Best template to use in Vegas MSP to preserve quality.

[dave_bass5]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but after editing in Vegas MSP whats the best way for me to output the finished footage.
Im using the MPEG2, HDV1080-50i at the moment but noticed that the audio is mpeg2 rather than AC3. Is this a problem? I notice a slight decrease in quality, not a big deal but im wondering if there is a better output format.
.avi uncompressed seems to give me problems and the file size is huge so i dont really want to use that.
Im not wanting to do anything with the footage other than play it on my LCD.

Cheers for any help but please remember this is the cut down Vegas so not all the options are there that are in the full version.

[senu]

Originally Posted by dave_bass5

Sorry if this is a dumb question but after editing in Vegas MSP whats the best way for me to output the finished footage.

That would be the one which works for you then!
There is no "best" for all projects but you will generally settle for what ends up looking ( and sounding) good for you based on a bit of trial and error
Im using the MPEG2, HDV1080-50i at the moment but noticed that the audio is mpeg2 rather than AC3. Is this a problem? I notice a slight decrease in quality, not a big deal but im wondering if there is a better output format.[/QUOTE]
The main formats are LCM ( CD quality), mpeg2 and AC3 : LCM is the best , but it is very space consuming. AC3 combines smaller size with great quality. I think mpeg2 is in between
AC3 encoding should be but is not always available in non " full " versions.I however thought Sony now had it in all versions...Perhaps DVD Architect Studio does??

.avi uncompressed seems to give me problems and the file size is huge so i dont really want to use that.

No you dont..

Im not wanting to do anything with the footage other than play it on my LCD.

Should be Fine

Cheers for any help but please remember this is the cut down Vegas so not all the options are there that are in the full version.

Im not sure where the footage is from. The full versions have all the options and may be got at "cut down prices" if you keep your eye open otherwise you may find that you can work with whatever options Movie Studio Platinum has given that its al for your personal use anyway

[dave_bass5]

Cheers for the reply.
Let me just rephrase the overall question then.
Im asking what will give me the closest output to my HF10 input, once it has been edited.

And yes, the MPEG2 output does work for me but im wondering if there is anything better.
Any idea what the .avi intermediate settings are for? I cant play them.

[senu]

The AVI intermediate settings can be played but they were developed to make hi def mpeg2 files easy to edit like DV AVI files , and then be output back to mpeg2 SD or HDV. In the early days of HDV, editing them natively as mpeg2 1080i was hard and it was easier to use the intermediate files for editing then output back to mpeg2 1080i

As for anything better The full version of Vegas apparently has options to output back to AVCHD; Would it be better than mpeg2 1080i.. hard to say as it would depend on how well the AVCHD was encoded

[redsox_mark]

Senu is of course spot on; Vegas Pro can output to AVCHD, MSP can not. But even if it could, it would re-encode anyway, and not neccessarily be any better than using the HDV format. I would continue to save it using the HDV template.

[dave_bass5]

Cheers guys.
I tried Vegas 8's AVCD and while it looked slightly better than HDV it stuttered quite a bit playing from my Popcorn hour.

Are there any programs that will just join the clips together and not re encode them?

[senu]

AVCHD output in software is far from common and until recently only imovie08 could do it. Im not sure Mac users were over the moon about its results
It is said that for simple joining together Sonys PMB will suffice if you have a Sony

However my experieice with NeroVision 5 and AVCHD clips from the Canon HG10 suggest it does a pretty good job outputing AVCHD.. whether it reencodes or not I couldnt say but I have joined clips together with it
Do the clips from Vegas 8 "stutter" everywhere else?

[dave_bass5]

Cheers. ill give Nero a go. Hadn't thought of using that.

Not sure about the stuttering with other devices. As its only a 30 day trial of Vegas ill not be able to use it much anyway so i didn't bother testing anything else. Might have been because i set it to a really high bit rate and was streaming it.

[b1nuzz]

Originally Posted by redsox_mark

Senu is of course spot on; Vegas Pro can output to AVCHD, MSP can not.

Hi guys, Sorry to highjack the thread a little bit but;

i cant work out the settings to get vegas pro to output to AVCHD? Can someone direct me to the correct settings please.

Thanks

[dave_bass5]

Originally Posted by b1nuzz

Hi guys, Sorry to highjack the thread a little bit but;

i cant work out the settings to get vegas pro to output to AVCHD? Can someone direct me to the correct settings please.

Thanks

You need to set the output to SonyAVC

[b1nuzz]

Originally Posted by dave_bass5

You need to set the output to SonyAVC

AH HA! Brilliant. Cheers

[dave_bass5]

Originally Posted by b1nuzz

AH HA! Brilliant. Cheers

No problem.
Beware it takes ages to render.