[saint_ade]

Hi,
I have been using DVD Shrink successfully for back-up of DVDs of TV programmes etc. I have been importing them into Nero Vision 4 and re-editing them to make feature length movies from 2 TV episodes joined together for instance. The trouble is, for intricate editing, Nero just isn't good enough. I suffer from failures, crashes and just frustration as the timeline editing isn't anywhere near as good as say Pinnacle. But you can't import VOB or DVD files into Pinnacle, only real-time capture (not what I want). Can anyone please recommend another piece of software that is better than Nero for scanning/importing and editing TV/films down to frame by frame level??? Please help! Ade

ULead Video Studio gives you easy frame perfect editing but input PQ does not equal output PQ at least in my experience. I am still trying to find the best route.

[senu]

Originally Posted by saint_ade

Hi,
... But you can't import VOB or DVD files into Pinnacle, only real-time capture (not what I want). Can anyone please recommend another piece of software that is better than Nero for scanning/importing and editing TV/films down to frame by frame level??? Please help! Ade

Pinnacle Studio 10 can import the VOBs and ver 9 can import them ( renamed) as mpeg

If you do a search on mpeg editing there are a few helpful threads. Womble is a good mpeg editior but not as feature rich as say Pinnacle studio. Adobe Premire Elements 2 also imports VOBs and DVD files as does UleadVideo Studio. Premiere has a newly released Ver 3 , It may be better at editing Mpeg than 2.
Although VS 10 is supposed to "smartrender " ( and avoid reencoding unnnessesarily) mpegs I too dont seem to have got its settings right to obtain output as I would like .
Accurate Frame by frame level mpeg editing at budget level is probably non existent but the need to edit HDV in its native form will change that with time.

[jomike]

To enable smart render in VS10, in File > Preferences in the General tab, make sure the "Show message when inserting first video clip into timeline" box is ticked, Then, when inserting clip, make sure the first clip is a MPEG2 clip. When saving, choose "Same as first clip".

Regards, Mike

[senu]

Originally Posted by jomike

To enable smart render in VS10, in File > Preferences in the General tab, make sure the "Show message when inserting first video clip into timeline" box is ticked, Then, when inserting clip, make sure the first clip is a MPEG2 clip. When saving, choose "Same as first clip".

Regards, Mike

This is a bit of a workaround though and peculiarity with VS.

I recently tried the trial of (the undoubtedly more expensive) Canopus Edius which takes all comers on its timetime:

Excellent software though no doubt OTT for most casual users

Mike ,
In your experience how does output from VS 10 compare with Womble?. IMHO whichever way Womble does it I find its edited mpeg output ( whether from VOB or natively), impressive ( so far).

[jomike]

Same discussion on VS10 smart rendering going on here with some more details:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t130266.html

Senu - I still love Womble for it's raw speed. VS10 is just so clunky to use. I do like VS10's DVD authoring part though, and have stopped using Nero. Usually if I just have some cutting and pasting to do, I still use Womble. I use VS10 for the fancier stuff (usually inserting stills with "zoom" effects). As for output, I find the PQ about the same between the two (as one would expect with smart rendering)

Regards, Mike

[redsox_mark]

The new Version 7 of Vegas (and Vegas Movie Studio) has much improved performance with mpeg editing, and can also import directly from DVD. However they have not added any smart rendering.

[saint_ade]

Thanks...I managed to get the VOB files to mpg and got the video onto the timeline of Pinnacle Studio 9 OK, but when you try to play nothing happens...and moving the cursor along the timeline doesn't show the corresponding picture in the view frame. I can see the opening frame at the start of the timeline but that's all. Do I need to adjust any properties or unlock anything, or is it something else? S9 is running OK on other captured DV files OK. Hope its not PS9 coz I tried PS10 and it couldn't see my DVD drive! I tried many fixes with the online help and emails but in the end they recommended a PS9 reinstall and stick with it. Any ideas please?

[senu]

Originally Posted by redsox_mark

The new Version 7 of Vegas (and Vegas Movie Studio) has much improved performance with mpeg editing, and can also import directly from DVD. However they have not added any smart rendering.

duh!!
Even Vegas Movie Studio Platinum (6) can ( quite easily) import from DVD or even DVD camcorder disc

[redsox_mark]

Yes, but MPEG editing is greatly improved in V7.