Ulead MEDIASTUDIO PRO 8 User Manual
User Guide
Ulead Systems, Inc.
September 2005
P/N: C22-180-110-0A0001
First edition for Ulead® MediaStudio Pro® 8, September 2005.
© 1992-2005 Ulead Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication ma y be reprodu ced or tr ansmitted in any f orm or b y any me ans, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopy ing, recording, or storing in a retrie v al system, or tran slated into a ny language in an y f orm
without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.
Software license
The software described in this document is furnished under a License Ag r eement wh ich is incl uded with t he produ ct . This
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No rights are granted for commercial reproduction or redistribution of any sample files.
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1: Welcome to MediaStudio Pro .......................... 13
Getting started ................................................................... 14
Installation ......................................................................... 15
Running the programs ........................................................ 16
Readme .............................................................................. 16
PART I: VIDEO EDITOR
Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................... 18
Understanding the workspace ............................................ 19
Standard Toolbar .............................................................20
Panel Manager ................................................................20
Timeline Toolbar ..............................................................21
Personalizing the workspace ..............................................21
Saving the layout ............................................................22
Setting up a video project .................................................. 22
Creating a new video project .............................................22
Opening an existing project ..............................................24
Customizing a video project ..............................................25
Project Options dialog box ................................................. 25
Saving project settings as a template .................................. 27
Enabling Smart Proxy .......................................................27
Saving a video project ......................................................27
Capturing video .................................................................. 28
Video Capture .................................................................28
Batch Capture .................................................................30
Scan DV Tape ..................................................................30
Creating project segments in Smart Compositor ................ 31
Using the Production Library .............................................. 36
Placing clips into the Production Library ..............................36
4 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Using the Storyboard .......................................................37
Nested timelines .............................................................38
Working with folders ........................................................38
Drag and drop ................................................................39
Viewing Production Library thumbnails ...............................39
Adding effects to the Production Library .............................39
Preferences ........................................................................ 40
Chapter 2: Working with the Timeline ..............................45
Inserting clips .................................................................... 46
Inserting video, audio and image clips ................................46
Extracting extra audio tracks ..............................................47
Inserting voiceover ..........................................................47
Inserting title, color, and silence clips .................................49
Inserting Ulead video file types .........................................49
Inserting UIS files ...........................................................50
Inserting soundtracks from third-party music ......................50
Inserting Video Editor projects ..........................................51
Push Away insertion ........................................................51
Working with tracks ........................................................... 52
Single-track editing .........................................................52
Adding or deleting tracks ..................................................52
The Track buttons ...........................................................52
Determining the visibility of clips ....................................... 53
Displaying clips on the Timeline .........................................53
Zooming in/out of the Timeline .........................................54
General Timeline and Summary Timeline ............................54
Creating nested timelines ................................................... 56
Inserting nested timelines ................................................ 56
Editing a timeline ............................................................57
Working with virtual clips .................................................. 57
Viewing virtual clips in the Source Window ..........................58
Adding virtual clips to the Production Library .......................58
Chapter 3: Editing .............................................................59
Making selections in the Timeline ....................................... 60
Using the Clip Selection Tool ............................................60
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
Using the Time Selection Tool ...........................................61
Using the Track Selection Tool ..........................................61
Using the Track buttons ....................................................62
Grouping clips .................................................................62
Working with clips .............................................................. 63
Pasting attributes ............................................................63
Aligning clips ...................................................................64
Splitting the audio from video clips ....................................64
Changing the volume of clips .............................................65
Changing the speed of clips ..............................................65
Reversing the frames of a clip ...........................................67
Relinking clips .................................................................67
Calibrating video clips ......................................................68
Freezing a frame .............................................................68
Setting field options for video clips .....................................69
Working with cues .............................................................. 71
Placing project cues .........................................................71
Placing clip cues ..............................................................72
Placing chapter cues .......................................................73
