Change Export Quality Settings in Encore CS4

[Alan Emery]

I have a project built in PPro CS4. I encoded the timelines to .m2v format. Menus were built in Photoshop CS4 (work fine). I imported the m2v, wav, and psd files to Encore to a project set for BR mpeg2 1920x1080. The psd files play back in preview fine and are at the correct resolution of 1920x1080. The m2v files preview in a lower resolution (and burn onto the BR disc the same way). The default Export Settings appear to be 1280x720. The source settings showing in Encore for the m2v files show as 1920x1080, but the output is shown as 1280x720.

How can I change the export quality settings from 1280x720 to 1920x1080?

When I change them from the menu, they do not hold and have no effect on the clips. I attempted to start over with a new project, but had precisely the same problems. This is a very large project (nearly two hours with two layers of menus).

Any help would be much appreciated,

Thanks,
Alan

[Robert Young]

If you right click your video file in the project window, you should get a drop down menu that includes "transcode settings". If you click on that, you should get a huge menu of transcode selections to choose from.

[Alan Emery]

Hi Bob,

Many thanks for the reply. I did as you suggested. Both a timeline and the file (m2v) are present. The video file allows transcoding, the timeline does not. When I attempt to change the video file settings, the settings do not appear to "stick". Instead the menu reverts to the default when I open it to check the settings. The timeline continues to play as before at the lower resolution.

The odd thing is that the menus play at full resolution while the timelines do not. Very wierd and for now at least, quite frustrating.

Perhaps there is a way to start a new project and set up new export quality settings before I import anything. Haven't figured that out yet.

One user on a different forum had the same problem and he actually made a copy of the export preset file, so he could replace it later, then removed all the presets but the one he wanted and put that file in the spot for Encore to use. Because there was nothing else for Encore to use, he got what he wanted. I suppose one could make a whole set of typically used files with export settings to substitute each time, but there must be a better way.

Alan

[Robert Young]

I think that there are significant nusiance issues with Encore transcoding/defaulting/settings that I do not understand fully.
Frankly, my strategy is to encode from the timeline, using AME, to exactly the file format and settings that I want on the disk. So, for BR, I usually encode to h.264, VBR 1 or 2 passes, 1920x1080, 25mbs avg, 30mbs peak, with multiplexing of the audio as Dolby Digital.
This produces a single, multiplexed, BR file that is disk ready.
When I import to Encore, I see in the project window, to the right of the file name, in the Blu Ray column, it says "Don't Transcode" and I know I am home free :)
Good luck

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

Maybe you have this covered, but:

On the export settings when you view your resolution, there is an INPUT/OUTPUT tab. Each shows you the video as it is and the video you are exporting to. Is the output tab showing the video in 1080?

[Robert Young]

I'm not sure I understand the question, but:
The output window will show the resolution, frame aspect ratio, any letterboxing, etc., that would be associated with your transcode settings.
If your transcode settings produce the same aspect ratio (16x9) as your source file, the input and output images will look the same, even if the source and output resolution is different.
You could be transcoding 1920x1080 to 1280x720 for web, and the INPUT and OUTPUT windows will look the same.

[Roger Averdahl]

Originally Posted by Alan Emery

How can I change the export quality settings from 1280x720 to 1920x1080?

Alan, in CS5 this is done like this:
1. Select the video file/s in the Project panel
2. File > Transcode Settings
3. In the Transcode Settings dialog, change Dimensions from 1280 x 720 to 1920 x 1080
4. if needed, change Frame Rate to match your footage

Next time, when you create a new project in Encore, make sure to change/double check the Default Transcode Settings so it matches you footage.

[Alan Emery]

Hi Sareesh,

In the Export Settings dialogue box, both the input and output tabs show the video file as: Source: 1920x1080 and Output: 1280x720. The frame rate is shown as 23.976 in the output, whereas the source file was shot at 60i and encoded at 29.97p framerate. The aspect ratio is the same in both settings. The timelines preview at 1280x720, whereas the psd files (my BR menus) preview at 1920x1080 in the same project.

