I need some starting tips for working with Panasonic HDC-TM700 and Vegas

[Adi Head]

Hi guys. To keep things orderly, I'm going to discontinue the issue of problems with playing SD converted from AVCHD on LCD display here with this thread since it seems to be going off-topic and unrelated to Vegas in general.

I want to try opening this particular topic at a more appropriate forum, but since I'm not too sure what sort of problem this is exactly - I can't figure out which forum would be best. At the AVCHD format discussion? or maybe The View: Video Display Hardware and Software?

Which do you think?

[Adi Head]

Hi. Still haven't sorted out my HD to SD on LCD screen problems.

Over at the AVCHD forum it has been suggested that Vegas isn't doing the hottest job down-converting the HD material to SD mpg-2. I've been told to try and render out an HD file from Vegas and then use TMPGEnc to make the mpg-2 file for DVD.

So, first of all, since this discussion kind of side-tracked but now seems to be going back to a Vegas issue, I thought I'd keep you updated.

Next, I'd like to of course test implementing TMPGEnc into the workflow and seeing if it makes things better. But then I came across something that I didn't notice before and am curious to know if this might make a difference in my case.

When setting up Vegas to render out the project to an HD avi file using the cineform codec I did as follows:

1. set file format to .avi
2. set template to HD 1080 24p, then hit the custom button and changed 24p to 25p.
3. still in the custom settings window I also changed the Video Format to Cineform HD Codec.

Up to this point all is clear. But then I noticed the Configure button which I didn't bother about before.

Clicking the Configure button I am given several options regarding the Cineform codec.
Two of them seem like they might possibly be relevant to the problems I'm trying to resolve:

The first is:
Use Video Systems RGB (default off)
vs.
Use ITU.Bt.709 color space (default on)
I have no idea what these mean exactly and/or the pros and cons of each. Could changing to Video Systems RGB possibly make a difference regarding the problematic look of the SD PAL DVD which eventually is made and screened on an LCD display?

The second thing I'm curious about is that Encoding Quality is by default set to Medium HD. Other options are High HD and Low HD. Should I leave it at Medium?

Looking forward to your input on this and then I'll give TMPGEnc a go and report back. Thanks!

[Larry Reavis]

I'm not qualified to comment on all your questions, and I don't use PAL; but I can say this:

I've been using TMPEnc for years; I now use it to burn SD DVDs from 60fps progressive files. Output is great. But it can only handle projects up to, say, one hour and 40 min. on standard 4.7 GB DVDs; more than that needs double-layer DVDs. DVD Architect can put longer projects on DVD by using lower bitrates. I'm using an old version . . . maybe the new v4 Express gives more control over bitrate - I've barely played with it so can't say for sure.

If you are working with interlaced source files, you should de-interlace with Smart Deinterlace plugin (free) from Mike Crash if you are going to put anything on the web, or for computer playback (You don't need to do this for TMPEnc). Here's how I do it in ATSC land:

1. Set Project Properties to 59... frames per second, best rendering quality, interlace set to None, 1920x1080 (presuming that you are starting with 1920x1080i).

2. Download Mike Crash's free Smart Deinterlace.

3. Use Smart Deinterlace effects on media (go into the media window and right-click, or right-click on the FX button on any event and choose the source file for the Smart Deinterlace). In order to avoid artifacts, you should right-click on the clip, click Properties, then clear the checkmark for Smart Resample.

4. In the Smart Deinterlace FX window, choose “field” preset. In clip properties, set resampling to “none.” Motion Threshold: 5. Choose cubic, and motion denoiser.

5. Or, if you have an entire track on the timeline that has many interlaced clips, you can do them all at once by clicking on the track FX button; but there is a trick: You must go down to the bottom of the Smart Deinterlace FX window where it says "Smart Deinterlace" and make sure that the little triangle at the far left points to the left; if pointing to the right, click it once to make it point left. (You won't need to worry about this if you apply Smart Deinterlace to individual clips in the Project Media Window instead of to the track.)

Then render out with Cineform using its Progressive setting. Result: No judder, no comb, no loss of resolution.

Use the "medium quality" setting in Cineform - not much advantage to using High HD.

[Adi Head]

Ok. Thanks.

And what is

Use Video Systems RGB (default off)
-or-.
Use ITU.Bt.709 color space (default on)

in Cineform configuration window about? I'm assuming I should just leave it at the default, but I'm curious.
THX