(1) It is prohibited to copy a part or all of this product without prior permission.
(2) The contents or specifications of this product may be changed without prior notice.
(3) We have prepared the contents of this product to the best of our ability; however if you have any
questions about the contents, or if there are any errors or missing items, please contact Grass Valley.
(4) However we do not take any responsibility for malfunctions arising from use, irrespective of the points
outlined in (3).
(5) Irrespective of whether it was due to a usage error, Canopus takes no responsibility for extraordinary,
incidental or derivative claims, including those for lost earnings generated by the application of this
product.
(6) It is prohibited to analyze, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any of the items included with
this product, including the software, hardware, and manuals.
(7) HDV is the trademark of Sony Corporation and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC).
(8) Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, USA.
(9) Intel, Pentium and Xeon are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its
subsidiaries in the United States of America and other countries.
(10) QuickTime is the registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., USA.
(11) iPod and Final Cut Pro are the trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
(12) Macromedia and Flash are the trademarks of Macromedia, Inc.
(13) Adobe, Adobe logo, Adobe Reader and Adobe Premiere are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems
Incorporated.
(14) Dolby, Dolby and the Double D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
They are manufactured based on their own license.
(15) Other product names or related brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.
Manual Explanation
Information not described in this manual may be displayed in some cases. Make sure to read the text file
attached to the disc.
If there are any variations between the explanation in this manual and the actual application method,
priority is given to the actual application method.
This manual is written for people who have a basic knowledge of how to use a computer. If there are no
special instruction, perform the same operation as a normal computer operation.
Windows XP (collective term of Home Edition, Professional and Professional x64 Edition) in this book
means Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system.
In this manual, ProCoder 3 is called 'ProCoder'.
DANGER
Health Precautions
In rare cases, flashing lights or stimulation from the bright light of a computer display or TV monitor may
trigger temporary epileptic seizures or loss of consciousness. It is believed that even individuals whom have
never experienced such symptoms may be susceptible. If you or close relatives have experienced any of
these symptoms, consult a doctor before using this product.
Copyright
Do not use captured image/sound data created by other ones without authorization of the right holder
regardless of whether it is moving or still image, except for personal fun. Also, duplication of such data is
sometimes limited even for personal hobby. Please notice that we are exempted from responsibility for the
use of captured data.
Index ...................................................................... 206
6
Chapter 1
Introduction
ProCoder 3
Before Installing ProCoder
1
Before Using ProCoder
Precautions
IN NO EVENT SHALL GRASS VALLEY BE LIABLE TO USER OR ANY OTHER PARTY
FOR INCIDENTIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES ARISING UNDER
THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT WHETHER UNDER THEORY OF CONTRACT, TORT,
INDEMNITY, PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE.
EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PROVIDED HEREIN, GRASS VALLEY MAKES
NO REPRESENTATIONS, EXTENDS NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MARCHANTABILITY,
NON-INFRINGEMENT OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ASSUMES
NO RESPONSIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT HEREUNDER.
FURTHER, GRASS VALLEY MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF PROPER OPERATION
OF THIS PRODUCT UNDER OTHER USAGE ENVIRONMENT THAN THAT
RECOMMENDED BY GRASS VALLEY FOR THIS PRODUCT.
Unauthorized recording of copyrighted television programmes, compact discs, digital
versatile discs, video tapes and other materials may infringe the right of copyright
owners and be contrary to copyrights laws.
IN NO EVENT SHALL GRASS VALLEY BE LIABLE TO USER OR ANY OTHER PARTY
FOR WORKS AND/OR THEIR REPRODUCTIONS THAT PRODUCED, REPRODUCED,
OR EDITTED BY USE OF THIS PRODUCT.
IT IS SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDED THAT USER SHALL CONSULT WITH ITS
LEGAL ADVISOR, FOR THE RISK OF INFRINGEMENT MAY DEPEND ON THE USAGE
ENVIRONMENTS.
8
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Before Installing ProCoder
Support
Customer Support
For questions regarding hardware setup and usage, please contact your local Grass
Valley office, distributor or the store where you have purchased this product.
Web-site
Including ProCoder, the latest company information is announced at our web-site:
http://www.canopus.com/
The latest drivers utilities, product manuals, FAQs, etc. are also available at our web-
site.
Online User Registration
You can register your ProCoder here.
http://www.canopus.com/support/
ProCoder 3
Key Features
2
Whether you’re encoding MPEG for DVD production or a Windows Media Video for Web
streaming, ProCoder makes conversion from one video format to another quick and easy.
Featuring Grass Valley’s highly optimized DV and MPEG codec technologies, ProCoder
provides high-quality output without the long wait and guesswork of similar tools.
Supports the loading/exporting of Dolby Digital audio (.ac3)
Dolby Digital audio (.ac3) and MPEG files that contain Dolby Digital audio, such as a
video recorded with a DVD recorder, can be used as audio sources, as can AVCHD
files.
Dolby Digital audio can also be exported and you can map audio channels with an
audio filter, channel mixer.
Audio channel mixer
You can load a source file with multiple audio channels and allocate audio channels
before exporting the file.
You can allocate the audio tracks of an EDIUS project to specified channels and
export these as an audio file.
10
High-speed HDV encoder (Speed Encoder)
On a PC with multiple CPU cores, ProCoder 3 can export HDV MPEG-TS files at high
speed. By utilizing original GRID encoding technology, the encoding time can be
reduced, depending on the number of CPU cores.
* RAM larger than [number of the CPU cores] x [512MB] is required.
Supports Flash encoding
You can generate a file in the Flash7 format, which is suitable for Web Video contents.
Supports H.264 encoding
You can generate an H.264 file that can be played on mobile terminals, including
cellular phones.
Convenient features for loading DVD files
When you load a DVD (VOB) onto the ProCoder, the chapter information can be
retained for use. You can also load files and split these, based on the chapters.
Improved progressive video quality
The noise reduction filter has been improved, which reduces the combing noise
that ordinarily occurs when converting an interlaced video to a progressive format.
Another filter that specializes in Inverse Telecine has been added.
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Key Features
Improved scaling quality
Video quality when changing the video size (scaling) has been improved. ProCoder 3
excels at converting SD video to HD video and/or NTSC to PAL.