Locating clips ..................................................................... 73
Locating an empty time slot ..............................................74
Trimming clips .................................................................... 74
Trimming in the Source Window ........................................75
Trimming in the Preview Window ........................................ 76
Using the Trim Window ....................................................76
Using the Scissors Tool to trim clips ..................................77
Defining trim options ........................................................78
Smart Trim .....................................................................79
Multi-trim Video ................................................................. 79
Split by Scene ..................................................................... 81
Ripple Editing ..................................................................... 82
Ripple Editing examples ....................................................83
Inserting clips into the middle of an existing clip ..................84
Using the Source Window ................................................... 85
Previewing your work ........................................................ 88
Previewing ......................................................................89
6 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Instant Play ................................................................... 90
Using DV SmartPlay ......................................................... 92
Performing scrub previews ................................................92
Previewing on an external device .......................................93
Managing preview files .....................................................93
Chapter 4: Adding Effects and Titles .................................95
Using transition effects ...................................................... 96
Transition effects basics ....................................................96
Customizing a transition ...................................................97
Commonly used transitions ...............................................99
The Flashback transition ................................................. 100
The Mask transitions ...................................................... 101
Mask transition options ....................................................102
Audio transitions ........................................................... 102
Using key frame controls in dialog boxes ......................... 103
Effects Manager ............................................................... 105
Previewing the applied effects ......................................... 106
Editing in the Preview Window ......................................... 107
Organizing effects ......................................................... 108
Overlay ............................................................................. 109
Overlay Options dialog box ............................................. 110
Overlay key types .......................................................... 111
Understanding Alpha Channels ........................................ 112
Using Gamma correction ................................................ 113
Working with mattes ...................................................... 114
Creating image and video mattes ......................................114
Using Grayscale mattes ...................................................115
Applying video filters ....................................................... 115
Applying a regional matte to a video filter ......................... 118
Video enhancement filters ................................................120
Enhance Lighting Tool ................................................... 120
Color Correction Tool .................................................... 121
Color correcting selected regions ................................... 122
Color correcting with the HSL wheel ............................... 122
Color correcting with Curves .......................................... 123
Global filters ................................................................. 124
Creating a moving path .................................................... 124
TABLE OF CONTENTS 7
Moving Path dialog box ................................................... 125
Creating 3D moving paths ..............................................129
Managing key frames on a moving path ............................130
Inserting an image with moving path attributes .................131
Applying audio filters ....................................................... 131
Filling the left or right audio channel ................................132
Removing vocals ...........................................................133
Creating titles ................................................................... 133
Insert Title Clip dialog box ..............................................135
Chapter 5: Audio Mixing ................................................. 139
Audio Mixing Panel ........................................................... 140
Grouping audio tracks .................................................... 142
Modifying volume in real-time .........................................143
Chapter 6: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound .................145
Working with Dolby Digital 5.1
in Video Editor .................................................................. 146
Surround sound hardware requirements ...........................146
Setting up surround sound projects ..................................146
Mixing Dolby Surround ...................................................147
Creating a surround sound audio file ................................150
Chapter 7: Creating and Exporting Final Video ...............151
Creating a video file ......................................................... 152
Creating MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files .....................................153
Creating HDV or HD video files ......................................... 153
Creating WMV HD files ...................................................154
Creating WMV/ QuickTime streaming file ..........................155
Determining your video save options ................................156
Performing a batch video creation ....................................159
Creating a VCD ................................................................. 160
Creating an SVCD ............................................................. 160
Creating a DVD ................................................................. 161
Creating an audio file ....................................................... 162
Creating an image sequence ............................................. 163
8 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Analyzing a video file's data rate ...................................... 164
Recording to a digital video camcorder ............................ 165
External preview ........................................................... 166
Creating an Edit Decision List (EDL) file ........................... 167
Posting timecode ........................................................... 168
Outputting to analog video tape ....................................... 169
