported them directly without first "pre converting" them to AVI? And would that have prevented me from seamlessly blending with AVI clips from the other camera?

 

 

 

[Larry]

Yes you could have used the .vob files without converting them. They are already mpeg2 dvd video standard. To use those types in the future, make a folder on your hard drive and then just copy the files from the disc to that folder, and add the vob files to your project. You don't have to go thru an actual 'import' process. For now tho, you may be better off just going forward with where you are at already.

 

For making a DVD, follow the suggestion Gary posted.

 

For an output that you can then use something else to convert to FLV, I would use the "DV format AVI" as that should give you the best uncompressed quality.

[PeterPan]

Yes you could have used the .vob files without converting them. They are already mpeg2 dvd video standard. To use those types in the future, make a folder on your hard drive and then just copy the files from the disc to that folder, and add the vob files to your project. You don't have to go thru an actual 'import' process. For now tho, you may be better off just going forward with where you are at already.

 

For making a DVD, follow the suggestion Gary posted.

 

For an output that you can then use something else to convert to FLV, I would use the "DV format AVI" as that should give you the best uncompressed quality.

 

Well I appreciate the help, so I though I'd experiment to try the process, give some feedback and better know the tool! :-) First, yes I can copy the VOB files to my HD, and I can even "play" them in "Power DVD". But I can't drag them or add them directly into my storyboard or time line. About the closest thing I got to success was to use the "Add Photo/Video" option from the "Add Content" menu. If I select the desired V0B file there, it opens another box asking me to pick from a list of Movies I wish to import out of the V0B file, but sadly the list it shows me is blank and unpopulated.

 

I also tried doing a more standard "import" right from the DVD. Then of course the program insulates me from the actual files and such, but at least it does offer to import from a populated list with preview thumbnails, and the default "Capture Setting" in that case is MPEG (I didn't even mess with the others). The time the import time taken for a 10 minute clip tells me it's already doing some "conversion", so iI thought probably wouldn't help with the original intent (of having less conversions).

 

I'd gone this far, so I roughly completed the same edits I'd done last time, and output both this and the original version of the project (built with all AVI files) to the DV format AVI files you mentioned. Well there again both the final file size and the time it took to export was a pretty good indicator that this was probably among the highest quality output type. And it sure was! It was probably overkill, because the total time of my eddited version wasn't all that different from the original. But where the original DVD file was about 500 meg for 10 minutes, and the "imported" MPEG file was about the same, the FV AVI was over two gigabytes! But if another conversion step is needed for the lowly FLV, it does make sense to start with the best.

 

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Do you happen to know where I could see a comparison guide to all the formats available, with more detailed quality information on each? Or is that just an "experience" thing.

 

 

[grandpabruce]

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Do you happen to know where I could see a comparison guide to all the formats available, with more detailed quality information on each? Or is that just an "experience" thing.

 

Google is your friend.

 

[PeterPan]

Working with DV AVI is a good idea. I would create a separate Videowave project for each 10 min segment. You can then use those projects for the other things. For DVD, open MyDVD and then add each of the Video project files to the menu. That would create 3 different buttons to play each one. You could add a fourth button that 'Plays All'. 30 minutes would fit fine at best quality.

 

For YouTube, open the Videowave projects one at a time and select OUTPUT TO FILE. Has been awhile since I've used YouTube. Perhaps someone else can suggest a Videowave output format.

 

Just to clarify, I don't care much for Youtube, but FLASH really is a nice way to host videos (or music) on your own website. What I do is typically use my own public domain flash player. BUT... you can't usually converty to FLV (Flash Video) format without a costly product. So what I'll typically do is upload my video to youtube, then use a program that "looks" like a Youtube player to download the converted file. Finally, I'll delet it from youtube. In other words, I use them as a free conversion service. The downside is you're limited to 10 minute videos, and you don't have a lot of control over the quality setting of the conversion YOUTUBE uses. But it does work pretty well.