Marker function
When you create a new file by joining multiple source files, markers can be added at
the joining points.
Supports Drop/Non-Drop timecodes
Drop/Non-drop timecodes can be used during file seek operations.
Supports conversion of files with VBI data
When you convert files that have their original size data (720x512, 720x608, etc.)
stored in a VBI (vertical blanking interval) format, scaling and cropping can done
properly.
Supports retention of the original timecode
When a file is being converted, the original timecode can be retained and when a file
is exported from EDIUS version 4, the EDIUS project timecode will be retained.
ProCoder 3
Navigating this Manual
3
To install ProCoder 3 on your system, go to
Chapter 2: Installation.
To learn about the easy-to-use ProCoder 3 Wizard, go to
Chapter 3: ProCoder 3 Wizard.
For an overview on ProCoder 3 and its major features, go to
Chapter 4: Using ProCoder.
For some helpful hints and tips on how to improve video quality, go to
Chapter 5: Helpful Hints.
For a complete ProCoder Reference guide, go to
Chapter 6: ProCoder Reference.
For definitons of common video and compression terminology, go to
Chapter 7: Glossary.
Minimum System Requirements
Intel® Celeron® / Intel Pentium® III 800MHz +, or AMD Athlon™ 800MHz +.
Multiple processors and Hyper-Threading support included
(If multiple CPU's are installed on a PC (including multi-core), the Speed Encoder
feature of ProCoder 3 will improves the HDV/MPEG2 conversion speed.)
256MB RAM (512MB RAM for HD encoding, [Number of CPU Cores] x 512MB RAM
for Speed Encoder feature)
800MB free hard disk space
DirectX 9.0 or later
Windows® XP Home, Windows® XP Professional + SP2
USB 1.1 port for USB Hardware Key
(also compatible with USB hubs)
12
Chapter 2
Installation
ProCoder 3
Installing ProCoder
1
To install ProCoder:
Before installing, make sure the USB hardware key that comes with your software is
NOT plugged in.
In order to install, you must log in as a user with administrator privileges.
If QuickTime has not been installed on your system, go to My Computer, open CD-
ROM drive, QuickTime folder, and run QuickTimeInstaller_7.1.exe to install it.
Insert the ProCoder CD-ROM in your CD drive. The CD launches automatically if
1
Window’s Autorun feature is enabled. If Autorun is not enabled, then go to My
Computer, double-click on the CD-ROM drive and run Setup.exe.
The Welcome screen appears. Click the Next button to go to the next installation
2
screen.
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Installing ProCoder
The License Agreement appears. Select I accept the terms of the license
3
agreement to accept the terms of the license and click the Next button.
The Customer Information window appears. Enter your name and company name
4
and click the Next button.
ProCoder 3
Choose Typical, specify a destination location for ProCoder, and click the Next
5
button. To change the destination location, click the Browse button and select a
new destination folder.
Select No and click the Next button.
6
If you are going to use a Tarari board, select Yes.
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Installing ProCoder
Click the Install button.
7
Install Windows Media Format 9.5 runtime files.
8
Click the Yes button.
The License Agreement appears. Click the Yes button to accept the terms of the
9
license.
ProCoder 3
Click the OK button.
10
Click the OK button.
11
Click the OK button.
12
18
When the installation is finished, you must restart your computer to complete the
13
installation. Choose “Yes, I want to restart my computer now.” and click the Finish
button to restart your computer.
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Installing ProCoder
When the computer finishes restarting, plug-in the USB Hardware Key that comes
14
with your software. You can use the computer's on-board USB ports, a USB PCI
card or a USB hub connected to either of these ports. The USB Hardware Key
MUST be connected before starting ProCoder.
ProCoder 3
Uninstalling ProCoder
2
Before starting uninstallation, close all the other applications that may be running in the
task tray.
In order to uninstall, you must log in as a user with administrator privileges.
To uninstall ProCoder:
From the Start menu, select Control Panel, and choose Add or Remove Programs.
1
Select ProCoder 3 and click the Remove button.
2
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Uninstalling ProCoder
Select Remove and click the Next button.
3
Select “Yes, I want to restart my computer now.” and click the Finish button.
4
The computer will reboot. Uninstallation is completed.
ProCoder 3
22
Chapter 3
ProCoder 3 Wizard
ProCoder 3
Using ProCoder 3 Wizard
1
The ProCoder 3 Wizard is very easy-to-use. Its Wizard interface makes converting your
videos as straightforward as answering a few simple questions. Simply launch the
ProCoder 3 Wizard by going to the Start menu and choosing AllPrograms > ProCoder 3 >
ProCoder 3 Wizard.
The ProCoder 3 Wizard lets you configure a conversion by simply answering the questions
displayed in the dialog. ProCoder’s online help has more detailed information regarding the
questions you will be asked. Press the F1 key on your keyboard to access the online help at
any time.
24
The Welcome screen appears when you launch the application and gives you two choices
– Convert a source file to a different format or Create a watch folder. Make a selection
and click the Next button.
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Using ProCoder 3 Wizard
Convert a Source
If you choose to convert a source file, the Load Source screen appears. Click the Load
button to choose the video file you want to convert.
The ProCoder 3 Wizard can load a variety of different video file formats for conversion.
If you cannot see the file you want to load but you know it exists, the file may not be a
supported source type. For example, some file types, such as RealMedia files, cannot be
loaded due to licensing restrictions.
If the ProCoder 3 Wizard has problems loading the selected file, please make sure the file
has the proper file extension for its format. For example, an MPEG-1 file that should have
the .mpg file extension may be mislabelled with the .wmv file extension. Windows Media
Player may play the file properly but also display an error message about the file extension
not matching the file type.
Checking the Source
The Source Parameters section of the window shows the selected source’s file
information. You can see a preview of the video and scrub through it on the right side
of the screen.
Changing Source Parameters
If you want to modify the In/Out points or change the cropping parameters, click the
Config Source File Settings option in the bottom left-hand corner and click the Next
button.
ProCoder 3
Setting In/Out points
Setting In and Out points on your video clip allows the ProCoder 3 Wizard to ignore
portions of video at the start and end. For example, you may have a few seconds of
blank video at the beginning or end that you don’t need to encode.
