Questions, questions...

[Kino]

Questions, questions. I have a few, and would greatly appreciate your input.

Topic 1: How come I cannot play MPEG 2 encoded video files on my computer? I can create them using TMPGEnc. Is there a codec I can install so I may run it in Windows Media Player, or must I run a special player?

Topic 2: Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 Pro? Choose one OS if you plan to do video editing with source derived from the Marvel G200, or a Firewire card. I have read that Win 98 SE allows 4Gb file sizes, and supports firewire devices. I have 98 SE, and wonder if it's really worth the trouble to upgrade at this time.

Topic 3: I'm using the Marvel G200. Here are my typical Ulead MS 6 project settings for full screen video. Do they look correct?

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
Field Order A
Overlay track(s):5
Microsoft AVI Files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Matrox MJPEG
Interleave audio for every 1 frames
100% Quality
PCM, 44,100 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo

I'm not sure what my "advanced" settings should be. I've edited projects in the past with BAD audio sync problems. Should I interleave the audio, and "pack" audio data every 1 frame?

Topic 4: I recall a registry hack from a long time ago to increase the Marvel's video capture rate using Ulead's Video Capture tool. Considering Dr. Mordrid's HuffYUV tips and advice (which I intend to use when I get some new hard drives), is this hack advisable, or even possible?

That's it for now. Many thanks.

[Dr Mordrid]

1. Some DVD players provide MPEG-2 playback, as do the latest versions of Windows MediaPlayer.

2. Win98SE for certain. It has much better stability than '98 Gold and improved IEEE-1394 support. Since the Matrox drivers don't really support ME or Win2K yet this is the best choice for now.

3. You should be using Field Order B. Everything else is OK.

4. Registry hacks upping the datarate of the MJPeg drivers don't really work with the new drivers. By all means use Flying Dutchmans YUY2 hack and HuffYUV to capture lossless video. At 352x480 this amounts to 5 mb/s and 10 mb/s for 704x480. Both encode into gorgeous MPEG's.

I have started using HuffYUV much more than MJPeg in my projects. With AVI_IO you can capture long sequences of multiple HuffYUV files without dropping frames between them. These files can then be frameserved continuously to the TMPGEnc MPEG encoder using its VFAPI plugin to make one long, but small, MPEG-2 of my project.

Where you're coming up short is in not having DualHead like the Marvel G400. With that you could be outputting the MPEG's to the vidout for recording. This is what I've been doing.

Still, MediaStudio Pro can play long sequences of *.avi's to the vidout of the G200 for recording.

Everyone has their favorite technique

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 02 January 2001).]