HDV 1080i to DVD conversion

**kamboy** · 04-05-2007, 06:43 AM

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum. I just joined yesterday. It's great to be part of this forum.

Since the last few weeks I have been trying to convert my home made holiday movie to DVD (PAL) format but I am not getting the proper picture quality.

I have a Sony HD 1080i camcorder and have transferred the movie to my computer. I use Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 for my movie editing and I now have the edited movie on m2t files.

The movie on m2t files is of excellent HD quality.

I first converted the m2t files directly to DVD using Premeire Pro 2.0 but the quality was extremely poor.

I then sought advice from someone who suggested the following:

1. Convert m2t files to uncompressed AVI with the Huffyuv codec using TMPG encoder.

2. Then convert the uncompressed AVI files to DVD using Canopus Pro Coder resulting in m2v files.

3. Then render the m2v files to DVD using Adobe Encore.

I did bit rate budgeting and used a bit rate of 4700 which is optimum for a 2 hour movie. I also chose the highest quality options in each of the above software and also used the 2 pass variable rate encoding options BUT STILL THE PICTURE QUALITY is nowhere near what a DVD should be. It is more like VCD and is FULL OF NOISE.

Can someone please suggest a better method so that the final DVD quality is better.

I need to present the final DVD to at least 30 friends and relatives and I want to impress them.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Kind regards,

Kamran

**Alan Mills** · 04-05-2007, 07:19 AM

I use a Sony HDV camcorder and Premiere Pro 2 and never touch m2t files (unless I have to - which is never).

I capture and edit using Cineform's Excellent Aspect HD tool/plugin. I always edit high def as 1080i. Once my timeline is ready I simply use the Media encoder to export to m2v and wav files as SD PAL (widescreen) - typically with default settings. These, as you say, plug in to Encore DVD and I;ve never had issues yet or anyone whinge about quality (except myself when I messed up the capture once but that's a different story).

I have never exported as m2t files and can't see a need to do so if I'm honest.

Possibly you may choose to export as AVI and let Encore (or some other app) do the encoding to MPEG2 for DVD authoring. For historical reasons (relationg to both Matrox hardware and early Encore DVD [versions 1 and 1.5] 'features') I tend not to do this though.

**kamboy** · 04-05-2007, 09:54 AM

Alan,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I am now in a situation where I only have the edited m2t file. I do not have the original unedited files that were captured on my Sony HDV camcorder.

In view of the fact that I now can only start with m2t files, how can I create a good quality DVD from it?

Step by Step instructions would be most helpful.

I do have Cineform software as well as Sony Vegas 7.0 as well as other tools such as Virtual Dub, Canpus and TMPG.

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Best regards,

Kamran

**kamboy** · 04-05-2007, 09:57 AM

Dear Alan,

Further to my last message, I can change the extension from m2t to tp. Would that help?

Please let me know.

Kamran

**Alan Mills** · 04-05-2007, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by kamboy

Alan,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I am now in a situation where I only have the edited m2t file. I do not have the original unedited files that were captured on my Sony HDV camcorder.

In view of the fact that I now can only start with m2t files, how can I create a good quality DVD from it?

Step by Step instructions would be most helpful.

I do have Cineform software as well as Sony Vegas 7.0 as well as other tools such as Virtual Dub, Canpus and TMPG.

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Best regards,

Kamran

M2t files are the 'raw' bitstream that comes off the tape at capture time. If you have Cioneform s/w then use HDLink to convert the m2t files into (very large) AVI files (about 45Gb per hour).

To recap HDLink is the utility from Cineform that allows capture of the m2t bitstream from HDV camcorders and converts (not quite in realtime) to large AVI files. you can opt to captureand convert on-the-fly which is whatg I usually do and you then simply are left with AVI files or you can just save the M2T file and convert at your leisure later. So basically, converting these m2T files into uncopmpressed files is what HDLink was written to do - sort of.

**kamboy** · 05-27-2007, 05:59 PM

Hi Alan,

I am back again.

Please advise me what is the best method / software to convert large uncompressed AVI files such that I can end up with the best possible 4.7GB DVD.

My goal is to convert Sony HDV camcorder m2t files to a 4.7GB DVD. I have already converted the m2t files to an uncompressed AVI file using Cineform HD connect. Please tell me what the next steps should be.

Thanks.

**Alan Mills** · 05-27-2007, 08:37 PM

Well, I always edit my Cineform generated ABVI files as a 1080i project in Premier Pro. When I;m done I export it anyhow I want. Sometimes as a small wmv for web distrubution or I just go into Media Encoder and choose the DVD MPEG2 settings. That give me a M2V and WAV files which I bring into Encore for making a DVD with. Easy.

**MOSH** · 06-04-2007, 10:15 AM

slightly off topic... I just burnt my first 1080i HD DVD yesturday, (i've had the technology for over a year, thought i should try it out).

Came out spot on with no silly encoding nightmares straight onto a 4.7GB DVD (5 min vid took just under 1gb - it Plays back on my Mac in HD, so i know it works, I just don't have a HD DVD player yet :-/

**kamboy** · 06-14-2007, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by MOSH

slightly off topic... I just burnt my first 1080i HD DVD yesturday, (i've had the technology for over a year, thought i should try it out).

Came out spot on with no silly encoding nightmares straight onto a 4.7GB DVD (5 min vid took just under 1gb - it Plays back on my Mac in HD, so i know it works, I just don't have a HD DVD player yet :-/

Mosh,

I have tried everything and am still getting poor quality. I have excellent m2t files but converting is a nightmare. I have other things to do, so can I get a professional to do the work for me. Can you recommend anyone who lives within a 50 mile radius of Slough in Berkshire. You live in Kent which is not far away. If I pay for your time and expense would you be willing to help or recommend someone to do it for me.

The total size of the m2t files is 21GB, so I can split the files and burn them on four DVDs for you to help me out.

Thanks.

Kamboy

**Alan Mills** · 06-14-2007, 06:36 PM

I live just down the road from you in Bracknell. What do you need doing exactly to this M2T file. What final output file type and res do you need.

My standard rate for this type of thing is usually a couple of bottles of nice beer.

I would propose to convert the M2T file to Cineform AVI using Cineform's HDLink tool (v5). This 1080i AVI file is editable quite nicely in Premiere Pro usually in real time. What output do you need?

The transfer of the M2T file might actually be easier by supplying the original MiniDV tape.

Alan

edit: Just seen your other thread started on this. Would proposed to supply both a PAL M2V and WAV file for DVD authoring.