I downloaded the trial version of Edius Neo 2.5 (booster?) and I have a couple of questions/observations.

1. Put together a short presentation of several AVCHD files from my Sony SR11. Looks good on my computer, but I want to burn it to a DVD as an AVCHD DVD and then judge the results. From what I can see, I can only burn BR disks from this trial version. Is that right? Is there any way to create an AVCHD DVD from this program? I want to see how much rerendering this program does when producing an AVCHD DVD and compare it to other programs I already have.

2. The trial version that I have is missing a couple of key components: a help button with "help" topics, and any kind of instructions on how to use the program. So far, I have muddled my way through, making many mistakes, in figuring out how to use this product. Is this something not included on the trial version?

3. Not real easy to find functions/features. Have to search and guess alot. Not real intuitive. Took three times as long to put a program together than what it should have because I couldn't readily find what I needed. Spent a lot of time doing things the long way because I couldn't figure out or find a way to do those things the correct/easy way. Is the regular program like this, or is this just a "trial" thing?

4. How many varieties of titles, transitions, chapter/menu looks and other features, does this program have? Does it include any free music?

I presently own Pinnacle 12 and Nero. Pinnacle has spoiled me in that the tools are easily found, and there is a nice variety to choose from. The problem with Pinnacle (there are a few) is mainly that it rerenders AVCHD a lot and therefore produces an inferior AVCHD picture. Nero, while it produces a better final AVCHD video picture, is packaged with less tools/toys, and isn't as easy to work with. If only I could have the picture quality of Nero with the tool bundle of Pinnacle.

I was hoping that Edius would be that package to satisfy my wants. So far, I can't tell with the trial version.

Mike

PS. I am really bummed that after putting a nice demonstration video together, I can't burn an AVCHD DVD (or any DVD for that matter).

PSS. I am working with a PC.

Mike,

I received a copy of Edius Neo Booster with my camera, so I cannot speak about the specifics of the trial version. But I can help with a couple of your questions.

What you can burn with Edius depends a lot on your project settings. If you make an incorrect choice then some disc burning functions are disabled. I do not have the ability to burn a blu-ray formatted DVD with mine either (just blu-ray disks).

There is no help file. The help button just opens the pdf manual - you can download the manual from the grassvalley website.

I too found Edius a bit non-intuitive when I started with it. After some time with it I think the workflow and behavior is fine. It has some clear limitations, but its ability to handle AVCHD is unrivaled.

in the Edius DVD creator, go to style tab and push the DVD button in the Ouput section

by default, the Blu-ray button is selected

Export to DVD or Blu-ray from Edius5 timeline (http://www.videoproductions.com.au/html/edius-dvd-burner.html)

The DVD button is non-functional. I will change my settings and see if that helps. Be back later.

Mike

So far, I have changed the settings three times from 1980x1080, to 1440x1080, to 960x720. When on the 960 setting, I can't burn any disk. When on either 1920 or 1440, the DVD disk is nonfunctional (only the BR is functional). What else can I do?

Is there a way I can export my file from this program to Nero? I hate to do that since I originally wanted to compare Neo to Nero, and this won't do it. But I hate to lose the file I have created.

Mike

Mike,
If you are asking how to burn a blu-ray AVCHD formatted disk to DVD; that is what I cannot do either. However, if you just want to burn a standard MPEG2 DVD then your project settings must be correct. The easiest way to get that is to start with the DVD preset (its 720x480 60i and clearly has DVD in its name). There is a way to change project settings, but depending on what you started with you may not be able to change to suitable project settings.

If you do figure out how to burn a blu-ray on DVD (normally good for around 17 minutes of HD video); would you post the information back here.

Well, I am frustrated and completely stumped. It is my opinion that Edius Neo will not let me burn an AVCHD DVD, no matter what settings I select. This is a deal breaker for me. So much for Grass Valley and Edius.

Too bad. I had high hopes.

Mike

Well, I am frustrated and completely stumped. It is my opinion that Edius Neo will not let me burn an AVCHD DVD, no matter what settings I select. This is a deal breaker for me. So much for Grass Valley and Edius.

Too bad. I had high hopes.