Click and drag the scrubber below the Preview window to choose where you want
the final encoded video to start and click the Set In Point button.
The timeline to the left of the scrubber turns gray, which means any footage that
appears before the scrubber will not be included in your final converted video. Click
and drag the scrubber to set the video’s out point and click the Set Out Point button.
The timeline to the right of the scrubber turns gray, which means any footage after
this point will not be included in your final converted video.
The Default button restores the in and out points to their original settings.
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Advanced Settings
Advanced Settings let you set the video cropping mode for your source video.
Choose a cropping mode and click the Next button. If you choose the Manual option,
then click the Select Cropping button to open the Crop dialog.
To modify more advanced source settings, click the Select Settings button to open
the Config dialog. The Config dialog lets you modify additional parameters that affect
your source video. This is only recommended for advanced users and should be used
with caution.
ProCoder 3
Choose Conversion Settings
Next, the Use the Wizard or Select a History Entry screen appears. This screen gives you
three options – you can use the Wizard to help you select a target; select a generic target
format and modify the parameters yourself if you are an advanced user; or you can choose
the settings from a previous encoding job from the history list. The last option is not
available if you have not performed any previous encoding jobs. Click the Next button to
proceed to the next screen.
28
The ProCoder 3 Wizard must be running in order for watch folder monitoring and file
conversion to occur.
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Using ProCoder 3 Wizard
Selecting a Target format
The Select Target screen appears and lets you choose the conversion settings for
your source video.
You can choose from any of the following formats.
Web VideoCreate a QuickTime, RealMedia or Windows Media for viewing on a
Web page.
CD-ROM VideoCreate video files in AVI, MPEG-1, QuickTime or Windows Media
format for delivery on CD-ROM.
VideoCDCreate MPEG-1 files that are ready to be used in VideoCD authoring
software.
Super VideoCDCreate MPEG-2 files that are ready to be used in Super VideoCD
authoring software.
DVDCreate high-quality MPEG-2 files that are ready to be used in DVD
authoring software.
HD (High Definition)Create HD-compliant video streams that can be viewed on an
HDTV.
Email AttachmentCreate a Windows Media file that is small enough to send via email.
Video EditingConvert your source video to a format that is compatible with your
video editing software.
After selecting your desired target format and clicking the Next button, the Wizard
begins asking you a series of questions so that it can choose the appropriate settings
for your final encoded video. Proceed through the Wizard’s questions until you get to
the Saving Your File screen.
ProCoder 3
Selecting Generic Targets
Advanced users that know what output settings they want to use can select a generic
target type and bypass the Wizard questions. The settings of the target can be
specified later in the Job Summary screen by clicking the Advanced Output Settings
button.
Choose one of the output types and click the Next button.
30
About the Formats
AVIAVI is used for a variety of applications ranging from CD-ROM
video to video editing and archiving. It is really a file type, versus a
compression type. AVI files can contain many types of compressed
video data depending on the codecs installed on the system. Any
available DirectShow codec on the system can be used as the
compressor.
AVI (DV)DV AVIs are usually used by DV video editing software.
MPEGMPEG is commonly used as a delivery and distribution format
because it provides small files sizes. VideoCD, Super VideoCD
and DVD all use MPEG compression. Both MPEG-1 and MPEG-2
streams can be created.
QuickTimeQuickTime is also more of a file type versus a format. QuickTime
files can contain many types of data depending on the codecs
available on the system.
WindowsMediaWindows Media files are often used for web video and more
recently, high definition video.
RealMediaRealMedia files are normally used for streaming video.
Raw DVRaw DV files are used by some DV video editing systems.
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Choosing Output Location
After answering choosing your settings, the Saving Your File screen appears. On this
screen, you can choose where you want your encoded video file to be saved and how the
file should be named.
There are three questions in the Saving Your File screen.
Where do you want to save the file?
How should the file be named?
If the file exists, do you want to overwrite it?
Where do you want to save the file?
Click on the ... button to choose the folder where you want your converted files to be
saved.
How should the file be named?
There are two options for this question. Choosing Use the Source File Name gives
the converted video the same name as the source file but with the file extension (.mov,
.m2p, .wmv) of the output type.
Choosing Specify New Name lets you give the converted video a different file name.
Simply type the new file name in the field.
ProCoder 3
If the file exists, do you want to overwrite it?
Checking this option lets the ProCoder 3 Wizard automatically overwrite any existing
files in your Save folder if they have the same name as the file you’re currently
encoding. Leaving this option disabled simply adds a number to the file name to
differentiate it from a file in the Save folder that has the same name.
Click the Next button to move to the Job Summary screen.
Confiming Your Settings
The Job Summary screen contains the information about your source file, the target file
and the output format. Verify that this information is correct and click the Convert button to
start converting your video.
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Using ProCoder 3 Wizard
Advanced Output Settings
If you are an advanced user and want to make some last minute changes to your
settings, click the Advanced Output Settings button to open the Config dialog.
Clicking on any of the settings gives you a brief description at the bottom of the
dialog.
When you are finished configuring your settings, click the Close button.
ProCoder 3
Converting Files
You can monitor the conversion status of your file on the next screen. The conversion
status appears in Time elapsed, Time remaining, Total time and speed in terms of realtime.
For example, 2.0x Realtime means conversion is occurring twice as fast as realtime, or a
2-minute file will take 1 minute to convert.
34
Click the Stop button to abort conversion.
When conversion is complete, click the Next button to continue.
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Conversion Finished
Congratulations, your conversion is complete! A list of converted files appears at the
bottom of the window.
Click the Open Target Folder button to access your converted videos. When the folder
opens, double-click on the file you created and it should open in the appropriate media
player. Watch the video and make sure it looks okay. If you want to try encoding the file
again, launch the ProCoder 3 Wizard and go through the Wizard interview again.
Click the Restart button to return to the start to set up another conversion or click Finish to
exit the ProCoder 3 Wizard.
ProCoder 3
Create a Watch Folder
If you choose the Create a watch folder option on the ProCoder 3 Wizard Welcome
screen, the Select Watch Folder screen appears. Watch folders are useful for streamlining
the conversion process by automatically encoding files that are placed inside it. If you
create a Watch folder, the settings you specify using the Wizard are used to convert any
files that are placed in the Watch folder.
