AVID export questions - new to editing pls hlp!

H

HKFF

Active member
Hi everyone,

I've been reading your site sometime and was recommended by one of the people on this board to get the dvx100a, and I love it. Beautiful picture 24p and 3ccd is excellent!

I'm new to editing as well, and I decided to get avid xpress pro. I had to learn avid from scratch and now I'm finished with my short and would like to export my film back to tape for archival purposes (so max resolution/oar/24p/etc is a must). Does anyone know how to export it back to a master tape?

I also tried to make some avi files and I noticed my timeline says my film is 4:45 but the avi file is 4:25. Is the export making the file 30fps is that why it is shortend? Also, sometimes the picture looks slightly squeezed. Could that be the film grain filter?

I also tried to make an uncompressed avi file, but that has a max size file limit. what's the use of uncompressed avi anyway?

I tried to make a svcd with nero, and the footage during play back also looks like it's not moving at 24p anymore. Looks little more like 30fps. How can I get it exported to DVD/VCD/SVCD properly without changing the frame rates for NTSC TVs?

If anyone can help me with the these issues that would be great. I'd like to share my first short with everyone!

I have tried contacting AVID but they are terrible in responding to emails, and there doesn't seem to help by phone anywhere. So if anyone can help, I would be greatful! Thanks in advance!

-HKFF
 
Does anyone know how to export it back to a master tape?
Click to expand...

Yes. Digital Cut. To do this with a 23.976 timeline you need either a Mojo, or the newest version of Xpress Pro HD (5.1.2). Do a search in the help file for Digital Cut if you run into any problems with that.

For your export problems, I would recommend exporting from Avid as a Quicktime reference file and then using a third party encoder to make your AVI. You'll avoid the 2GB limit that way.

I'm not sure if it's possible to make a 24p (S)VCD, but for instructions on making a 24p DVD check the article here: www.24p.com/24pMPEG.htm

Hope that helps!

Chris
 
WHat version of XPress Pro are you running? If 4.6, then you need a Mojo to output from 23.97 to 30i NSTSC. If on 5.0, you can go straight out via FireWire.

Or you can make a DVD and encode as MPEG2 via a QUickTime reference.

Michael
 
Thanks! I have Avid 4.6 so I guess I'll have to upgrade to 5.0. I don't have the $$$$ to spend on a mojo right now.

I am currently trying to make a dvd with sorenson squeeze and dvd lab, if I have more problems I'll ask.

One concern though, I have been making avis and quicktime files (with sorenson squeeze) and I noticed that my picture is slightly squeezed. Is there anyway to fix this? The settings I usually have are - rgb (for color), 720x480 native. I have a widescreen laptop. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks again for the previous tips!
 
See my website for creating 24p native encoding for DVD using Squeeze:

http://www.24p.com/24pMPEG.htm

As far as color space - if making DVD for NTSC television, then you should keep the settings at 601 and not RGB if propoerly color corrected to 16RGB (7.5IRE) and 235RGB (100IRE) in the timeline using color correction.


There are some encoders that expect 0-255RGB range (espeically in PAL land), and in this case, you can export the QuickTime reference as RGB instead of 601 (v.5.0 and later).

The 5.0 upgrade is $50. It adds a whole lo of funtionality such as direct output of 2:3 pulldown over FIreWIre while 5.1 adds the abiliy to capture NORMAL pulldown directly over FIreWire. That in addition to 720p/23.976, DV50, realtime multicamera, etc.

Michael
 
Thanks for the all the help so far! I'm starting to get there. :) I have downloaded your pdf file. I just have to get dvdlab now to try it out. I will also get the upgrade sometime in the near future to archive my work. I have a couple more questions though:

What the difference between 601 and RGB? Is rgb only used when I'm creating for pal compatible tvs? 601 for ntsc? I'm not sure whether or not my movie is properly color corrected (I hardly know how to do it, I just click auto color correct). What if I wanted to have my film projected on the big screen? What would I use then?

I'm still trying to make qt and avi files for the internet so people may download my movie. However I still cannot get the oar of my film to be exported. I keep on getting vertically squeezed files. I'm not sure of my settings maybe someone can give me a hint of what the problem is?