Exporting to Ulead DVD MovieFactory and Ulead DVD
DiskRecorder .................................................................... 171
Chapter 8: Managing Video Projects ...............................173
Smart Package ................................................................. 174
Smart Relink .................................................................... 175
Converting files ................................................................ 175
Smart Check & Convert .................................................. 176
Batch Convert ............................................................... 176
Using the Quick Command Panel ...................................... 177
Chapter 9: Integration with Ulead Products ...................179
VideoStudio project files .................................................. 180
PhotoImpact UFO files ..................................................... 180
Importing masks from PhotoImpact ................................ 180
COOL 3D Production Studio files ...................................... 181
Chapter 10: Shortcuts .....................................................183
PART II: VIDEO CAPTURE
Chapter 1: Getting started ............................................. 194
Understanding the basics ................................................. 195
Standard Toolbar .......................................................... 196
Navigation Bar .............................................................. 196
Preparation ...................................................................... 197
Connecting a DV or Digital 8 camcorder ............................ 197
Connecting an HDV camcorder ........................................ 198
Sony HDV camcorder .......................................................199
JVC HD camcorder ..........................................................199
TABLE OF CONTENTS 9
Connecting an analog video source ..................................202
Connecting a USB camera ............................................... 203
Previewing video from your video source ..........................203
Setting preview options .................................................. 203
Resizing the program window ..........................................204
Defining audio input when capturing analog video ..............204
Improving video signal when capturing analog video ....... 205
Calibrating your display ..................................................205
Typical calibration settings ............................................... 207
Adjusting color with your video capture board ................... 207
Preferences ...................................................................... 208
Chapter 2: Capturing Video ............................................. 209
Tips for capturing video .................................................... 210
Before capturing ............................................................... 211
Enabling device control ...................................................211
Choosing a capture plug-in .............................................212
Capturing video ................................................................ 213
Capture options .............................................................215
Capturing video from a DV camcorder ..............................216
Capturing video from an HDV/HD camcorder .....................217
Direct MPEG capturing from a DV camcorder .....................218
Seamless DV and MPEG capture ......................................219
Direct WMV capturing .....................................................220
Selecting a profile .......................................................... 220
Editing and customizing a video profile .............................. 221
About dropped frames ....................................................221
Capturing single frames ..................................................222
Capturing a sequence of still frames .................................223
Capture history .............................................................223
Scanning a DV tape .......................................................... 224
Batch capturing ................................................................ 226
Importing and editing a batch list ....................................228
Changing a file's properties .............................................. 229
Chapter 3: Shortcuts ...................................................... 231
10 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
PART III: AUDIO EDITOR
Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................. 236
Understanding the basics ................................................. 237
Playing audio files ......................................................... 239
Creating a new audio file ................................................ 239
Saving files ................................................................... 239
Saving files to a video .....................................................240
Changing audio properties .............................................. 240
Zooming ...................................................................... 240
Changing the view of a waveform ......................................241
Controlling the display and time unit of waveforms ..............242
Recording sound .............................................................. 243
Tips for determining audio quality .................................... 244
Preferences ...................................................................... 245
Chapter 2: Editing Audio Files .........................................247
Working with selections ................................................... 248
Making selections .......................................................... 248
Creating precise selections ............................................. 249
Clearing audio data ....................................................... 249
Inserting audio data ...................................................... 250
Working with cues ........................................................... 251
Managing cues .............................................................. 252
Using cues with Video Editor ........................................... 252
Enhancing sound .............................................................. 253
Changing the audio level ................................................ 253
Changing pitch .............................................................. 254
Quantizing a waveform .................................................. 254
Working with silence ...................................................... 255
Removing background noise ........................................... 255
Muting a waveform .........................................................256
Calibrating files recorded from different sources ................ 256
Mixing tracks .................................................................... 257
Removing a mixed track ................................................. 257
Applying special effects .................................................... 258
Performing a fade .......................................................... 258
TABLE OF CONTENTS 11
Changing speed .............................................................259