Mike

the worldwide DVD standard required mpeg files on the DVD, you can't place AVCHD files on a DVD

Edius does not care what is on the timeline, DVD creation will always be possible providing the project setting is interlaced and not progressive

I am using Ediu5 and not Neo, maybe Neo is different in that regard but it should not be

when you open DVD creator and go to movie tab, your movie size should be listed as 720x480 for NTSC or 720x576 for Pal, it does not matter if the timeline is HD or SD

the only thing that matters is that the project setting must be interlaced

I understand Mike's point of view. Most of the consumer NLE's will make an AVCHD disc on a 4.7G DVD disc as will Sony's Motion Browser software that comes with the Sony cameras. It is not a DVD as per the spec but will play on a Bluray player with menus. I have not checked whether Neo or Edius will make a Bluray on a 4.7G disc which some other NLE's will do. For most of my AVCHD I have just gone to MPEG2HD as being easier on my system to encode and then just burned to Bluray.
What is interesting is that the Vegas Pro9 that came with my NX5U will not re encode to 24Mbps rate of the original but only the 16Mbps!!!

Ron Evans

Hey Ron, good to hear from you.
You are most correct regarding NLEs that can burn AVCHD onto a DVD. I have done that with Pinnacle, Nero, and Corel. Was hoping I could also do that with Neo, and compare the results. Pinnacle seems to "downrez" or rerender quite abit, while both Nero and Corel seem to do it less. From what I had read about Neo, I was hoping that the end product (AVCHD on DVD) would be even better, but I'll never know it seems.

A question for you.... I have also downloaded Corels' Videostudio Pro X3. Do you have any opinion on that product? Please PM me since this thread is about EDius.

Thanks.
Mike

Mike,
If you are asking how to burn a blu-ray AVCHD formatted disk to DVD; that is what I cannot do either. However, if you just want to burn a standard MPEG2 DVD then your project settings must be correct. The easiest way to get that is to start with the DVD preset (its 720x480 60i and clearly has DVD in its name). There is a way to change project settings, but depending on what you started with you may not be able to change to suitable project settings.

If you do figure out how to burn a blu-ray on DVD (normally good for around 17 minutes of HD video); would you post the information back here.

I don't have a BR burner, so I cannot burn any BR disks, nor is there any way that I know of for burning BR on a DVD. The closest I can come is to burn AVCHD on a DVD.

I did finally figure out how to transfer a video file from Neo to another program. And I learned that the reason Neo will not burn to a DVD, is that the bit rate is too high for the DVD (I think). Therefore Neo will only burn to BR. When transferring a video file from Neo to another program, the resulting video when burned finally to a DVD (as AVCHD) is very slightly jerky (can be seen on pans); just a tab. I assume it is due to the difference in bit rates between BR and what can be put on a DVD in AVCHD. I could be wrong but thats what I'm going to believe.

Mike

ok, if you really want to cheap skate and destroy HD quality by saving a hamburger, here is how to do it

encode to blu-ray folder from Edius with max bitrare ate 15mbps and then burn with Nero Burning Rom to DVD-R by choosing UDF 2.5 instead of automatic (you need the latest Nero9 burning Rom)

ideally, use BD-R disks and BD-R burner

Thanks Anton. Actually I prefer to think of it as having priorities in life, rather than taking the cheap skate route. And a BR burner is a bit down the list. Someday....

Mike

Hi Mike, I'm a refugee from Vegas, which in my case currently has issues running mixed footage on quad cores. I've also been trying out the trial version of Neo. It does burn DVDs. NTSC DVDs are 480X720. Coming from Pinnacle to Neo is a very big step which would be very hard to do on your own. There is actually a manual downloadable from the TGV website, but you have to search for it. In the last few years, some consumer packages have come a long way - for the single operator, there now may be no advantage to getting the pro version. Although Neo is very impressive, you might also like to look at demos for two others - Magix Movie Edit Pro and Video Pro - both have multi camera support, a stabilizer, secondary color correction, a really cute travel plotter and to me a more intuitive interface than Neo (I don't have any connection with the company)

Sorry - double post - please delete

Rainer and others,


It has been my experience that if you are semi serious with this digital editing process, you will always require more than one editing suite.

I used to run pennicle (before it became avid) and adobe priemere pro. I let Penicle go and moved to PP and Vegas. IO have used PP less and less as time passed by!!

While Vegas is a fantastic suite I have had recent issues with projects over two hoours in length, I have heard Neo is particularly strong in that aspect of editing (I am doing fully hdv). so, with that in mind I have been lurking about this forum.

Generally two suites will cover 98% of the bases.

By the way, Vegas cuts hd to a dvd rather easily, 18 minutes max on a silgle layer dvd.

In my experience nothing does it all!!!

A close friend uses final cut and also uses vegas, go figure that one! Interesting.

Generally none of the econo suites do enough for anyone that is serious.

for me looking at neo is only a means to have a second source to burn blu ray discs and real time on a long project.

think it will pull that weight?

