Best Master AVI settings?

Norm Sanders

Norm Sanders

Script Wrangler
I'm taking all the various files for BERLIN (Film, BTS, etc.), and making master files for future use. I'm pretty positive I want to use the 2-3-3-2 pulldown vs. only 3-2 pulldown, but what codec retains the best quality, short of uncompressed which would be MONSTER file sizes?
 
Thanks, David, but what I'm referring to is the best codec for quality, size, etc.

Under Video format, it defaults to the NTSC DV Widescreen, but the following options (to name a few) are also available (this was shot on HVX200 at 720P, BTW - I'll want to export the best AVI's for the SD files like BTS, etc. then a master HD AVI file for the film):
Cineform HD
Cinepack Code
Various Divx Codecs
Couple of Sony YUV codecs
DVFilm Raylight

And many more....

Thoughts? Benefits of some over others, etc.?
 
I cannot speak to the Raylight but Cineform worked wonderfully for our lovefest entry. I made an HD master and it isn't a huge file, plays back in RT (1080p), and the decoder is a free download so any system can play it.
 
Thanks guys. For the SD Video files, I'm just going to go with the default widescreen setting with the 2:3:3:2 insert. I've noticed for the HD AVI setting, it automatically defaults to the Cinemform, so I may as well use that one too. :)

Problem now is (I've emailed Sony on this with details, hoping for help) that Vegas either crashes, showing the error, or litterally just closes INSTANTLY at a certain specific frame, each time I try to render this file.

Grrr.....
 
Sony Vegas continues to crash or freeze....

Sony Vegas continues to crash or freeze....

Crap, so it turns out that even though tech support is open until 6pm CST, they'll only take calls up until 5pm CST ... wish they mentioned that on the website.

I'm severely stuck to the point I'm contemplating buying a whole new PC today/tomorrow so that I can at least render this film out ... festival deadlines are impending, and I can't have this issue holding me back.

Found out they're running at least a week out on email replies, which means that's not an effective solution at all. :(
 
Soooo, I found out the error that was causing Vegas to freak out with the two specific projects it was having problems with. Both of them had a common denominator: A 50MB Photoshop file that it was choking on. Apparently Vegas doesn't like HUGE or intense DPI still images.

Got that working, and then recently rendered out an AVI with the Cineform codec (using the default HDV 720P 24 Intermediate setting). It had all kinds of weird multi colored lines through it.

At first I couldn't view it in any of my players, so I downloaded the NEO player/codec, free from Cineform's website ... that's when I saw the issue. Imported the footage back into Vegas & sure enough it's actually an issue in the footage, not the way it was playing in the players.

The REAL problem is that when I went to re-render to the Cineform codec, it's now saying I'm not licenced to render to HD with that codec. What the heck is THAT about? I'm sure it has to do with that NEO thing I downloaded, but any ideas on how to reverse this issue, so I can get that render ability back into my Vegas 8?
 
Members here have had errors with large PDS files or timelines with a large no of still images on them. On a general note i would suggest always taking your .psd files and converting them into .png (protable network graphics) also if there isnt going to be any panning (ken burns style) or any frame zooming into pics then it would do best to render them in png bearing the exact same resolution as the project resolution. This will eliminate the need for the respective codec to caluculate tween pixels (so theres no upres or downresing) each pixel is directly mapped into the video. This may help eliminate any future problems. I dont know about main problem. Ive downloaded neo player too. But i never installed it on my main workstation. Only on my laptop for cineform playback. This is Odd. Cineform HD comes as part of the Vegas 8 Pro package right ? Earlier to the moment you installed the Neo Player,,, have you had a problem playing back any cineform file ?
 
The only Cineform file I knew I had on my system was the AVI I rendered with that codec. Couldn't play it in a regular player (i.e. WMV, QT, etc.), so I downloaded the NEO players so I could play it ... that's when I noticed how aweful it looked. Then I wasn't able to render to Cineform anymore after that initial download.

I'll see if I can just reinstall Vegas to correct it.
 
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