36
By sharing a watch folder on the network, you can easily accept files written by other
computers for conversion.
Click the … button to specify a Watch folder. Click the Next button to proceed to the next
screen.
To create a watch folder that will be active regardless of whether the ProCoder 3 Wizard is
open, use the ProCoder Watch Folder Manager to create a Permanent Watch Folder.
Folders watched in this manner are only active while the ProCoder 3 Wizard is running.
Once the ProCoder 3 Wizard is closed, the folder is no longer watched. To create a
watch folder that is active regardless of whether the ProCoder 3 Wizard is open, use
the ProCoder Watch Folder Mananger to create a Permanent Watch Folder.
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Monitoring Watch Folders
You can also monitor watch folders using the Wizard. The conversion status appears
in Time elapsed, Time remaining, Total time and speed in terms of realtime.
For example, 2.0x Realtime means conversion is occurring twice as fast as realtime.
In other words, a 2-minute file will take 1 minute to convert.
Click the Stop button to stop conversion of the current file and go on to the next file, if any.
Files to convert
A list of files remaining to convert appears in this section. Any files that have been put
into the watch folder that have not already been converted or are in the process of
conversion appear here.
Click the Clear List button to remove the remaining files from the list. Removing the
files from the list will skip conversion of those files.
Click the Unwatch button to stop monitoring the selected folder. Any files that arrive
in the watch folder will not be added to the list of files to convert until monitoring
resumes. After clicking Unwatch, the button will change to Watch and you can click
the Watch button to resume monitoring the watch folder.
Watch Folder
This section shows the path to the folder being watched.
ProCoder 3
Other Watch Folder Options
You can drag and drop files into the Monitoring Watch Folders window to begin encoding.
Moving or saving file shortcuts instead of the real files into the Watch folder will also start
the encoding process.
38
Chapter 4
Using ProCoder
ProCoder 3
QuickStart
1
This QuickStart Guide gives you a basic overview of ProCoder’s conversion workflow.
To use ProCoder:
Click the Source tab.
1
Click the Add button and choose the file(s) you want to convert.
2
If you want to add multiple files to the Source List, hold down the Shift or Ctrl keys and
choose the files you want to convert. You can also drag and drop files directly onto the Source
List.
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QuickStart
The file(s) appears in the Source List.
3
If you want to trim your source video or add video and/or audio filters, click the
4
Advanced button. You can also access the Advanced window by:
Double-clicking the source’s icon in the Source List.
Right-clicking the s ource’s icon in the Source List and choosing
contextual menu that appears.
Clicking the source’s icon in the Source List and pressing the
Clicking the
Source tab.
Enter key on your keyboard.
Advan ced in the
For more information, see the Advanced window section later in this chapter.
ProCoder 3
Assigning a Target format
Your source video(s) is converted to one of several target formats. You can choose the
targets you want to create in the Target tab. To assign a target to your source video(s):
Click the Target tab.
1
Click the Add button to choose your source file’s target format. You can add as
2
many formats as you like for the specific source file(s). If you want to create multiple
targets, simply hold down the Shift or Ctrl keys to select the target formats you
want to create. Click the categories at the left to select different sets of presets.
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QuickStart
If you want to enhance the target’s parameters, including adding video or audio
3
filters, click the Advanced button. The modifications you make to the target’s
parameters in these tabs affect all the files in the Source List in the Source tab. For
example, if you have five DV files in the Source List and you modify the parameters
for an MPEG target setting in the Target tab, then the modified MPEG parameters
will be applied to all five DV files you are converting.
ProCoder 3
Converting the file
To begin file conversion, click the Convert tab.
Your encoded video is saved to the path in the Target tab’s Path field unless you have set a
global or local preset output in the settings. For more information or if you want to change
the default target folder, see Transcoding Settings.
You can stop encoding at any time by pressing the Stop button. If you decide to stop
encoding, the file output is still written up until the point encoding was stopped (except for
2-pass encoding).
If you simply want to pause encoding, click the Pause button. Click it again to resume
conversion from a paused state.
To enable or disable the Preview window, click the Preview box.
If the Shutdown PC when finished option is enabled, the computer will automatically shut
down after it converts the file.
To preview the output of a different target, click it in the Target List.
If you want to play the file after it’s encoded, click the file you want to view in the Output
List on the right side of the window and then click the Play File button. The appropriate
player for the file you select launches and plays the file. If you want to open the destination
folder, click the Open Folder button.
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You may want to disable the Preview windows to improve encoding performance. This
is especially useful if you are using ProCoder on an older or slower system.
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Source Tab
Source Tab
2
The Source Tab lets you modify source video settings, enhancing and repairing video
before it is encoded to the desired Target format.
Source Properties
The SourceProperties window appears when you click on the Source tab. All of the
resources necessary for managing and modifying your source video parameters are
available in this window.
ProCoder 3
Source List
The Source List displays all of the source files you are planning to transcode. Use the
buttons and options on the left to modify the list.
AddAdds files to the list. You can also add files by dragging and
RemoveClick the Remove botton to remove the currenttly selected(s) ffrom
Remove AllClick the Remove All button to remove all of files from the list.
AdvancedClick the Advanced button to open the Advanced window, which
StitchCheck this option if you want ProCoder to connect all the items in
Double-clicking on an item in the Source List opens the Advanced Window. For more
information on the Advanced window, see the Advanced Window section later in this
chapter.
dropping them onto the Source List.
the list.
appears on top of the main ProCoder window. Double-clicking on a
item in the Source List also opens the Advanced window. To close
the Advanced window, simply click the Close button. For more
information on the Advanced Window, see the Advanced Window
section later in this chapter.
the Source List into one big file. The arrow keys let you reorder
the Source List before the files are stitched together. Stitching is a
helpful feature if you are, for example, encoding two files, one an
ad or commercial and the other your main video clip. By enabling
the Stitching feature, you can encode both files into a single file that
contains the commercial before your main video clip. It’s also use-
ful if you have a segmented source file that you need encoded into
a single file.
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Source Tab
Parameters
The Parameters section gives you a brief summary of your source file’s settings.
When you add a file to the Source List, ProCoder automatically reads the file
properties, analyzes its parameters and makes the appropriate adjustments to read
the Source correctly before it is encoded.