Performing a stereo pan .................................................259
Reversing a file .............................................................260
Performing an echo ........................................................260
Performing a cross fade .................................................. 261
Using DirectX Audio plug-ins ...........................................262
Chapter 3: Shortcuts ...................................................... 263
PART IV: MORE PROGRAMS
Ulead DVD MovieFactory ................................................ 269
Launching DVD MovieFactory ........................................... 269
Start Project ..................................................................... 269
Add Media ........................................................................ 270
Adding/Editing chapters ..................................................271
Export selected clips ......................................................272
Setup Preferences, Project Settings and other options ..... 273
Settings and options .....................................................273
Preferences ................................................................... 273
Project settings ............................................................ 275
16:9 DVD ...................................................................... 276
Play and edit media .......................................................... 276
The right-click menu ......................................................277
Trimming a video ..........................................................278
Setup menus .................................................................... 278
Manipulating objects ......................................................281
Displayed thumbnail and text style ..................................281
Layout settings ............................................................. 282
Preview ............................................................................ 282
Burn ................................................................................. 283
Burning options .............................................................284
The Burning Options dialog box .......................................285
Ulead DVD DiskRecorder ............................................... 287
System requirements ....................................................... 287
12 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Hardware checkup and configuration ............................... 287
Running DVD DiskRecorder .............................................. 287
Important terms to know ................................................. 288
Preferences ...................................................................... 288
Create Disc ....................................................................... 289
Introduction to the workspace ......................................... 289
Adding video files .......................................................... 290
Editing programs ........................................................... 290
Protecting programs ...................................................... 290
Playlist ......................................................................... 291
Setting the name for a program, playlist, or entry point ...... 291
Exporting video or image files ......................................... 292
Burning your disc .......................................................... 293
Edit Disc ........................................................................... 294
Formatting a disc .......................................................... 294
Protecting a disc ............................................................ 294
Certifying a disc ............................................................ 295
INDEX
Index ............................................................................... 298
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Congratulations on purchasing Ulead MediaStudio Pro, the ultimate video
editing solution for desktop professionals and digital video enthusiasts. Built
around a powerful suite of versatile and high performance programs,
MediaStudio Pro is the first choice for anyone wanting to work with video.
MediaStudio Pro offers Real-time MPEG capture, Real-time preview and Realtime output. With intuitive controls and seamless integration, creating video
has never been easier or more accessible.
14 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Getting started
If you ever worked with digital video before, you can start working in MediaStudio
Pro right away. The program is equally intuitive for both - the novice users and
professionals. The fastest way to learn the program is direct interaction with its
tools. The more advanced features, however, are not on the surface and you might
well refer to the manual for particular answers on specific questions.
There are several sources of information that will help you explore the broad range
of MediaStudio Pro features: the manual, online help, and the MediaStudio Pro
Web site that contains tutorials and a host of other useful informative content.
All the information required to master MediaStudio Pro is in the manual and online
help. These are the primary sources of information.
The MediaStudio Pro Web site (www.ulead.com/msp/runme.htm) also has a
number of resources you will find useful.
The Web-based learning center has excellent tutorials that will guide you through
the program in a brief and intense way. Spending a few hours on the tutorial page
(http://www.ulead.com/learning/msp.htm) will empower you with an intimate
knowledge of MediaStudio Pro tools.
There are also a few private Web sites that have great tutorials and sample
projects. One of the best is the MediaStudio User’s Group, or MUG, at
www.mugcentral.com. This is the home base for the MUG mailing list, which you
can subscribe to at this site. Everyday, dozens of users, including quite a few video
professionals, ask and answer questions in an amazingly useful forum.
WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO 15
Installation
The MediaStudio Pro installation program runs from within Windows and contains
complete instructions to take you through the installation process.
To install MediaStudio Pro:
1. Read the license agreement that comes with the MediaStudio Pro package. The
license agreement contains important legal requirements that you need to be
aware of. If you agree to abide by it, continue with the installation.
Please take a moment to fill out the registration card during installation.
Becoming a registered user entitles you to product updates and upgrade
information, as well as technical support. You can also instantly register
online (electronically) after installing the program.
2. Insert the MediaStudio Pro CD into your CD-ROM drive. Windows should detect
the CD and then automatically run the installation program. If the automatic
detection feature is turned off, use Windows Explorer to run the SETUP.EXE
program directly from your CD-ROM drive.
Follow the installation program instructions. While the program is installing files, a
window will appear, displaying information about MediaStudio Pro and the
installation status.
If you want to browse the contents of the MediaStudio Pro CD, run AUTOEXEC.EXE
found in the Setup folder from your CD-ROM drive.
