From one problem to the next....

[hapz]

So I captured with AVI_IO and YUY2 with Huff. The result does not play smoothly with WMP nor with Premiere 6. But it plays rather well in Media Studio 5.2.

So I took the advice and encoded it with TMPGEnc as MPEG-1. The resulting mpg file does not even load in Media Studio, but it plays smoothly in Premiere.

Both Media Studio and Premiere refused to import MPEG-2 encoded files. And WMP only plays the sound.....

I must be doing something wrong ;(

What surprises me also, neither Media Studio nor Premiere have a scene detection utility. How does one work w/o such a feature? That was the most important feature with my previous video editing attempts using Video Director and Studio 400.

If I want to use only selected scenes from several different tapes, how would one go about it?

I wanted to capture tapes in one smooth run and not in bits and pieces. The only software I found so far either did not work with the avi and mpg files I created (Scenalyzer), or it crashes Premiere 6 when loading the plb file, does not work with mpg files, or has the same problems as the original avi files in Premiere (HandySaw). Video Wave 4, which seems to offer such a scene detection feature too, I haven't been able to test yet due to download problems with the trial version.

How do you guys do that?

------------------
Harald

[Dr Mordrid]

When capturing scenes in MSPro/Premiere and DV you use the device control module to capture just the frames/scenes you want. Most times this can be done with frame accuracy. Most device control modules give you a preview of the footage, mark-in mark-out buttons and a timecode display.

With analog you cue up the tape to a point 10-20 seconds before the scene you want and then play. This preroll lets the deck/cam get up to speed before you click to capture the footage you want. It's always smart to capture a few extra seconds on both ends than then trim the clips in the editor.

Device control can be done using analog decks & cams, but only with those with the ability to do it built in and in conjunction with another device.

HuffYUV is not so much a playback decompressor as a lossless capture compressor. The idea is to capture, edit and then encode to a playback codec like MPEG-1/2/4. Because the source material (HuffYUV) is lossless the results are better than if you had captured using a lossy codec like MJPeg or DV and then transcoded it to MPEG-whatever.

As for encoding and playing back MPEG's with TMPGEnc it's more often a matter of how your system is set up and the versions of your software.

I use Win98SE, Dx8, MP6.01.05.0217 and have no problems playing my MPEG's.

Sounds like your system needs some work or a reinstallation.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 21 January 2001).]

[hapz]

Doc,

The process you describe requires a lot of manual labor. How to you log your scenes? How do you determine which scenes to use? If I understand you correctly, you'd have to play your tapes multiple times just to log your scenes, play the ones you'd think you are going to use, and finally capture the selcted ones. Paper, pencil, time, and a lot of wear and tear on the tapes you intend to use.

I am surprised that there is no common software that allows full utilization of the NLE process. And that includes scene detection and logging.

I was planning to run the tape ONCE (idealistically) for capture. Than I'd have a "digital master" on my PC which I could use over and over again w/o harming a tape or degrading quality. And I could archive this digital copy on tape, or on DVD-R once a cheap one becomes available.

To that digital master I could apply all kinds of encoding schemes to fit the purpose of the final result.

Was I dreaming?

With respect to my hardware, my Win2000 is a brand new installation with everything set to make it as fast as possible. And that works for everything else One reason why I hate to run Win98, it is so much more sluggish in most respects.

I don't have MP6, only MP5.2. Is it possible that this is the reason i can't play mpg files created with TMPGEnc? Or do I have to use special settings in the encoder?

I really appreciate your patience and help.

------------------
Harald