How to render 1024x768 MPEG 2?

[Sam Renkin]

I've crafted an opening video for a conference in Vegas Pro 9e using HDV 1080i footage and graphics. On showsite they are using a Grass Valley Turbo hard drive playback unit, sending video to two video projectors at 1024x768 resolution. Backup is DVD playback.

This resolution is neither high definition nor standard definition. The Turbo likes MPEG 2 files best, it takes a very long time to load other formats. Could someone please offer a few tips on how to create an MPEG 2 widescreen format render with embedded audio? I don't see this as a preset in Vegas, and haven't found a custom setting that allows these dimensions. Thanks!

Sam

[Edward Troxel]

I think I'd just render out like rendering to a standard DVD.

You didn't mention which version of Vegas you're using. The Pro version allows you to click on "Custom" and change settings so it is possible to enter 1024x768 as the size. I'd definitely test it to make sure it works, though.

[Sam Renkin]

Hi Ed, I'm using Pro 9e. Let me give you a bit more information, because my workflow isn't allowing to create the MPEG-2 custom size I need.

When I render the file, I select MainConcept MPEG-2 as the "save as" format. The templates available do not include a custom setting - so I click on the "custom" button to the right. I enter a custom size (1088 x 720 pixels) at a high quality variable bit rate, and embed the audio. But when I click OK, I get an error message "an error occured while creating the media file (file name).mpg. The reason for the error could not be determined." Any thoughts of why this might be happening?

Thanks for you help!

[Sam Renkin]

A bit more info if you need: Vista SP2 64-bit running on a Core i7 920 PC w/8GB RAM, external eSATA drive for project files, internal drive for rendered files.

[Ervin Farkas]

You are likely confined to the standards, that's why it won't let you render to a non-standard video size.

Do you have access to any other MPEG2 encoder?

[Sam Renkin]

Not yet - got any recommendations? Delivery in this format represents a small portion of my work (3-5 projects a year) so I'm hoping to invest a minimum in additional software and plug-ins for this. Thanks!

[Mike Kujbida]

Sam, see if this works for you.
Render it out using a customized HDV 1080-60i template.
The size will end up being 1040 X 768.
The file will be in .m2t format but just change it to .mpg and see if that works in the Grass Valley Turbo unit.
I just tried it here and had no problem playing back the renamed test file using VLC player as well as bringing it back into Vegas.

[Ervin Farkas]

Originally Posted by Sam Renkin

Not yet - got any recommendations?!

Both Edius and Procoder will encode to 'generic mpeg' where you can customize the size.

[Thomas Moore]

Haven't tried it but maybe set you project settings to the desired size and then when rendering choose "use project settings"

Personally I would render out as a .avi (normal size) resize with Vitrual Dub, then use TMPGenc to encode...

[Jay Massengill]

I just tried a test in Vegas Pro 8 using 1080i (1440x1080) camera footage in a standard HDV template timeline set to match the source material.
Rendering with Main Concept mpeg-2, pick the "Default Template", then select Custom and enter 1024x768. It rendered just fine for me. (Don't select "stretch video to fill output frame" of course or the aspect ratio will be way off...)

[Sam Houchins II]

Is it because the projectors are projecting at 1024x768 that those are your target dimensions?
I have a projector with that resolution, but it accepts a variety of input resolutions, without negative consequences to my eyes.
I wonder if that would relieve you of your burden altogether?

[Sam Renkin]

Thanks everyone, I'll try several of the suggestions. Sam - we tried to downscale the projector resolution and also up-convert the 720x480 but it still appeared somewhat pixelated.

Sam

[Sam Houchins II]

Mine is auto. It always shows 1024x768, and will interpolate everything input into it to automatically match that. Hope something works for you :-)

Afterthought...
Mine even accepts a 1080i signal, and does what it needs automatically to display through its 1024x768 resolution, just uses a portion of it's total display (like black bars). Just make sure you're connecting between the Hard Drive and the projector with cabling that carries a HiDef signal, such as component, component-to-vga, DVI, or HDMI. Otherwise the Hard Drive may knock down the resolution if using lower res cable, like s-video or composite, and then the projector will step it back up to 1024x768. Too many interpolating steps will crap out the image, as well as the cable type.

Sorry if you've already considered this!

[Sam Renkin]

Thanks Sam, I didn't have control over the patching between Turbo and projectors. These were Christie 10k projectors on a corporate show, supplied by a reputable AV staging & production company. Maybe next time I'll ask a few questions first!