Hi Dale. Nowadays I think mental blinkers are probably one of the most productive tools in the editing process. So you don't start to think half way though an (choose one: Avid, Edius, FCS, PP or Vegas) project "I could do this so much faster/better in (choose one: Avid, Edius, FCS, PP or Vegas)" and "if only (choose one: Avid, Edius, FCS, PP or Vegas) had (this or that feature) this would be so much better". Its probably one reason Avid is so successful: production companies won't let anything else through the door, and their employees are forced to learn the system so thoroughly they become really adept, whereas we more shallowly but widely aware look at Avid and say "you paid that much for that?". On our own, and being creative, we don't have the discipline, and the grass is always greener.... Unfortunately, Vegas (although I loved the workflow) has stopped doing it for me. I can't afford Avid, I developed an aversion (possibly irrational, but you can't always choose) to PP so Neo is looking pretty good. If Vegas and DVDA are doing it for you, I'd suggest that for now there's no reason to clutter up your system with another editor or your brain with another interface lest you become more distracted from doing any real work (hmm... what am I doing on this forum...?).

Rainer,

I fuly understand what you are saying here!!!

Every piece of software I ever used has its own issues. (for 20 years I used to teach computers too)

I believe it is important to know ones software, but also to know its weaknesses, which in turn dictates that a second software strong in the others weakness is a good idea.

an example. Vegas does composite work well. However After effects is powerfully strong in this so it is worthy of having on hand.

If Neo is strong in real time, can run a two hours hd project without stuttering then it is worthy to have in this regard, if for no other reason than using on the odd long run projects.

Do you think neo to be strong in this aspect? Also mixed format editing at real time.


Dale

Dale, Still testing so I can't yet answer for rendering long projects, but handling mixed formats is definitely one of Neo's strengths. It doesn't handle everything (in my case mjpegs) but this might be a minor codec issue. It also seems to have problems automatically identifying correct aspect ratios for mixed formats, but these are easy to fix manually. On my i7 860 with 8g Ram playback with mixed media including up to three AVCHD tracks is smooth, but it might depend on your machine. One downside is (AFAIK) no full screen external monitor preview, which is one of Vegas' strengths. There's still a lot I haven't tried, but so far stability hasn't been an issue.

You can get the HDSpark card for full resolution external HDMI preview. I don't think Vegas will do full resolution preview.

Ron Evans

Good Morning,

Thanks ron and rainer!

capturing at the moment so I am on here for a few minutes.

does hd spark card work on neo?

Will it be used as primary monitor or a secondary?

Will it conflict when I use my Vegas program?


Currently I run an I7 with 10 gigs of ram.

On a large project (just capped a 2 hour 20 minute hd project), with cineform avi it will not play at best quality at proper frame rate. I find that frustrating!


Does neo have multi cam?

The HD Spark only displays the NLE preview from Neo or Edius. It is not another display card and will not display anything other than Neo or Edius preview, full screen over HDMI. So you could hook it up to your HD TV and view what is in you preview window working in Neo or Edius Pro.
Neo will play several tracks realtime of AVCHD but it does not have the multicam edit feature of Edius Pro 5. Edius Pro 5.5 will come out at NAB with the Booster technology so will run AVCHD realtime too. At the moment EDius Pro will not play AVCHD at any speed but will edit just fine.

I don't thing Spark willinterfere with Vegas.

Ron Evans

Hi Mike, I'm a refugee from Vegas, which in my case currently has issues running mixed footage on quad cores. I've also been trying out the trial version of Neo. It does burn DVDs. NTSC DVDs are 480X720. Coming from Pinnacle to Neo is a very big step which would be very hard to do on your own. There is actually a manual downloadable from the TGV website, but you have to search for it. In the last few years, some consumer packages have come a long way - for the single operator, there now may be no advantage to getting the pro version. Although Neo is very impressive, you might also like to look at demos for two others - Magix Movie Edit Pro and Video Pro - both have multi camera support, a stabilizer, secondary color correction, a really cute travel plotter and to me a more intuitive interface than Neo (I don't have any connection with the company)

Thanks. I will try to burn a NTSC DVD, but I am really interested in putting AVCHD on DVD.
As to trying Magix Movie Edit Pro and Video Pro, that I will do in month or so when my trial period with Neo expires. My main complaint with Pinnacle and others is that it rerenders the video and reduces the quality. What starts out as wonderful HD (AVCHD) ends up being little better than plain old SD.

Mike,

Vegas burns hd on to DVD (17 minutes single layer). I suspect it may also do achvd. down load the trial and try it real quick shot. If you want to email me an achvd file i will try it for you.


Dale.

Thanks Dale. I will give Vegas a try.

Mike