Concerning VideoReDo and TMPGEnc DVD Author.

[VWRacer]

I've discovered, to my chagrin, the support for these 2 video editing programs is nonexistent. So I come to the hive for help.

I have transfered about 60 episodes of various programs from tape to DVD, and from the DVD into the computer. I tried a straight capture, but, dropped frames were a problem.

I did a check of the final edits and authoring. My questions are: Is there a loss of resolution going through all the necessary steps, or is because my source material was VHS, and SVHS tape? I've noticed a loss of color saturation as well. Is this related to the source, or the procedure? It's not too late to redo this mess, but I hate to waste the month I've spent learning the programs.

Thanks all,
Racer

[Guest]

If you've used a standalone DVD recorder, then to get best quality you'll need to use an S-video connection (not composite) and use the highest quality setting (highest bitrate) for the DVD recording.

You say "I've noticed a loss of color saturation as well. Is this related to the source, or the procedure?" But how could you have noticed a *loss* if it is in the source. Perhaps you have just noticed a *lack* of saturation in the final product. You can correct that with filtering.

Yes, VHS is cruddy, and you should not expect miracles. You should expect to be able to approximate what it looks like when you view it directly on a TV.

[VWRacer]

Thanks neuron.

I am using SVHS connection, however, I am not using the highest bitrate, only SP in the record mode. HQ burns were too big for the final compilation. However........

Could you explain about the filtering?

Racer

[setarip_old]

Concerning VideoReDo and TMPGEnc DVD AuthorWhat difficulty, if any, are you having with "TMPGEnc DVD Author" regarding your capture and conversion efforts?

[Guest]

Could you explain about the filtering? You can increase saturation using the Tweak() filter in Avisynth. There are also several filters in VirtualDub that can do it.

[VWRacer]

Setarip: The only problem I have with using TMPGEnc, is with it's editing. Instead of frame by frame editing, it does it in blocks. That's why I use Video Re Do for the editing, and TMPGenc for assembly, and authoring.

If I was doing this much work in tape, the results would really suck.

neuron; I will check out Avisynth.

Thanks to you both,
Racer

[Lester Burnham]

I've discovered, to my chagrin, the support for these 2 video editing programs is nonexistent.

I'm sorry, but that's just plain rubbish - at least for VideoReDo (can't comment on the other product).

I'm an active member of the VideoReDo support forums, and it's just plain wrong to say that support for VideoReDo is nonexistent. That's doing both that company, and the active members of their support forum a disservice.

[VWRacer]

Lester, my apologies, but apparently I didn't do my homework well enough. That, or I missed something. I love the program. I shall delve deeper, and my apologies to those I may have offended.

Racer

My, my. Amazing what a quick google will turn up. I shall search out the subject matters in the forum. Thanks for the heads up Lester.

Racer

[Lester Burnham]

Lester, my apologies, but apparently I didn't do my homework well enough. That, or I missed something. I love the program. I shall delve deeper, and my apologies to those I may have offended.

Racer

My, my. Amazing what a quick google will turn up. I shall search out the subject matters in the forum. Thanks for the heads up Lester.

Racer

Well I don't know that you did offend anybody - and I've no connection with the company other than being a satisfied customer, and active member of their support forum.

I was simply replying so that nobody got the wrong impression, as I feel that would have been a little unfair.

[VWRacer]

Before I jump into AviSynth this evening, a simple question if I may. Is this a standalone program, or does it integrate into TMPGEnc? I've been busy, and haven't had time to do a lot of reading on this.

Racer

[Guest]

Avisynth is a frame server. You install it once and then you write text scripts to process your audio/video.

If you want to avoid it, there is a color adjustment filter built-in to TMPGEnc that will allow you to increase the saturation.

[VWRacer]

Thanks neuron. I hoped you were looking in. That tells me where to start. I'm also going to look for the color adjustment in TMPGEnc. I hope it's accessible in the 2.0 trial version.

Racer

[Guest]

Setting/Advanced, check and double click on Custom Color Correction. Then Add/Mode=Saturation, etc.

[VWRacer]

It looks like AviSynth is the winner. Apparently the trial version of TMPGEnc 2,0 has no access for the Setting/Advanced. But, Thanks for the head start.

Racer

[setarip_old]

Sounds like you're confusing "TMPGEnc DVD Author" with (what I believe "neuron2" was referring to) good ol' "TMPGEnc"...

[VWRacer]

Sounds like you're correct. More research...............

Racer

[Guest]

@VW

You're being too vague about your process to allow us to help you properly. Can you tell us exactly what your process is?

[VWRacer]

First things first. All my previous video work has been with Beta/VHS/SVHS. 15 years of video editing goes right out the window with DVDs.

The process as follows.
Transfer tape source to DVD using Panasonic Standalone Recorder.
Transfer DVD to computer, edit with Video Re Do, and save as DVD Stream. Transfer to TMPGEnc DVD Author Pro, assemble, setup menu, convert to ISO, and save for burning.

When converting from AVI, to DVD, I had been using WinAVI. That will change, now that I realize TMPGEnc, will convert.

I settled on the process I am using after dropped frames using a capture setup that was causing severe audio sync problems. All I really wanted to do was transfer some of my archived tapes, and Laserdiscs, to DVD for easier accessibilty. We all know how things like this can get out of hand. The digital editing is a walk in the park, compared to tape editing, but it sure will show up flaws in the source material. Now I've graduated to "why doesn't it look like I want it to?"

As simply put as possible, this is where I am at, right now. At present, I have 700gb of saved ISO files. I was so caught up in transfering, and saving, I never noticed the real flaws until I burned my first file to disc.

Thanks for sticking with me on this one,
Racer

[VWRacer]

Since my last posting, a week ago, I have had no feedback. Would it be safe to assume, no fault is found with my method?

Racer

[Guest]

Assuming you are still trying to do color correction, be aware that none of the steps in your process allow for color correction, as you are staying in the compressed domain throughout.

You need to decompress your video, color correct it, and then reencode it to DVD-compliant MPEG2. Finally, reauthor with the video and audio elementary streams.

[VWRacer]

I'm unclear on the compressed. I have been using everything in native format. The only thing done, thus far, is editing. Unless the ISO is compressing.

Racer

[Guest]

MPEG2 is compressed. If you don't decode it with an MPEG decoder somewhere, it is not possible to do color correction. Cut editing is possible in the compressed domain, however.

[VWRacer]

A little google searching has proved highly informative. Between hardware decoders, and the same in software, I'm going to give Blaze Media Pro first choice.

I wasn't aware I had to convert to AVI for this. At least I now know how it's done.

Thanks neuron,
Racer

[Guest]

You don't have to convert to AVI first!

One option is to decode the MPEG2 with DGMPGDec, and then serve the video directly via your Avisynth script to your MPEG2 encoder. You do the color correction in the script.

[Jay Bee]

To get the best results you should try to keep the number of encoding passes to a minimum. If you go from tape to mpeg-2 to avi to mpeg-2 you are encoding the video three times. In the process you described here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=951346#post951346) you are only encoding once which is better, but you won't be able to do any colour adjustments. If you need to do this then do it before reencoding to mpeg-2, don't add an extra step converting to avi.