Converting from MS DV to something TMpeg understands

[GreatWizard]

I have created a film in premiere 7 PRO and saved it in MS DV format. Is there a decoder for avisynth (or some other way) to use in order to frameserve this film into TMpeg and/or virtual dub will be able to encode into an SVCD/Xvid/DivX ?

-Great Wizard

[t_2]

1. You could sent the edited video back to your camcorder then install the Panasonic VFW DV codec and recapture to your HDD in that codec. Then simply load the captured file into Virtual Dub.

2. If I am not mistaken AviSynth 2.53 now opens Microsoft DV 1 with DirectShowSource

3. Edwin is working on a frameserver plugin for Premire Pro. With it you could Use Premire as a frameserver and open the avs script in Virtual Dub. www.videotools.net

4. You could reencode the Microsoft DV to Panasonic VFW DV codec. But I don't know if this is a "smart" operation in Premire or if it is a real reencode which would mean loss of quality.

t_2

[GreatWizard]

Since I have directed shot and captured the film I have the full uncompressed thing on my HD so I needn't convert that. I can just save it in that format.

-Great Wizard

[t_2]

OK, But if your master is the Microsoft DV file on your HDD then it isn't an uncompressed file. The digital camera's hardware does the actual compression using the same algorithm that software codec employs on your PC. The compression ratio for DV is about 5 to 1, so the DV file is one fifth the size of an uncompressed file. Therefore, if you save the file in the other DV format the program you use to do this might first uncompress the file frame by frame and then compress it again, which means some quality loss. A "smart" operation would mean that the program you use detects that both files are DV and simply does some kind of a direct stream copy to the other format, thus no quality loss. What I don't know is which of the above 2 methods Premire Pro uses to "save" in the other format. I do know for sure, however, that if you save it back to tape and then capture using the Panasonic VFW DV codec, there will be no quality loss whatsoever.

t_2

[mustardman]

From personal experience, the Panasonic DV cocec and the M$ codec produce files that are compatible (at least type 2 files anyway).

For example, I can open a file in VDub with the Panasonic codec (it can't use the M$ one) that I encoded prevoiusly in Premiere using the M$ codec.

You don't have to worry about going out and than back in again (big pain). Besides, that is simply taking the data from the M$ codec, recording it to tape, and then taking the SAME data and putting it back to the hard disk. Why bother?


Perhaps the method t_2 is talking about is to convert type 1 files to type 2. There is a free utility which can do this BTW.

[jkwarras]

I don't get the initial question. A MS DV file, can be opened in VirtualDubMod/VirtualDub directly, or via avisynth. You just need a VFW decoder c.a.d. a DV codec installed. Every Windows Xp has the MS DV codec installed, but it's not VFW. So, install whatever dv codec you want (check sticky on this forum) and you can do DV-->whatever format convertion you want.

Suggestion: Use Mainconcept DV demo. Fast and good.