MPEG2 and Premiere Pro

[Dan Ransom]

We shoot alot of multicamera events on a Newtek Tricaster. It can record to it's proprietary DV codec for editing later. We sometimes will use these files to edit out sections of the games we don't want to air. We also encode the footage to mpeg2 files live at the games via a WinTV card to place on our broadcast server at a public access cable channel immediately after the event ends.

I have a couple of questions. What is the fastest way to edit the raw avi files and export them to MPEG2, using Premiere Pro 1.5? The exports seem to take a really long time, sometimes up to 4 times the length of the clip.

Also, is there a way to take the mpeg2 files that are encoded live and simply add a 10 second clip to the front and back and then export them again as mpeg files without encoding the whole clip again? Perhaps another application that will do this quicker than Premiere?

Our ultimate goal is to get home from these events and have a completed mpeg2 file ready for broadcast within an hour or so. Also, the games generally make around an hour and 15 minute clip.

Thanks for your input.

[Ervin Farkas]

Pretty much any computer-based (software-based) encoder will take a long time to encode to mpeg2 - the higher the quality you want, the longer the time.

You could use a stand-alone DVD recorder to have your footage encoded on the spot. Then you could use an MPEG editor software to cut out the portions you don't need.

But I am wondering what sound minded TV producer can ask you for mpeg2 video to be aired on TV? Even if it's "only" a local cable station, that must look terrible on the customer's TV set! Usually miniDV tape is just about the lowest quality accepted by any TV station!

Why not capturing to miniDV or better yet, DVCAM? If you know ahead of time what part of the game you don't want to air, you can simply stop the recorder (can be a camcorder). If you don't, you can capture directly to a hard drive, then use VirtualDub in "Direct stream copy" mode to cut out the unwanted parts, then record back to tape.

[Dan Ransom]

Ervin,

Thanks for the reply. Perhaps I should clarify my question. The cable network is actually an IPTV network, delivering direct fiber connectivity to subscribers homes. In fact, every channel on the network is encoded in MPEG2 to be delivered over IP. MPEG2 is very common in cable tv head ends, even used for commercial insertion and the like. The home viewer would view the program as if they were watching it from a DVD. Not sure why that seems so "unsound."

We do capture directly to a DV flavor at the events which is virtually identical to the DV and DVCAM codecs, except it is a proprietary codec written by Newtek. We capture this in case we need to perform any serious edits later, but the idea of mixing an event live directly to MPEG is to get a very quick turnaround so programs can air same night, while they still have some immediate value.

There are a few situations where we would need a quick MPEG edit or two, such as inserting commercials at the breaks in quarters, but you don't want to reencode the whole program. That is why I am looking for a specific program that can make these edits without the arduous reencoding process of Premiere.

That may have been unclear from my original post, so perhaps the better question is what MPEG editing programs would provide the best solution to this issue? Thanks again.

Dan

[Ervin Farkas]

I see. Well, first of all, mpeg is not an editing format, but a delivery format... still, it can be edited. Just Google around, there are several mpeg editing programs out there, Womble seems to be the most complex but I have no experience with any of them. All I have used personally is MPEG Streamclip but that will only cut up your mpeg files, will not re-join them.

[Chris Barcellos]

Actually, I think all major editors will "edit" mpg these days. Premiere Pro should do so. But your question seems to be about whether there is an editor out there that will not actually rerender the mpg material, except where it has actually been edited.

You might check with the Liquid program. I have used Pinnacle Studio 10 plus, which is supposed to have the same engine as Liquid. If I am not mistaken, I can capture in Mpg, then render out, and it will not rerender the mpg, except when it has actually had editing on it.

Edit: This is a quote from one of their web pages:

"Using Avid Liquid Pro software and hardware, editors can capture footage to a DVD-compliant MPEG IBP codec. They can add titles and effects and then dive into a full-featured DVD authoring toolset to define the interactivity; create and customize menus and navigation; preview and modify the DVD from the timeline; add a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix; and then intelligently render out to a finished DVD. "

Found here: http://www.avid.com/products/liquid/