Installing Acrobat Reader
An electronic copy of this user guide is also available in the Adobe Acrobat format
(Portable Document Format - PDF). To view this, first run the AR500ENU.EXE file
(in the \Driver folder of the first MediaStudio Pro CD) and follow the installation
instructions. After successfully installing the Reader program, run the program and
click File: Open to open the file MediaStudio Pro 8 User Guide.PDF that is in the
\Document folder of the CD. You can then view the user guide.
16 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Running the programs
To run the MediaStudio Pro programs, click on the desired program in the Start:
Programs - Ulead MediaStudio Pro 8 submenu. This submenu may differ
depending on the choices you made during installation. If you are already working
in any of these programs, the easiest method to run another MediaStudio Pro
program is by using the Switch menu, located on the right of the Menu Bar.
Readme
In the fast paced world of software, changes occur almost daily. While we have
tried to keep this manual as up-to-date as possible, there will inevitably be some
things that did not make it into the book by press time. Please browse through the
Readme file installed in the Ulead MediaStudio Pro program folder to find out about
the latest notes, drivers, and troubleshooting tips.
PART I: VIDEO EDITOR
1
GETTING STARTED
This chapter introduces the Video Editor user interface, beginning with a
walkthrough of the workspace and its various components, followed by ways
on customizing and saving the workspace. You will also learn how to capture
video directly in Video Editor, manage your media using the Production
Library, and use some of the basic program functions.
This chapter includes the following sections:
Understanding the workspace
Setting up a video project
Capturing video
Creating project segments in Smart Compositor
Using the Production Library
Preferences
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 19
Understanding the workspace
The Timeline Window is where you assemble and edit your video project. It is
laid out horizontally and composed of several independent layers or 'tracks.' These
tracks hold the clips that make up a video project. The other windows in the Video
Editor workspace, such as the Preview Window and Effects Manager, are there to
help you in the editing process.
7 Timeline Window
8 Track buttons;
Lock, Hide and Solo buttons
9 Video clip in the video track
10 Transition effect clip
11 Audio clip in the audio track
1 Standard Toolbar
2 Panel Manager
3 Effects Manager
4 Production Library and Project Tray
5 Source Window and Preview Window
6 Timeline Toolbar
6
8
1
5
3 4
7
91110
2
20 VIDEO EDITOR
Standard Toolbar
Panel Manager
The Panel Manager allows you to show or hide the different windows in the
workspace. You may dock it beside or below the Standard Toolbar, or float it
anywhere in the workspace as a separate toolbar panel.
Create a
new project
Open a
project file
Save a Video
Editor project
Show and edit
Project Settings
Cut a clip
from a project
Copy a clip
from a project
Paste a clip into
the Timeline
Find the next
clip in a project
Find a clip in
a project
Redo an undone
function
Undo a previous
action
Help
Open Ulead
Home page
Create a video file
Preview Window
Source Window
Quick Command Panel Audio Mixing Panel
Production Library
Effect Manager
Dock/Float Timeline Window
Layout Template
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 21
Timeline Toolbar
Personalizing the workspace
The different windows in Video Editor can be floated or docked in the workspace.
To dock a window, click on its title bar then drag it to the edge of another window
or to the edge of the workspace. You can also double-click on a window to make it
floating or docked.
Insert Image File
Insert Voice File
Insert Audio File
Insert Video File
Zoom
Clip Selection
Stitch Trim
Overwrite Trim
Normal Trim
Insert Title Clip
Insert Color Clip
Insert Silence Clip
Time Selection
Track Selection
Timeline Display Mode
Save Project Template
Single-track Ripple Editing
Multi-track Ripple Editing
Enable/Disable Video Proxy
General Timeline
Summary Timeline
Insert Project File
Auto Music
Insert from Smart Compositor
Time Stretch
No Ripple
Scissors
Add/Delete Tracks
22 VIDEO EDITOR
Saving the layout
Use the Layout Manager in the Window menu to save time arranging the
windows in the workspace. To save your custom layout, type a Layout Template
Name, then click Save To. Giving your layouts intelligible names like “Audio Video Editing” or “Timeline Only” will help you work faster and more enjoyable.
