Help! Convert HD to SD with Virtual Dub but....

[Silas Barker]

I am trying to convert a 1 hour HD edited project down to SD. For making my blu ray I have a final mpeg video for that.

However, Virtual Dub, which I use for scaling HD down to SD smoothly, only takes AVI input.

Which means that I must first render my HD 1920 by 1080 project to AVI which would absolutely be gi-normous! I don't even have enough disc space for that (400-500 gigs). Not to mention Virtual Dub might choke on something that big anyways.

Any ideas how to make a smaller file size AVI at 1920 by 1080 for Virtual Dub or simply convert HD to SD smoothly?

I am using Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and I don't have After Affects.

Thanks!

[Jon Shohet]

You have several options :

1. Use "DebugMode FrameServer" to frame serve your project into VD instead of rendering. Debugmode FrameServer Homepage
(If you're using CS3 you may need an older version of the software, not sure... Downloads - frame-server - Google Project Hosting)

2. If by "final mpeg video" you mean an mpeg2 program stream file , than you can install an input plugin that will let VD read it. fccHandler's page

3. Install AviSynth. Through an AviSynth script, VD can read any file format that is supported by the codecs in your system. If you need some help automating script generation, you can use "AvsPmod" or "VirtualDubMod".

4. Install the new, free, GoPro CineForm Studio software. http://gopro.com/3d-cineform-studio-software-download/
If I understand correctly, this will also install the VfW CineForm codec which you can use both in Premiere and VD, so you can render a relatively small but still high quality AVI from Premiere.

[Jeff Pulera]

Hi Silas,

You can install the free Lagarith Lossless AVI codec and use that as your intermediate going from Premiere to Virtual Dub. That is what I'm doing. The files are not small, but not the size you are thinking.

I use the YV12 color setting for that codec, seems to be the correct workflow from what I gather.

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

Originally Posted by Silas Barker

I am trying to convert a 1 hour HD edited project down to SD. For making my blu ray I have a final mpeg video for that.

However, Virtual Dub, which I use for scaling HD down to SD smoothly, only takes AVI input.

Which means that I must first render my HD 1920 by 1080 project to AVI which would absolutely be gi-normous! I don't even have enough disc space for that (400-500 gigs). Not to mention Virtual Dub might choke on something that big anyways.

Any ideas how to make a smaller file size AVI at 1920 by 1080 for Virtual Dub or simply convert HD to SD smoothly?

I am using Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and I don't have After Affects.

Thanks!