Video database/index - chapters / preview

[Lars Siden]

Hello,

I'm just about ordering a new machine, a Quad 9450 with 8Gb of memory(running Vista 64) - one of my projects planned for the new pooter is:

1. I want to take my family-tapes(about 40) - convert them to format X(divX/wmv/264/xVid/dontKnow)

2. Target size about 1gb / hour - good enough for viewing(I could go up to 2gb per 1h)

3. I'd like to set chapter points/menus

4. I'd like to add keyword(maybe I can use Adobe Bridge or Lightroom for this, as I do for my stills)

5. I'll view the result on my HTPC, so I can use any codec available. The HTPC is powerful, with a dualcore 6750 / 2gb / HD-HW(geforce 8500)

Which format should YOU use?

Is there any way to capture and convert at the same time without sacrifice framerate/quality?

I've been looking at divX author lately.... I've also tried some free/share-ware for captureAndConvert, but they haven't met my needs.

// Lazze

[Rob Stoner]

i use divx author all the time. i think that it is exactly what you are looking for. the only thing that you cant do with it is convert on the fly as you are capturing.

[Lars Siden]

Thanks Rob, Then I'll upgrade my 30day trial to a full version.

Alas, the Quad Core 9450 release date is changed...for another week..month... no one knows!

I'll guess I'll start with my old pooter - keep it cooking(the CPU that is)

// Lazze

[Lars Siden]

Rob,

I tried to make a "full project" last night - but had some problems.

I import a 13gb AVI from Premiere Pro(gspot says OK) - edit it, set chapter points and some subs. When I choose a menu with thumbnails in it, the project wont encode(bad sample at...) - If I choose a menu with just text, it works! have you hade any probs?

// Lazze

[Rob Stoner]

i havnt had any problems using avi's and menus with thumbnails. what step were you on when you got that error message? also, could you post a screenshot of the error message that you are getting as well as a screenshot of what gspot says about the avi?

my guess is that some of the movie settings did not match the settings for the clip, but at this point it is just a guess.

[Lars Siden]

The problem seems to be large multipart MS DV-AVI DML2 files from Adobe Premiere CS3. Small files <4gb works fine. Or large AVI files from Sony vegas or othere renderers works fine.

// Lazze

[Giroud Francois]

the best is to encode in wmv and make a small local webpage to handle navigation and information.
you can set index mark and jump to it from a link into a webpage.
You can use mediaplayer full screen or windowed.
Microsoft producer allows to create a full presentation with video and comments/chart/pictures synchronized.
you just need to create a powerpoint presentation embedding all the info you need , one slide for each comment/title/index mark. Then use Microsoft Producer to synch the slides with the video.
finally export . It creates a full website, according the template you chose.
you can have links to pictures,comments, documents while the video is playing. for each of your video you create a presentation and you set a home page to navigate all of this.
you can include galleries for photos and even play mp3.
you can burn all of this to a DVD a play it in any PC with a browser.

[Lars Siden]

Francois,

Thank you, great info!

I'll look into that - especially for educational material that I present at work!

At home, I'm considering making DVD-ISO files instead of DivX/WMV. I can author a complete dvd with menus and stuff, burn it to an ISO file. Mount it on the HTPC and view it + I can burn the ISO to a standard DVD.

Regards,

Lazze

[Christopher Lefchik]

Originally Posted by Lars Siden

At home, I'm considering making DVD-ISO files instead of DivX/WMV. I can author a complete dvd with menus and stuff, burn it to an ISO file. Mount it on the HTPC and view it + I can burn the ISO to a standard DVD.

Or you could enable the "My DVDs" gallery in Windows Media Center and play your DVDs in Windows Media Center using VIDEO_TS folders instead of mounting ISO images. And you could still use the VIDEO_TS folder to burn a DVD whenever you wanted.

Here's how to enable the "My DVDs" gallery in Windows Media Center.

How to get locally copied DVDs to show up in My DVDs

[Lars Siden]

Christopher ,

Thanks! I do prefer PowerDVD over Media Center. I'm having troubles with swedish subtitles etc when using Media Center.

I bought an Ultimate Power DVD license and it works very well!

// Lazze

ps. I ended up making standard DVD's using Premiere Elements 4 - with thumbnails and stuff - output as video_ts -> DVDshrink -> ISO,works great. And if I like to give away a movie, all I have to do is burn it ds.