For example, if you add an interlaced source file to the Source List, the Parameters
section tells you if the Bottom Field or the Top Field appears first in the Interlacing
field. While ProCoder does its best to make the correct assessment, it may incorrectly
identify which field is first. If this happens, you can use the Interlacing drop-down
menu to override ProCoder and choose the correct setting. You can also override
ProCoder’s automatic deinterlacing by applying the Adaptive Deinterlace filter to your
source video and modifying its parameters in the Advanced window.
The following parameters generally apply to all file types. Depending on your source
file type, other parameters may appear in these sections. Consult the Reference
section of this manual for information on more format-specific parameters. For more
information on the Advanced window, see the Advanced window section later in this
chapter.
Source Parameters
LengthDisplays the duration of the source file in hours:minutes:
seconds;frames.
Source FileDisplays the source file’s current location on your computer.
ProCoder 3
Video Parameters
Video Frame SizeDisplays the current frame size of the source file in pixels.
Frame RateDisplays the source file’s current frame rate in frames per second.
Video CodecDisplays the codec used to read the source file’s video. In order to
InterlacingDisplays whether or not your source video is interlaced or not. If
Aspect RatioDisplays the source file’s width-to-height ratio and its pixels. The
The higher the frame rate, the more frames that are stored in the
video file and the smoother playback appears. At lower frame rates,
playback will be jerkier.
play the video, your system needs to have the appropriate codec
module installed. If the appropriate codec is not installed, the
system will not be able to play the video, and ProCoder will not be
able to convert it to another format. However, you can usually find
the codec you’re looking for on the Internet and then download and
install it, making it available to the system and to ProCoder, as well.
your source file is interlaced, the drop-down menu displays which
field is stored first (lower/bottom or upper/top).
ProCoder determines how the frames of video are stored in
the source file. Non-interlaced video stores and displays entire
frames at one time. Interlaced mode splits each frame into sets of
alternating lines, called fields, and displays each field in succession.
In ProCoder, the Bottom field is the Lower field, and the Top field
is the Upper field. Specifying the incorrect field order will result in a
vertical jitter or ghosting during playback.
video aspect ratio is the display size proportion of width to height.
ProCoder has presets for both standard (4:3) and widescreen (16:9)
video aspect ratios. An improper video aspect ratio will result in the
image looking stretched or squashed, i.e. circles will appear as ovals.
The pixel aspect ratio determines the displayed “shape” of each
pixel. For computer use, pixels are normally square (1:1 ratio).
However, for television and video use, pixels are mostly (but not
always) rectangular. ProCoder has presets for square, television
and DV standard, television and DV widescreen, and anamorphic
pixel sizes. An improper pixel aspect ratio can cause the image to
appear stretched or squashed, as well as cause filtering and other
processing to appear strange. For example, a circle wipe may
display as an oval wipe instead.
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While ProCoder is fairly accurate at determining the interlacing properties of your
source video, it’s not always right. For best results, double-check this parameter and
set it to the correct setting if it’s set incorrectly.
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Source Tab
Audio
ChannelsDisplays whether the source file’s audio is single channel (mono),
stereo (left/right channel) or multi-channel (surround).
Sample RateDisplays the number of audio samples per second in the source
file’s audio. The fidelity or dynamic range of the encoded audio
depends on the sample rate. The higher the sample rate, the wider
the range of frequencies that can be reproduced. The maximum re-
producible frequency for a given sample rate is one-half the sample
rate. For example, a standard audio CD uses audio that is at 44.100
kHz, or 44,100 samples per second. This equates to the ability to
reproduce sounds up to frequencies of 22,050 Hz. The combination
of sample rate and bits per sample determine the overall quality of
the audio.
Bits / SampleDisplays the size of each source file’s audio sample in bits per
sample. The more bits per sample, the more accurate the digital
recording will accurately represent the sound changes in a source.
The combination of sample rate and bits per sample determine the
source file’s overall audio quality.
Audio CodecDisplays the codec used to play the source file’s audio. In order to
play the audio in a file, the system needs to have the appropriate
codec module installed. If the appropriate codec is not installed, the
system will not be able to play the audio in the file. For the most
part, ProCoder should be able to read the majority of major audio
codecs. If you don’t have the appropriate codec, you can usually
find it on the Internet and then download and install it, making it
available to the system and to ProCoder, as well.
Description
The Description section is a yellow box in the bottom right-hand corner of the Source
or Target tab windows. It gives you a brief definition of the particular setting, button
or parameter you are currently working on. Click on one of the parameters to see its
description in this box.
ProCoder 3
Advanced window
The Advanced window lets you modify and tweak your source file even further so it is at its
highest quality before encoding. You can trim the overall length of the file, add a video filter
to clean up the image or apply an audio filter in order to boost the overall volume or quality
in this window. The Advanced window has three tabs – Setup, Video Filter and Audio
Filter.
50
To access the Source’s Advanced window from the basic view, do one of the following:
Click the Advanced button.
Double-click the
Right-click the
Click the
Source tab.
If there is no audio data for the source, then the Audio Filter tab will not appear.
If there is no video data for the source, then the Video Filter tab will not appear.
Source entry.
Source entry and choose Advanced.
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Source Tab
Setup
The Setup tab lets you trim your video using a variety of controls.
Scrubber/Play ControlsThe Setup tab lets you trim your video using a variety of controls.
Use the scrubber or play controls to choose your In point and then
click the In button. Then choose your Out point and click the Out
button.
Trimming section
In Sets the In Point at the currently displayed frame. The In Point’s
Time and Frame number are listed in their respective boxes.
Out Sets the Out Point at the currently displayed frame. The Out Point’s
Time and Frame number are listed in their respective boxes.
Clip section
TimeDisplays the time for the frame at which the scrubber is stopped.
You can also use the arrow buttons to find a specific time at which
you want to set the In or Out point, or simply enter a time in the
Time field.
FramesDisplays the frame number at which the scrubber is stopped. You
can also use the arrow buttons to find a specific frame at which you
want to set the In or Out point. You can also simply enter a frame
number in the Frame box.
ProCoder 3
TotalDisplays the source file’s total duration after the In and Out
Points are set. This value is calculated automatically and can-
not be modified by hand. It can only be modified by setting the
In and Out points. Duration time is displayed in hours:minutes:
seconds;frames.