Thanks so much!
 
RGB files use the fill 0-255 color space to represent colors. R = 0, G = 0, and B =0 values will give you the blackest black allowed. The same goes for white = R = 255, G = 255, and B = 255 is the full white range. But for standard definition color space (601) versus HD color space (709), the SMPTE specification for digital television NTSC or PAL is RGB of 16 for black (16, 16, 16) and 235 for white (235, 235, 235). This allows for some footroom and headroom in the broadcast signal.

If you are planning on watching your DVD on standard televisions, then you should be working in the 601 color space (16-235). WHen doing an autocolor correct, the blacks are set for 16RGB (and 7.5 IRE) and whites to 235 (100IRE). You need not worry about IRE unless you are going to make analog masters.

If you want to make streaming versions for comouter only, then you will want to export the QUickTIme as RGB which takes the 16-235 version and evenly stretches it to 0-255. This isi part of the 5.0 release. You make that choice when exporting your QUickTime reference depending on what your final destination is going to be.

ALso remember that autocolor correct is a starting point, it does not work in all cases. See my color correction examples and workflow at:

http://www.24p.com/colorcorrection.htm

as well as tips to do during prodcution at:

http://www.editorsguild.com/newsletter/SepOct04/sepoct04_macbeth.html

WHen exporting, are you using the Avid Quicktime reference movie with "same as source" and DV codec? Makr sure "mastering" is set. Try this and open the exported refrence file in MoviePlayer. Does it look correct there? If not, then go back to your Quicktime export settings and try setting the square pixels versus non square. Is your material 16:9 anamorphic to start with?

Michael
 
Thanks Michael for all the help so far. The color correction info is very helpful. I have alot to learn still.

My material not 16:9, it is 4:3 letterboxed. I found an option in avid that lets me make internet streams so I'm assuming that's the option I should choose to make computer files.

In regards to your pdf sorenson squeeze help file for 24p dvd creation, I can't seem to get to the screen that is shown in step 2. Is that part of avid? I also never found the screen that shows squeeze.exe. I also can't find the compression settings screen. Is this a seperate component from Avid xpress pro that I need to download?

I exported my files at native resolution (I think, it looks slightly squeezed during playback) with preset option (sorenson squeeze encode for dvd) and I noticed that the mov file is very small (under a mb) and the audio file is about 45mbs. Although the files are very small, it took a long time export I don't know if that's a problem.

What do I do now?
 
Ahh I feel stupid. Sorry for being such a newbie... I figured it out, I had to use a seperate applcation with the interface, got it confused with the encoder option in the avid xpress pro. I finally get what all that qt refrence was and all that so I started to encode my dvds. Now I got some trial softwares to test some of the stuff out and your pdf manual worked great.

Question about the encoding, I noticed that when I encoded it to DVD-R even at 3000kbps it looked very clear, but when 3000kbps is encoded files burned on DVD+R it was not as clear. However, if I use 8000kbps (which is not an option, I need to punch that in manually) it looks alot clearer on both DVD-R and DVD+R. I also realized that MiniDVDs work only at max 3000kbps. Does anyone know what the best bit rate to use when burning dvds and why DVD-Rs are better than DVD+R?
 
There should be no difference in picture quality between a DVD-R and DVD+R of the same capacity as they are only a storage/playback device of the already encoded material.

A MiniDVD has only so much space, so reducing the bit rate is neccesary.

Michael
 
what is a good bit rate for dvd? (for the video) 8000? I noticed that sorenson squeeze's drop down menu only has a max option of 3000. I manually inputed 8000, I think it's slightly better, but I can't really tell. What is the recommended bit rate?

Thanks!
 
http://www.videohelp.com/calc.htm

Put in the information for your project and this program will give you the optimal bitrate to use. If you're wanting to put other things on the disc besides a main feature, then you need to take those times into consideration as well.

Chris
 
Thanks to Michael and Chris!!!!! Hopefully I'll have my movie up online soon to share with everyone on this site! Thanks again!
 
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