File format with Pinnacle 12 and XHA1
 

I am very new to this, and shoot only DV mode and capture to Pinnacle , then edit and save as .avi

BUT why did I get a HDV camcorder and not use HDV mode , My videos are played mostly at local bars on old tv's, but more and more bars have newer LCD's 42"-55" and I need to bump it up a notch... The thing is, editing HDV take alot longer to render on my pc, and nobody complained, but I am not happy with the look. SO, anyone out there have a minute or two... If I video in HDV using Pinnacle 12 and then edit what format do I save the file in?so I can make my regular DVD's and then maybe a few BLU-Rays............. thanks , Frank Garrod

If you're shooting HDV, then you will end up selecting the project type of 1440x1080/60i.
Or you can tell Studio to auto-select the project type from the first video clip you drop into a project.
That way you will maintain high definition all the way to final output and pick up the correct aspect ratio.
Then, when you 'Make Movie' to DVD, Studio will automatically render to NTSC Widescreen DVD.

When you render to DVD, that by definition is Std. Def.
So the quality will improve because your source is better, and the aspect ratio of the picture will change, that is all.

As regards being unhappy about your computer taking longer to process HDV, neither your post or profile say anything about what your current system is. I shoot HDV using a Sony HDR-HC9 and am running a 2.4 GHz Intel Q6600 and am quite happy with its performance.

thanks Bill
 

I am changing the graphics card and 2gb to 4gb.
I want to have the entire file saved at the highest resolution and be able to make regular DVD's and be able to make ACHVD or Blu-ray disks

Keep that original footage! Keep that original project!

If you have a project that you render to an output file...
and then you run that output file back through Studio later to 'Make Movie' to alternate targets...

Each time you do that, Studio rerenders your footage, which means you are losing resolution. And believe me, it can be pretty bad. Especially if you are working in HD.

You always want to go as directly from source footage to final output as possible.
As in the only thing that changes is what your target is in 'Make Movie', not that you save an output file to run through Studio - again - sometime later.

I hope that's clear.

thanks again, Bill
 

So I edit, then go to make movie and save as a file.
What file format do I save the HD project as?
I can keep that fully edited file as a master?
and then use that master back in Studio to brn a DVD disk or what I want?
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saving output file
 

What file format do I save the edited HDV version as in order to get the best resolution?

You'll have to experiment for yourself, I'm afraid.
So far I just go to DVD - that's what my church wants.

But I keep all the original footage + project, so if in the future someone wants BluRay, or whatever, I can reload the project and render directly to the desired target.

Remember what I said - each and every time you run your footage through Studio, it rerenders the footage, and the resolution loss can be pretty bad. So you want to keep your original footage + project so going from footage to output is always a one pass deal. Period.

I am transitioning to using Sony Vegas Movie Studio. The learning curve is much higher than Studio, but among other things, if it doesn't need to rerender your footage (no color correction, no lighting changes, etc...) then your footage passes right on through, original resolution intact.

Little things like shooting double system audio and getting it synched also work better with Vegas. I had consistent problems in Studio. So I am walking away.

What are the bars using for playback into their LCD's .. Bluray players ? If yes then buy a BluRay burner for your PC and burn BluRays.