Capture, Edit and Compress HDV at DVinfo.net

Billy Griffin · January 17th, 2007, 11:17 PM

Please help?

Okay, so first, my apologies being a "newbie." Have an XH-A1 and can capture the video now by Firewire using Pinnacle Studio 10. Video looks really good capturing it as an AVI file, DV.

My question is this: My website consists of mostly nature photography and now I'm wanting to put some video clips on there as well. Obviously, many of you know how to do this with getting great video quality, yet small file size and that will play back. So what settings should I use? The problem when capturing as DV (an AVI file), the file is HUGE! Then when editing, I can save as an MPEG, AVI, etc. - what do you recommend, and at what settings to get the kind of quality you guys are getting, yet not at 900MB?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Billy Griffin
www.billygriffin.com

Graham Hickling · January 18th, 2007, 12:28 AM

If you are on a PC, download the free Windows Media Encoder and the latest templates for it from Micro$oft, and try making some wmv files .... they can look real good at modest bitrates.

Billy Griffin · January 18th, 2007, 12:42 AM

Should I be making WMV files as HD, High-Quality NTSC, ??? Pinnacle Studio 10 allows several options for saving the edited project. I'm so new to this, I would just like (for now) some advice on what settings I should capture to and what I should save the project as (settings).

And yes, I'm on a PC.

Graham Hickling · January 18th, 2007, 06:33 AM

It depends on who your audience is, what internet connection they have, and how you want them to access the file (streaming? downloading?).

A typical DSL connection probably wont let someone stream your file if its actually still in HD dimensions.

Just as a starting point, here's a "recipe" for a very small file, suitable for a website. Not HD, but still widescreen.

Image size 480x360
16:9 screen aspect
4:3 pixel aspect
512kbps WMV9 codec
29.97 fps
Constrained VBR 2pass
Non-interlaced
44Khz 16 bit stereo CBR WMA9.2 audio

Hope that helps get you started. Search this forum for "wmv" for more threads with advice.

Billy Griffin · January 18th, 2007, 11:09 AM

I've got some posted on my site now...

www.billygriffin.com

What do you think? Are you able to view them, and if so, how's the video quality?

Thanks.

Ervin Farkas · January 18th, 2007, 11:29 AM

Pretty good quality but I had to wait until the whole file downloaded - maybe you missed a setting when starting the encoder. You should choose "web server - progressive download".

Steven Gotz · January 18th, 2007, 11:52 AM

I would increase the data rate. The quality of the encode is not that good. Lower the frame size, increase the data rate, and maybe it comes out a bit better.

Billy Griffin · January 20th, 2007, 12:18 PM

What frame size would you recommend?

Steven Gotz · January 20th, 2007, 01:06 PM

As Graham said, it depends on your audience. I would say that 1280X720 still gets the huge point across. But most people use 400X224 to put HD they shot on to a web site.

Laurence Kingston · January 20th, 2007, 07:46 PM

The highest I would go with is 960 x 540 x 29.97 fps. The reason is that that is what the native resolution of the sensors on most of the current hdv cameras and the highest you can go without interpolation. If I'm encoding any of the mpeg4 variations (like DivX), I'll go 960x544 so that both dimensions are multiples of 16 (which makes for a better encode).

January 17th, 2007, 11:17 PM	#1
Billy Griffin Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Enumclaw, WA Posts: 58	Capture, Edit and Compress HDV Please help? Okay, so first, my apologies being a "newbie." Have an XH-A1 and can capture the video now by Firewire using Pinnacle Studio 10. Video looks really good capturing it as an AVI file, DV. My question is this: My website consists of mostly nature photography and now I'm wanting to put some video clips on there as well. Obviously, many of you know how to do this with getting great video quality, yet small file size and that will play back. So what settings should I use? The problem when capturing as DV (an AVI file), the file is HUGE! Then when editing, I can save as an MPEG, AVI, etc. - what do you recommend, and at what settings to get the kind of quality you guys are getting, yet not at 900MB? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Billy Griffin www.billygriffin.com

January 18th, 2007, 11:29 AM	#6
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Pretty good quality but I had to wait until the whole file downloaded - maybe you missed a setting when starting the encoder. You should choose "web server - progressive download". __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

January 18th, 2007, 11:52 AM	#7
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	I would increase the data rate. The quality of the encode is not that good. Lower the frame size, increase the data rate, and maybe it comes out a bit better. __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

January 20th, 2007, 01:06 PM	#9
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	As Graham said, it depends on your audience. I would say that 1280X720 still gets the huge point across. But most people use 400X224 to put HD they shot on to a web site. __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

January 18th, 2007, 12:28 AM	#2
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	If you are on a PC, download the free Windows Media Encoder and the latest templates for it from Micro$oft, and try making some wmv files .... they can look real good at modest bitrates.

January 18th, 2007, 12:42 AM	#3
Billy Griffin Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Enumclaw, WA Posts: 58	Should I be making WMV files as HD, High-Quality NTSC, ??? Pinnacle Studio 10 allows several options for saving the edited project. I'm so new to this, I would just like (for now) some advice on what settings I should capture to and what I should save the project as (settings). And yes, I'm on a PC.

January 18th, 2007, 06:33 AM	#4
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	It depends on who your audience is, what internet connection they have, and how you want them to access the file (streaming? downloading?). A typical DSL connection probably wont let someone stream your file if its actually still in HD dimensions. Just as a starting point, here's a "recipe" for a very small file, suitable for a website. Not HD, but still widescreen. Image size 480x360 16:9 screen aspect 4:3 pixel aspect 512kbps WMV9 codec 29.97 fps Constrained VBR 2pass Non-interlaced 44Khz 16 bit stereo CBR WMA9.2 audio Hope that helps get you started. Search this forum for "wmv" for more threads with advice.

January 18th, 2007, 11:09 AM	#5
Billy Griffin Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Enumclaw, WA Posts: 58	I've got some posted on my site now... www.billygriffin.com What do you think? Are you able to view them, and if so, how's the video quality? Thanks.

January 20th, 2007, 12:18 PM	#8
Billy Griffin Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Enumclaw, WA Posts: 58	What frame size would you recommend?

January 20th, 2007, 07:46 PM	#10
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	The highest I would go with is 960 x 540 x 29.97 fps. The reason is that that is what the native resolution of the sensors on most of the current hdv cameras and the highest you can go without interpolation. If I'm encoding any of the mpeg4 variations (like DivX), I'll go 960x544 so that both dimensions are multiples of 16 (which makes for a better encode).