Close button
The Close button closes the Advanced window and returns you to the Source tab.
Because MPEG is composed of a series of Groups of Pictures (GOPs), trimming MPEG
files may not occur at the frame that appears in the Preview window, but rather at
the nearest available GOP. Because of this, ProCoder can’t guarantee the trimming
positions of MPEG files.
Video Filter tab
The Video Filter tab lets you apply filters to your video to help improve image quality of
your source files before they are converted. These filters can be previewed in this tab, but
are applied when the video is being converted to its new format.
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Video filters
601 Correction -
Expand Color Space
601 Correction -
Shrink Color Space
601 to 709 Color
Correction
709 to 601 Color
Correction
Adaptive De-interlace This video filter combines the fields of an interlaced video source’s
Bitmap Keying Superimpose a bitmap logo or graphic on the video. This is often
This video filter expands the RGB range of the video from 16-235 to
0-255. Use this filter to create output for a system that uses the full
0-255 range from input that uses 16-235.
This video filter shrinks the RGB range of the video from 0-255 to
16-235. Use this filter when create output for a system that uses the
16-235 range from input that uses the full 0-255 range.
This video filter is used to convert video in the SD (601) colorspace
to the HD (709) colorspace. Broadcast HD video uses YCbCr colors
following Rec. ITU-R BT 709-5 where as broadcast SD video follows
ITU-R BT 601.
This video filter is used to convert video in the HD(709) colorspace
to SD(601) colorspace.
fields back into whole frames using special processing to preserve
full resolution while ensuring smooth motion.
used to watermark video so it can be personalized.
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Source Tab
Black/White Correction This filter lets you adjust and control the levels of black and white
pixels in your video. By adjusting the sliders, you can specify at
which point a pixel will become black and/or white. The higher the
setting, the more nearly black pixels will be converted to true black
and vice versa. This works best if you are encoding video for the
Web and need to adjust the black and/or white levels of broadcast
video so that they are truly black or white. It’s also useful for making
white titles on a black background more legible when viewing on a
computer monitor.
BlurThis filter blurs the video in a rectangular pattern.
Broadcast Color SafeSome colors that can be displayed on a computer cannot be
displayed on television or video output. This filter restricts the
colors in the source to only colors that are safe for television and
video broadcast.
Circular BlurThis filter blurs the video in a circular pattern.
Color CorrectionThis filter allows you to adjust the brightness, contrast, hue and
saturation of your video image.
Fade In/OutThis filter applies a fade in and/or out to your video in order to
aid the encoding process. You should use this filter if your source
video has a lot of fast motion in the first few frames. The fade in
gives ProCoder a “running start” so it can encode your video more
efficiently.
Gamma CorrectionThis filter adjusts your video’s gamma settings.
Gaussian BlurThis filter applies a Gaussian blur to the video.
MedianThis filter is designed to improve picture quality by removing
single-pixel defects without affecting the sharpness.
PulldownThis filter offers conversion without interpolation for progressive-
to-interlaced (i.e. film-to-video) file conversion. This preserves full
spatial image quality and creates target fields that are selected from
the nearest temporal source frame. Displaying the resulting file
on a progressive display, such as a computer monitor, produces
very noticeable interlacing artifacts. However, displaying this on an
interlaced display, such as a television, produces very good image
quality. This method is generally used when cinematographic
footage is encoded to a DVD and played on a TV.
Relative CropRemove unwanted edges on the video with this filter. This is often
used for removing any edge blanking or other unwanted video
information from the top or bottom of the video frame.
Rotate This filter provides 90-degree rotation and axis-flipping for the
video.
SharpenThis filter sharpens the video using the "unsharpen mask" technique.
ProCoder 3
Temporal Noise Reducer This filter removes noise by using temporal noise reduction.
Video Inverse Telecine
Filter
Adding a Filter
To add a filter to the Video Filter list:
Simply click the Add button. The Add Filter dialog box appears and gives you
1
several filters to choose from. A brief description of each filter is listed in the yellow
Description box when the filter is highlighted.
Temporal noise reduction is effective for removing analog noise.
Use this filter to inverse telecine 2-3 telecined videos.
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Source Tab
In the Add Filter dialog box, choose a filter by double-clicking on it. The filter’s
2
name appears in the Filter List and a preview of how it affects your source video
appears in the Result window adjacent to the Original window. You can browse the
different filter categories on the left and choose filters from the right. Holding down
Shift or Control and selecting the desired filters lets you add multiple filters to the
Filter list.
Use the sliders to adjust the filter parameters to your desired specifications.
3
Removing a Filter
To remove a filter from the Filter List:
Highlight the filter in the list.
1
Click the Remove button to remove the filter. If you want to remove all the filters
2
you’ve applied so far, click the Remove All button.
Saving and Loading filters
To save a custom setting for the currently selected filter:
Click the Save Preset button. A dialog appears asking you to name and enter a
1
short description of your preset.
ProCoder 3
Custom presets are stored along with the default presets and can be categorized
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into folders and subfolders.
To add a customized filter preset, simply click Add and load it the same way you
3
would load a default preset.
To remove a customized filter preset, simply click Add to open the Load Video
4
Filter Preset dialog, click the filter preset you want to remove, then click the Delete
Preset button.
Preview Windows
The Original window displays what the original file looks like before filtering. The
Result window displays the original file with the filters applied.
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The Plus button enlarges both preview images, and the Minus button makes both
preview images smaller. If the preview image is larger than the window, scroll bars
appear allowing you to navigate through the entire image. You can also click and drag
on the image to navigate through the image.
The Fit to Window button resizes the preview images to fit inside the window’s
current size. No matter what size the window, this preview mode preserves the aspect
ratio assigned to the file. This button is useful if you enlarged or reduced the preview
image and want to view the whole image in the window again.
The 1:1 button displays the video at 1-to-1 pixel size. (1 monitor pixel = 1 video
pixel)
The Scrubber bar is used to find specific frames in the source video that you want to
use so you can see the effect of the filter(s) on the specific frame. You can either click
and drag the scrubber or use your keyboard’s arrow keys to step through the video’s
individual frames.
