quality of editing vob file vs. "original" avi at DVinfo.net

Dawn Haynesobrien · April 23rd, 2007, 12:28 PM

Hi there,

I need to do a re-edit of some footage. All I have access to right now is a DVD (no copyright issues). I know that one option is to pull the VOB files in and edit in Vegas (inexpensive).

The other option on the table is to pay the company that originally created the DVD to render out an avi file (expensive) and edit from that.

My question is this - what will the quality difference be between a project using an edited VOB file from the DVD vs. an avi file rendered from the original project?

I want to be cost effective...but also want to be able to be upfront about the quality of the output that my customer can expect.

Thanks for any info any of you might be able to provide,
Dawn

Harm Millaard · April 23rd, 2007, 12:35 PM

Dubbing the original AVI should not be expensive and will give you much better quality, unless your intended editing is nothing more than plain cutting and pasting. If you need more extensive editing, you will lose quality.

Dawn Haynesobrien · April 23rd, 2007, 01:06 PM

I agree that it shouldn't be expensive to dub the original avi...but we received a quote that is significantly more expensive that it should be, IMHO.

That's really why I wanted to test out the VOB route, but you have confirmed my hunch, which was that editing from the original avi will allow for the best quality.

Thanks very much.

Ervin Farkas · April 23rd, 2007, 07:52 PM

What exactly do you mean by "editing"? If you have to color correct, do transitions, composite in After Effects, than the only way is from the original AVI file. But if straight cuts will do, then you have other options with software that makes that kind of mpeg editing possible (regular NLE software was not designed to do mpeg editing).

Dawn Haynesobrien · April 25th, 2007, 09:55 AM

Straight cuts...

Ervin Farkas · April 25th, 2007, 10:55 AM

OK... well, in this case I would use MPEG Streamclip to cut out the wanted portions and convert them to mpeg. Then I would use these mpeg files to author my new DVD - this way there will be no decompressing and re-compressing, there will be absolutely no loss in quality.

Jon Omiatek · April 25th, 2007, 01:21 PM

I have on many occasions, copied the Vobs to my Hard drive, imported them into vegas, render it as an AVI, edit and then render to mpg. My clients haven't had an issues with the quality.

I would test it on a 2 min section and see what you think.

Jon

Dawn Haynesobrien · April 25th, 2007, 01:26 PM

Jon, since Vegas will let you pull in the vob files, is there a particular benefit to redering the vobs to avi before editing?

Harm Millaard · April 25th, 2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn Haynesobrien

Jon, since Vegas will let you pull in the vob files, is there a particular benefit to redering the vobs to avi before editing?

No benefit, only the disadvantage of a generation loss by converting to AVI and the second loss of re-compressing.

In general avoid conversion from one file type to another, unless you have no other solution.

April 23rd, 2007, 12:28 PM	#1
Dawn Haynesobrien New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Seattle, WA - USA Posts: 19	quality of editing vob file vs. "original" avi Hi there, I need to do a re-edit of some footage. All I have access to right now is a DVD (no copyright issues). I know that one option is to pull the VOB files in and edit in Vegas (inexpensive). The other option on the table is to pay the company that originally created the DVD to render out an avi file (expensive) and edit from that. My question is this - what will the quality difference be between a project using an edited VOB file from the DVD vs. an avi file rendered from the original project? I want to be cost effective...but also want to be able to be upfront about the quality of the output that my customer can expect. Thanks for any info any of you might be able to provide, Dawn

April 23rd, 2007, 07:52 PM	#4
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	What exactly do you mean by "editing"? If you have to color correct, do transitions, composite in After Effects, than the only way is from the original AVI file. But if straight cuts will do, then you have other options with software that makes that kind of mpeg editing possible (regular NLE software was not designed to do mpeg editing). __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

April 25th, 2007, 10:55 AM	#6
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	OK... well, in this case I would use MPEG Streamclip to cut out the wanted portions and convert them to mpeg. Then I would use these mpeg files to author my new DVD - this way there will be no decompressing and re-compressing, there will be absolutely no loss in quality. __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

April 23rd, 2007, 12:35 PM	#2
Harm Millaard Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Posts: 1,832	Dubbing the original AVI should not be expensive and will give you much better quality, unless your intended editing is nothing more than plain cutting and pasting. If you need more extensive editing, you will lose quality.

April 23rd, 2007, 01:06 PM	#3
Dawn Haynesobrien New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Seattle, WA - USA Posts: 19	I agree that it shouldn't be expensive to dub the original avi...but we received a quote that is significantly more expensive that it should be, IMHO. That's really why I wanted to test out the VOB route, but you have confirmed my hunch, which was that editing from the original avi will allow for the best quality. Thanks very much.

April 25th, 2007, 09:55 AM	#5
Dawn Haynesobrien New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Seattle, WA - USA Posts: 19	Straight cuts...

April 25th, 2007, 01:21 PM	#7
Jon Omiatek Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 755	I have on many occasions, copied the Vobs to my Hard drive, imported them into vegas, render it as an AVI, edit and then render to mpg. My clients haven't had an issues with the quality. I would test it on a 2 min section and see what you think. Jon

April 25th, 2007, 01:26 PM	#8
Dawn Haynesobrien New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Seattle, WA - USA Posts: 19	Jon, since Vegas will let you pull in the vob files, is there a particular benefit to redering the vobs to avi before editing?