Opinions Needed, Please

[Rey Lowe]

Okay, since it was mentioned in this thread and I am now down to the process, how can I get the best results when converting HD to DVD? I'm using Vegas 10 & 11 to edit and Cineform NeoScene to convert the mts files to avi. Are there any special settings I need to be looking at in those two apps?

[Jeff Harper]

If you're recording progressive, and do not need to deinterlace, then you don't need cineform at all. I have and use Cineform HD Link for resizing and deinterlacing when needed but I found out if I'm not deinterlacing (I don't like Vegas' deinterlacing) Cineform is an unnecessary step, and my DVDs turn out stellar. I showed a DVD to a prospect, and they asked me if it was bluray, it was that good.

Here's the workflow I came up with after months of painful experienced, and after much advice from others here.

For DVD from HD:

1. Set Project properties to SD widescreen progressive and best, do not use project properties to match your original footage.
2. Crop footage on the timeline to 16:9 using the Aspect Ratio tool. In one click you are cropping your footage to 16:9 dimension, so Vegas doesn't have to do that.
3. Render to appropriate settings, and you're done.

I'm no expert, and there may be those who set project properties to match original footage, that is how I always thought it needed to be done, but the method I use works well, and was recommended by Cineform support.

[Rey Lowe]

Jeff,

My footage is 1080/60i. Regardless, I'm using Cineform (with HDLink) to decompress the files to AVI since my computer lags on HD. Hopefully a bit more memory and a graphics card will help until I can get a mb/processor upgrade, but this is basically my starting point right now.

[Jeff Harper]

The problem with HD link is that you need to resize to 16:9, but Vegas doesn't see the resulting files in the correct aspect ratio, they appear squished With Vegas 10 you can use a method to fix it using project properties, but it doesn't work in 11 except one clip at a time.

Excalibur supposedly has a tool that can work, and Edward says it stays functional after the demo expires, I beleive.

It is this hassle that caused me to contact Cineform and they recommended the way I told you, to crop the original footage on the timeline.

So what I would do then, is one of two things, use hdlink to resize to 16:9 SD, and then deal with the aspect ratio in vegas later as best as you can. OR, in HD link in preferences do NOT resize the footage. Just convert it to cineform, and then use the same workflow I described earlier by cropping the footage to 16:9 on the timeline, it would work perfectly.

If you want to get fancy and make both: I make both Bluray and DVD of everything I do. For that you just create a version of the project using bluray setting in you project properties and render correctly for bluray. Then for DVD you save project under another name and use 16:9 properties, crop the footage on the timeline using aspect ratio script, and you're set.

If you need the script, I'll email it to you, very simple to use, i forget where it was from easier to email it then find a link for you.

[Edgar Vasiluk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

If your're running mulitple cams tape changes shouldn't even be a factor. You change them at different times. I do catholic masses and had to change tapes every time, but the customer never noticed. You make sure your other cam has a good shot, change tapes, and you're done, no issue. I used 90 minute tapes as well. I'm sure you know this.

You're already set on the HD, go for it.

Hi Jeff, can you post a link to 90 minute tapes that you using? Thanks.

[Jeff Harper]

I haven't bought tapes in ages, place I bought them last was in Columbus, but I've moved to Cincinnati. You can buy them at B&H for a decent price. I used only Sony brand.