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Source Tab
Settings
This section displays the settings for the particular filter you are using. Use the sliders
to adjust the degree of modifications for each filter.
Large Preview
Clicking the Large Preview button opens a floating window that allow you to modify
the preview size. This is helpful for scrutinizing the finer details of your video. You can
use the scrubber bar to find specific points in the video. You can resize the window
as needed, and it adjusts the size of the previews proportionally. It also contains the
same controls as the Video Filter tab.
The Orientation button switches the orientation of the preview windows
between horizontal and vertical.
ProCoder 3
Audio Filter tab
The Audio Filter tab lets you add audio filters to your source file to help improve the audio
quality of your target files. These filters can be previewed in this tab and are applied to the
source audio before any target audio filters are processed.
Any jobs that are pending or in progress are displayed in the list, along with information
about the job and any sub-sections.
Viewing Jobs
The job information is listed in the Queue Manager as follows:
NameThe name of the job as specified by the ProCoder application
DescriptionThe description of the job as specified by the ProCoder application
PriorityPriority of the job from 1-9, 9 being highest. Queued jobs with
higher priority values will be processed before jobs with lower
priority values.
UserThe method of submission for this job. Jobs normally appear as
ProCoder 3.
ProgressThe progress of the job in percent.
Progress BarA graphical representation of the progress of the job.
TimeThe time of job submission.
MachineThe name of the machine where the job is executed.
Warning/ErrorAny warnings or errors in a job appear here.
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Queue Manager
Managing Jobs
Jobs can be controlled by the contextual menu shown by right-clicking on them.
Changing job priorityYou can change the priority of a job that has not started by right-
clicking the job and choosing Change Priority to select a new
priority. Jobs with higher priorities are processed before jobs with
lower priorities.
You can also change the priority of a job so that it can be processed
next by right-clicking the job and choosing Start Next.
Starting a jobQueued jobs start automatically as processing resources are
available. You can also force the job that is in the QUEUED state
to start locally by right-clicking the job and choosing Start locally
now.
Stopping a jobTo stop a running job, right-click the job and choose Stop. To
restart a stopped job, right-click it and choose Restart.
Pausing a jobA running job can be paused by right-clicking the job and choosing
Pause. To resume a paused job, right-click it and choose Resume.
Removing a jobTo remove a job, right-click the job and choose Remove.
Previewing a jobYou can display a preview of a job in progress by right-clicking the
job and choosing Preview.
Show DetailsYou can display the details of a job.
Clearing the Queue
There are options you can choose in the Tools menu to clear out the queue, including:
Clean ListRemoves all completed jobs
Automatically Remove
on Completion
Removes a job upon successful completion of encoding.
ProCoder 3
Watch Folders
7
A watch folder is used to automatically convert files placed into it. ProCoder “watches” the
folder for new files and when a new file arrives, it is converted automatically according to
the settings assigned without needing user input.
In ProCoder, there are two types of watch folders:
Permanent Watch Folders are set up by ProCoder’s Watch Folder Manager tool. Files
placed into permanent watch folders are converted using the associated target profile
and are active regardless of whether the ProCoder application is open and remain
watched until removed using the Watch Folder Manager tool.
Temporary Watch Folders are set up using the ProCoder 3 Wizard. Files placed into a
temporary watch folder are only converted while the ProCoder 3 Wizard is open. Once
the ProCoder 3 Wizard is closed, the folder stops being watched and returns to being a
normal folder.
You can copy approximately 2000 files at once into the Watch folder. If you need to
copy more than 2000 files, break them up into smaller groups before copying them into
the Watch folder.
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Watch Folders
Creating Permanent Watch Folders
To create a permanent watch folder:
If the ProCoder Application is open, click the Watch button to open the Watch
1
Folder Manager tool. Otherwise, run Watch Folder Setup from the Start menu in
All Programs > ProCoder 3. The ProCoder Watch Folder Manager tool appears.
Existing watch folders appear in the Active Watch Folders area.
ProCoder 3
Click the ... button next to Watch Folder under New Watch Folder.
2
The Browse for Watch Folder dialog appears.
Select the folder to watch for new files. To create a new folder, click the Make New
3
Folder button.
To convert files placed into subfolders of the selected folder, enable the Include
4
Sub Folder option.
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To delete Source file once the conversion is finished, enable the Delete Source
5
after Conversion option.
Permanent Watch Folders use conversion settings from a preset. Choose a preset
6
from the drop-down menu.
Any custom presets you have saved from the ProCoder application appear in this list in
addition to the basic presets.
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Watch Folders
Click the ... button next to Target Folder to select the output folder. All files that
7
arrive in the Watch Folder will be converted and the output is written to the Target
Folder.
The Browse for Target Folder dialog appears.
To output files in subfolders of the Watch Folder into matching subfolders in the
8
Target Folder, enable the Append Sub Source Folder to Target option. If it is not
enabled, files in subfolders of the Watch Folder will be output to root of the Target
Folder.
Click the drop-down next to Target File to choose what to do when conversion
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creates a file with the same name as an existing file in the Target Folder.
Rename if existsrenames the output file, appending a number starting from 00 to
the name to make it unique.
Overwrite if existsoverwrites any existing output file in the Target Folder with the
result of the conversion.
Click Update selected Watch to update the Watch Folder.
10
Click the Create Watch button to add the watch folder to the Active Watch Folders
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list.
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Removing Permanent Watch Folders
To remove a permanent watch folder:
If the ProCoder Application is open, click the Watch button to open the Watch
1
Folder Manager tool. Otherwise, run Watch Folder Setup from the Start menu in All
Programs > ProCoder 3.
The ProCoder Watch Folder Manager tool appears. Existing watch folders appear in the Active
Watch Folders area.
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To remove individual watch folders, select a folder in the list by clicking on it then
2
click the Stop Watch button. To remove all watch folders, click the Unwatch All
button.
Creating Temporary Watch Folders
Temporary Watch Folders are part of the ProCoder 3 Wizard covered in the Chapter 3:
ProCoder 3 Wizard.
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Transcoding Settings
Transcoding Settings
8
The Transcoding Settings window lets you set parameters for destination disks to save
encoded files, as well as default processing options for the entire application. Setting these
parameters is useful if you are going to be dealing with lots of source files from a single or
similar sources. To open the Transcoding Settings dialog, choose Options > Transcoding
Settings.