Hi Roger,

I followed your steps. Once I finished making the changes, I was asked to name the preset, which I did. Then I clicked OK. I then transcoded the file and the Blu-ray Transcode column has the file transcoded. Both the file and the timeline continue to preview at the lower resolution.

Many thanks to both of you for the advice, but for some reason, the changes I make to the settings do not seem to stay put. For example, after I make the changes and then go back and check to see if the changes are still in place, the menu shows the settings have reverted to the 1280x720 23.976 settings.

I have ticket into Adobe, and they estimate a three-day reply. I will report back if I have any success with them.

Alan

[Roger Averdahl]

Originally Posted by Alan Emery

In the Export Settings dialogue box, both the input and output tabs show the video file as: Source: 1920x1080 and Output: 1280x720.

Thats the problem.

Make sure to export from Premiere Pro CS4 to 1920x1080. If you export to 1280x720 the mistake has already been made and cannot be fixed in Encore. You must re-export everything out of Premiere Pro CS4. In the Export Settings dialog you can either use a Preset that matches your footage or change it manually. Consult the manual for how-to-change-manually.

I misunderstood you post since exporting cannot be done in Encore.

[Alan Emery]

Hi Roger,

I agree, however in this case, I did export to 1920x1080 from PPro CS4 (in fact now I have tried it in four different formats: m2v, h264, mpeg2, and mpeg2BR -- all to 1920x1080). When these are played in a separate player, they are fine and play at full resolution. The problem is inside Encore. The Export settings to which I was referring are actually in Encore and I presume are used to define what Encore does with the file when it is outputting the file to an iso image or disc. The source material is correctly shown as 1920x1080. It is the output to the final image or disc (as seen in the preview) in Encore that is showing as the lower resolution.

I have been hunting for some new bit of information, but so far the instructions for manual change to the Export Settings in Encore are exactly what I have been doing, and it just does not hold. It immediately reverts to what was there originally. So I know I am doing something wrong, I just haven't figured it out yet.

I really appreciate everyone's assistance, and will keep working at it.

Alan

[Alan Emery]

Hmmm ... Adobe says it no longer supports Encore CS4 for free so I need to buy support contract. The url provided to purchase one has defective security certificate. Cute!

I am calling them and will report back if and when I get anywhere.

Alan

[Alan Emery]

I called Adobe, and was told by a nice robot that the wait would be 15 to 21 minutes. I waited for 3/4 of an hour and no one responded, so I gave up. Earlier I had closed my computer and gone off in a huff to have dinner. So somewhat grumpily I turned on the computer again, started a new project in Encore and fiddled with the Export quality preset menu, and it still didn't work (couldn't change the preset to what I wanted ot to be) even on a blank project. So I closed Encore and started to turn on the TV.

Then somewhat perversely I thought well I'll open the giant offending project and see if I can make it work, even if just by annoying it through my perserverence.

Guess what! Nothing has changed in the settings (at least not by me), but it works. The preview is at full resolution. I have no idea what if anything I did in the background or if shutting down the computer cleared some electronic goop, or what, but it works.

This means I unfortunately can offer no insight into a similar failure should anyone else (including me) experience it. Adobe was most unhelpful, but I gather that is not an unusual experience.

Once again many thanks for all your suggestions and advice.

Alan

[Robert Young]

That's very good news.
Stranger things have happened with CS4...
IMO, CS5 seems to be a much better product- many people consider CS4 to be rather a low point in Adobe's product line.

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

Originally Posted by Alan Emery

This means I unfortunately can offer no insight into a similar failure should anyone else (including me) experience it. Adobe was most unhelpful, but I gather that is not an unusual experience.

Once again many thanks for all your suggestions and advice.

Alan

Just for kicks Alan, what does the output tab show now?

[Alan Emery]

Hi Sareesh,

Guess what -- 1280x720 output is the setting on the output tab. The final product is very clearly a full 1920x1080, despite the output readings.

Now is that bizarre or what!

Alan