Editing for web, advice required

[CC]

Having probs getting video to right size and need some help, someone suggested should ask on here.

Technical, got Pinnacle studio version 9 SE and run Windows xp. Can edit the video okay, add titles and all, but probs come when trying to render. Can render okay but the file size and data rate way too high for what I have to have the videos. Been told that should have videos at 1024kbps giving file size approx 8mb per minute of video and dimensions 640x480, well I go to the set up options and make Windows media but it just gives options as Low,Medium,High or Custom but no option to select size, if select High then it does 720x576 and 1957kbps video rate using nearly 16mb per minute, if select Medium it does 360x288 and 394kbps so don't know what to do.

So does anyone here who uses same software know what I need to do?, go easy on me as I'm blonde so simple easy to follow not-too-technical instructions much required.

Maybe I'm trying to get wrong properties, don't know, but its for a website I am going to have and someone said they should be the properties I am trying to get and can't get. Is that person right or what?

Really need help, spending hours doing this and not getting it right and already broke a nail after losing temper with it earlier, why have computers and computer stuff got to be so complicated I don't know.

If anybody can help me here with this it will be really great, got my fingers and my toes all crossed.

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[rgb]

Just sitting here using Pinnacle now.

In the drop down box to the right of the drop down box with "custom" in it you've got the choice of different bit rates. Pinnacle doesn't do 1024kbps but you've got the choice of 768 or 1500. I go for the 1500 and I've had compliments on the quality of my video, but it makes bigger file sizes and uses more bandwidth.

[CC]

Thank you rgb. I tried that drop down box on custom option but it gives lots of options like for instance

Windows media Video 8 for Local area network (768kbps)
Windows media Video 8 for broadband (PAL 1400kbps)
and so on so on

it doesn't have a 1500kbps option on mine and also if I choose the options that say 768kbps or 1400 then it says the video dimensions are 360x288 so don't know what's wrong.

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[Joe A]

One question before I say a word and have the super experts jumping on me.... LOL

In custom are you making the vid as an mpeg1 ? If so let me know and I'll tell you what a friend of mine who's had vids on his sites for years advised me. This is someone elses advise not mine

I'm currently rendering for a project that requires mpeg4, and the settings I've been given that are so different to normal web site production...

[rgb]

email me at rgb@dirtydick.net or we'll bore everyone here to death...

[Joe A]

RGB

I'm using Studio 9+ and if someone can give me advise on here that might improve what I do I'd be happy.. This is about the biz... LOL

When I select Custom > Mpeg 1, I get the choice of the following screen sizes: 192 X 144, 352 X 288 and 384 X 288 and that's it.. Do you get different choices

If anyones bored they won't post

[rgb]

lol... email me Joe or I'll email you if I can find your addy , but I'm just off to bed now so I'll do it tomorrow...I've got the gorgeous Danielle Manneken coming down tomorrow so it might not be until late !wink!

[CC]

Hiya Joe, thank you for replying. No it is'nt Mpeg1, it is Windows Media Audio/Video files as that was what I was told that video for a website should be. The person who advised is another girl I know who says that is what she has to do for her website, thing is she's on hols for a couple of weeks so I can't ask her how she does it til she gets back.

It's not going to be a professional website, just an amature one where I can advertise my services and have a member paying area. Are you suggesting though that I could be going about it all wrong and should really be doing Mpeg?

How important are the dimensions anyway?

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[Joe A]

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I can't create wmv's on my Studio 9+ ... I create an mpg then use winavi to convert them. This little programme is a handy asset as it converts almost every format to another.

WMV's are about half the file size of an mpg and the quality isn't that different for your end use So... There is no right or wrong, you can use either, though I'n still waiting for the super experts here to comment

RGB.. I sent you a pm back in Feb I think, on the producers forum, and you haven't read it yet.. LOL.

[Jacques]

I never got on with Studio 9, lasted less than a week on my pc..... But if I can offer an alternative?

I assume you have captured you video from DV and it is on your HD. So all you will need now is Windows Media Encoder (which is free)




Start Windows Media Encoder:

Close the Wizard
Set the Default Video Format to match your DV source. i.e. 25 fps(PAL)
Restart Windows Media Encoder if you needed to change the Default Video Format
Click New session
Select Convert a file
Open the video (if the video won't open download and install the Panasonic DV Codec )
Select File download(computer playback)
Set the Video bitrate, Try DVD video quality 1 MBits CBR
Set the Audio bitrate, Try CD quality CBR

WMW output sizes:
DVD video quality 2 MBits CBR will be around 16 MB/minute.
DVD video quality 1 MBits CBR will be around 8 MB/minute.
VHS video quality 250 KBits CBR will be around 2 MB/minute.
You can change the bitrate and the video frame size later if you need to.

Disable Begin converting when I click Finish

Deinterlace:
Select Properties
Under Processing select Deinterlace
Apply
(this is better done in your video editor before importing, if you have already deinterlaced then don't do this step)

Video frame size:
Select Video Size
Change the Frame Size to 640x480 or lower.
Be sure that the Output aspect ratio is 1.33(4:3) unless you shot widescreen

Compression:
Select Compression
Disable Two Pass Encoding ( you can enable this if you want better quality but it will take much longer to convert)

Convert:
Last Hit Start Encoding to convert
Check the time remaining. Then go away and make a cup of tea, maybe do some decorating or something. The Encoder is very, very slow.

Done

I found this on the videohelp forum and have used it on many occasions, and whilst slow it does what is say on the tin.