Processing Options tab
The Processing Options tab controls both Frame Rate Conversion Chapter Points,
TimeCode, and Scaling and Letterboxing preferences.
Frame Rate Conversion
If your source and your target have different frame rates, there are many different
ways to converting the source frame rate to the target frame rate.
Always pick nearest
frame
Always interpolateThis option creates a target frame interpolating between the
Automatic selectionWhen the source or target frame rate is below approximately 23fps,
If ProCoder needs to interpolate frames for doing frame rate conversions, ghost
images might appear. Use the Automatic selection option to avoid ghosting. If
ghosting still occurs, then use the Always pick nearest frame option.
This option creates a target frame by picking the nearest temporal
frame from the source stream. This preserves full spatial source
image quality. However, depending on the ratio between the source
and target frame rates, movement in the video may appear jerky.
two nearest temporal source frames. This guarantees smooth
movement. However, since every target frame is an interpolation
between source frame, the spatial quality is degraded and “ghost”
images may appear.
ProCoder will pick the nearest frame instead of interpolating in
order to avoid ghosting.
ProCoder 3
NTSC-PAL conversions between formats that have specific NTSC and PAL parameters
are handled by ProCoder automatically and do not use this setting.
Source Playback Speed Adjustment
ProCoder normally does not alter the playback rate of sources in order to preserve
the source’s original speed and visual intent. In other words, objects always move at
the same speed through video regardless of the target frame rate and a 10-second
source always converts to a 10-second target.
However, in some circumstances it is advantageous to slightly alter the source
playback rate by a very small amount in order to aid conversion. For example, a
29.97fps source can be sped up to 30fps playback for conversion to a 15fps output,
removing the possibility of interpolation artifacts and making the conversion faster.
It is also standard that 24fps film transfers to PAL DVD-Video are not put through
frame rate conversions. Instead, the 24fps film content is encoded and authored as if
it was 25fps content, resulting in a 4% speed-up. This eliminates any interpolation or
pulldown but makes PAL DVDs of film transfers ever-so-slightly shorter in length.
Enable Source Playback
Speed Adjustment
Check this box to allow ProCoder to alter the playback speed of
sources up to the percentage in the Max. Adjustment (%) box.
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Be careful not to set the Max. Adjustment percentage too high because it can cause
undesirable results,
such as distored audio and video playback.
Chapter Points
When a DVD is created with the multiple videos stitched together, the Chapter points
can automatically be set at the source stitch points.
Set Chapter Point at
Source Stitch Points
Check this box to allow ProCoder to set Chapter Points at the
Source Stitch Points.
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Transcoding Settings
Time Code
As a NTSC video is in 29.97fps, it takes more than a second to display 30 frames. To
correct this difference, drop frame Time Code drops frame numbers.
Use NTSC Drop Frame
Time Code
Scaling and Letterboxing
Check this option to use NTSC Drop Frame Time Code.
If your source and your target have different frame sizes, there are two different ways
to handle this scenario. For example, you may have a 16:9 source file that needs to
be encoded to a target file with a 4:3 aspect ratio frame size. Because of the different
frame sizes, you either have to scale and crop your Source file, or add black bars to
the video to compensate for the difference. If you want to crop your source file, you
should use the Crop video filter in the Source tab.
ProCoder 3
Add Letterbox/
Scale & Crop slider
Allow anamorphic
scaling
Enable MPEG-1
compliant scaling
Crop when scaling D1 to
DV (NTSC)
Crop/Adjust when
converting between VBI
containing formats
Discard field when
scaling height by 1/2
Adjust the slider to the desired percentages. 100% letterbox,
or sliding it to all the way to the left, leaves the source frame
completely visible, with letterbox bars added if necessary. If the
slider is at 0% letterbox, the image will fill the entire space without
letterboxing, but the sides will be chopped off. Leaving the letterbox
slider in the middle (50%) is a mixture of adding letterbox bars and
scaling the file to fit the space. If you know you can afford to cut off
a little of the video, then you should have the bar more toward the
middle. Experiment with these settings to determine which ones
are appropriate for your source files.
100% LetterboxScales the source image so the entire
image fits within the target frame, which
can result in unused areas which become
letterbox bars.
100% Scale & CropScales the source image so the target
frame is completely filled, resulting in no
letterbox bars, but the possibility that part
of the source image that has “spilled over”
outside of the target frame has now been
removed and is no longer visible.
This option enables anamorphic scaling.
ProCoder normally converts full-D1 sources to MPEG1 SIF using the
Scaling and Letterboxing slider setting.
However, the MPEG specification states to convert a full-D1
(720x480/576) source to MPEG1 SIF (352x240/288), crop 8 pixels
from the left and right sides of the source to create a 704x480/576
frame then scale it to 50% for a 352x240/288 frame.
Check this box to have ProCoder comply to the MPEG specification
when converting full-D1 sources to MPEG1 SIF.
Enable this option when converting a NTSC D1 720x486 source to
NTSC DV 720x480. ProCoder will crop 4 lines from the top and 2
lines from the bottom of the source frame during conversion. This
results in faster processing and higher quality since scaling is not
performed.
This option enables to convert videos which have VBI(Vertical
Blanking Interval) where the original size information is stored.
When using full-size interlaced source files, this option discards one
of the fields if you are scaling the file to half-size. In some cases,
this eliminates the need for applying deinterlacing filters to your
source file since discarding a field effectively deinterlaces the video.
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3
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4
CHAPTER
5
CHAPTER
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CHAPTER
7
Contents
Introduct
ion
Instal
lat
ion
ProCoder 3
Wi
zard
Using ProCoderHelpful Hints
ProCoder
Reference
GlossaryIndex
93
Transcoding Settings
Conversion Options tab
The Conversion Options tab controls various preview, loading and system preferences.
Preview Options
Always Scale/Shrink To
Aspect Ratio Correct Full
Screen Display
Preview Devices
Enable this option to have ProCoder always compensate for pixel
aspect ratio differences and provide an accurate on-screen display.
It is recommended to keep this option enabled.
Use Overlay on Desktop Enable this option to use video overlay for preview. Video overlay
is faster than standard video writes and therefore causes less
slowdown on conversions. You should disable this option for