What is causing loss of quality?

handful · #1 (**permalink**) 05-30-2006, 12:57 PM

Ok...I have just used Vegas for the first time and although I am impressed with it so far I am a bit disapointed with the quality of the finished DVD. I had trouble capturing in Vegas so captured using Movie Maker at highest possible quality (720 x 576 25fps PAL) I then opened this up in Vegas, edited and rendered it at 720 X 576 PAL mpeg2 (same setting as before) Quality at this stage appeared fine on the pc.

I then used DVD Architect to burn the dvd and used mpeg2 quality again. The finished project is not terrible quality but is definitely worse than prior to burning the dvd, a bit jerky and blurred. Is it better to render the video and audio seperately in Vegas and then use DVD Architect to render them together?

My system is only just up to the job of editing (rendering took nearly 3 hours) and wondered whether this could be the reason or does this only affect the speed of rendering rather than the quality? What other factors can affect the finished quality? Speed of burning? Method of capturing? This is my first post on this forum so apologies for making it such a long and drawn out question. Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Athlon 2400+
512 mb pc2700Ram
single 120gb hd with seperate partition of 40gb for editing
LG GSA-4167B multi dvd drive
Vegas 6.0d
Sony TRV 238E Digital 8 camcorder

marrs · #2 (**permalink**) 05-30-2006, 05:24 PM

Get yourself a DV camcorder!?

handful · #3 (**permalink**) 05-30-2006, 06:11 PM

Thanks Marrs for the response.....very useful! Still doesn't answer why the quality is suffering during the rendering. I assume if I followed the same path as I did before I would also see loss of quality in a dv recording. I know the obvious answer is to buy all the newest gear with dual core processors and 3 seperate HDs and a camera that's the mutts nuts but I'm not trying to be Scorsese, just want to put some home video onto dvd. I went the digital 8 route a couple of years ago due to having a pile of old 8mm tapes that still need editing. Any more constructive replies would be very welcome.

handful · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 03:29 PM

Just for info in case anyone else has the same query, I burned my first project again using Nero Vision 4 and the results were MUCH better. Maybe I had a wrong setting in DVD Architect......who knows?

irishmark · #5 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:02 PM

So you rendered it asn an mpeg2 out of vegas then Architect re-rendered it again? if this is so that's what your problem is. There is no need to let Architect re-render it. Check your project settings in architecht

handful · #6 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 07:59 PM

Thanks for the response irishmark, I will do as you suggest and check the project settings. I didn't expect DVD Architect to render again before burning but assumed that it was normal as I hadn't requested it to. What is the best programme for burning generally...DVD Architect or Nero? From what I can see DVD Architect is for the more advanced user and Nero is a bit simpler to use but what difference should I expect in quality once I get the settings right?

Video Novice · #7 (**permalink**) 06-07-2006, 04:41 AM

I don't see an option under Architect preferences to turn on/off rendering? The only option I see there is "Use best stretching algorithm during rendering." When does the rendering happen in Architect, during "Prepare DVD" stage? If so how do you turn that off?