DVD-RAM .VRO not playing right in MPEG Streamclip to import to iMovie?

Question

Level 1

15 points

DVD-RAM .VRO not playing right in MPEG Streamclip to import to iMovie?

I have a pretty time-sensitive problem with creating a video.

I shot some video on an older Panasonic camcorder on DVD-RAM. It doesn't come with any cords/jacks to hook it to a computer, so the only way to get the video onto the computer is to put the DVD-RAM into a third-party drive and copy it over. Then I use MPEG Streamclip to play and convert the DVD-RAM's .VRO files to DV to import into iMovie. That usually works OK.

Problem is I didn't use a fresh disc and just recorded onto the tail-end of some old recording my sister-in-law had. At least, I think that's the problem. Maybe because her video was shot in Normal and mine was in XTRA?

I checked the video playback in the field on the camcorder and it was fine. Now, on the computer, the first part (sis-in-law) is fine, but my new stuff is crazy. It plays back with digital blocks on the bottom 1/6 of screen and the picture is stretched with only half of it showing at all, plus the sound seems off.

Using MPEG Streamclip, I have tried a bunch of different export to DV settings with no luck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I don't know if I have time to duplicate these man-on-the-street interviews by my deadline.

Thanks, Deborah

iMac8, 1 (20"), Mac OS X (10.5.4), 2.66 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Posted on Oct 20, 2008 9:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Oct 20, 2008 9:59 AM in response to Xena Deb

but my new stuff is crazy. It plays back with digital blocks on the bottom 1/6 of screen and the picture is stretched with only half of it showing at all, plus the sound seems off... Using MPEG Streamclip, I have tried a bunch of different export to DV settings with no luck.
If it will not play properly in MPEG Streamclip there is little hope that the file will miraculously improve during a conversion. It sounds like a case of "what you see is what you got." So unless you can get another conversion application to play it back properly, I think you may simply be "out of luck" here.

Reply

Answer 2

Xena Deb Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 21, 2008 11:23 PM in response to Jon Walker

Miracle of miracles!

Someone recommended converting it to a DV stream instead of just DV in MPEG Streamclip. When I carefully selected just the second day's recordings only as my in and out points, trimmed, and converted... it worked! Sadly, I missed a couple of minutes at the very beginning because I couldn't quite get the in point right, but most of it was saved.

Thanks all! I hope my experience can help someone in the future.

PS anybody have any info on preferred settings such as DVCPRO50/DVCPRO/DV, interlaced/progressive, deinterlace, etc. and what are the best setting to use?

Deborah

Reply

Answer 3

Xena Deb Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 23, 2008 11:01 PM in response to Xena Deb

Thanks again!

ALSO,

if anyone has any suggestions for settings for converting .VRO files, please share. I'm interested in picture quality and being able to import into iMovie.

Reply

Answer 4

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,489 points

Oct 24, 2008 6:35 AM in response to Xena Deb

if anyone has any suggestions for settings for converting .VRO files, please share. I'm interested in picture quality and being able to import into iMovie.
The Following compression formats will produce the highest quality (and largest files):
1) DV/DV (DV video with DV audio as using the "Export to DV..." option),
2) DV/AIFF (DV video with AIFF linear PCM audio as using either the "Export to QuickTime..." or "Export to Other Formats..." option),
3) AIC/Uncompressed (Apple Intermediate Codec video with uncopressed audio using the "Export to QuickTime..." option), or
4) AIC/AIFF (AIC video with AIFF audio using the "Export to Other Formats..." option).

The following video compression formats should produce slightly lower quality with files on the order half the size (depending on "Quality" setting) with any compatible audio and possibly "thumbnail"/import more quickly to iMovie '08:
1) Motion-JPEG (using either the "Export to QuickTime..." or "Export to Other Formats..." option) or
2) Photo-JPEG (using either the "Export to QuickTime..." or "Export to Other Formats..." option).

The following compression formats can produce a wide range of quality/file sizes depending on the data rates used (i.e., limiting the data rates to low values produce low quality files in a very small package while unlimited data rates may approach the quality of DV or AIC files but with similar file sizes):
1) MPEG-4/AAC (using either the "Export to QuickTime..." or "Export to Other Formats..." option) or
2) H.264/AAC ((using either the "Export to QuickTime..." or "Export to Other Formats..." option).

As to specific settings, use settings based on your source file. For instance, if you are startting with an NTSC recording the use the NTSC standard for your conversion. If you have the option to shoot in a progressive mode and used it, the use the progressive mode for your conversion -- otherwise you would normally leave it interlaced unless your target use requires deinterlaced files. Normally the DV(25) setting is used, but any of the settings will work. (I.e., DVCPRO50 will double the video video data rate but not change really improve the quality in terms of things like resolution.) If you note audio drift, you may try re-sampling the audio. If changing an NTSC standard file to PAL, you would likely want to used the "Blend Frames" option. If the files have to be compatible with ancient versions of iMovie, use the "Split into Segments" option. If cropping (especially vertically), use the "Better Downscaling" option. In short, read the documentation and use the settings that might apply to your particular conversion needs. My personal advice is to make as few changes as possible -- i.e., match the settings of the source file as close as possible.

Reply