You can assign hotkeys for quickly switching between different layouts. Just select
a layout, then choose any [Alt + Number] combination from the Hot-Key
Mapping menu in the upper right of the dialog box.
To use a layout on the Video Editor workspace, select it from the Existing Layout
Templates list, then click OK.
You can also click in the Panel Manager to choose a workspace layout.
Setting up a video project
In Video Editor, the Timeline and its associated clips are referred to as a video
project, which is saved as a DVP (Digital Video Project) file. When you save a
video project, Video Editor only saves the positions and attributes of the clips in
the Timeline, not the actual source files themselves. The advantage to this is that
the DVP file has a relatively small file size and that any editing done is
nondestructive – that is, the editing doesn’t affect the original source files. The
next time you open a DVP file, Video Editor links the clips in the project to the
source files accordingly.
Creating a new video project
To get started in Video Editor, you first need to create a video project. The video
project not only holds the clips that you place into the Timeline, but also defines
the properties for the resulting video, such as the television standard and the size
of the frames used. Any clips that you place into the project subsequently adopt
those properties, regardless of their original attributes.
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 23
To create a new video project:
1. Click the New button on the Standard Toolbar or File: New [Ctrl+N]. The
New dialog box opens displaying a list of project templates.
2. Select a video format (AVI or MPEG) to use for clips in your project from the
Edit file format drop-down list.
3. Click on the template you want to use. (Its properties, as well as an annotated
description, are displayed on the right side of the dialog box). You can choose
one of the following templates:
• DV - for editing and producing standard DV.
• DV 16:9 - for editing or producing widescreen 16:9 DV.
• DV 24P - for editing footage from a Panasonic AG-DVX100 camcorder
that was recorded in 24P or 24PA (24P Advanced) modes.
• DVD-Dolby Digital 5.1 channel - for editing and producing DVDs
encoded with Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound.
• HDV templates - for editing and producing HDV- or HD-encoded video.
•And more...
4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new project is created.
24 VIDEO EDITOR
When you start a new project, you may find that none of the existing templates in
the New dialog box contains the exact attributes you want to use. You therefore
have the option of creating a custom template to suit your particular needs.
To create a template:
1. In the New dialog box, click the Create button. The Template Options dialog
box opens up.
2. Select and set the attributes for your new template.
3. Click OK. The Save New Template dialog box opens up.
4. Select Save the current settings, and then type in a name and description for
your new template.
5. Click OK.
Your video project will now have the specified settings, and the next time you open
a new project, your customized template will be listed in the New dialog box.
Opening an existing project
To open an existing project on your hard drive or from a network, select File -
Open or click
on the Standard Toolbar. Locate your project folder, choose
the project file to load, and click Open.
For a more detailed explanation of setting up a template, see “Project
Options dialog box” on page 25. Also, it is a good idea to consult the
manual of your particular video capture board to see the recommended
specifications.
When you run Video Editor for the first time, the New dialog box opens
automatically. If you regularly use the same properties for a video project,
you can hide the New dialog box each time you click New by clearing the
Always show this dialog box option. (Another way is to clear the Display
New dialog box option in the File: Preferences: General tab). Any
subsequent projects take their properties from the current project.
To locate your project files fast, click Browse and navigate to your project
directory. Click Scan to perform a quick search for files with default
extensions *.dvp (Video Editor projects) or *.vsp (VideoStudio projects).
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 25
Customizing a video project
When you create a new project, its properties are determined by the New dialog
box settings. These settings are integral to your project and determine not only
how previews are created, but also the format of the final movie. You can change
these properties and customize your project through the Project Settings dialog
box.
To view and/or alter your project settings while in the project:
1. Click the Project Settings button or select Project: Project Settings
[ALT+ENTER]. This opens the Project Settings dialog box where you can
view the properties of your project.
2. To change any of the settings, click the Edit button to open the Project
Options dialog box. Click through the various tabs and then specify the
television standard you are using, such as NTSC or PAL, the frame rate, and the
frame size.
Project Options dialog box
As mentioned earlier, the Project Options dialog box gives you direct control over
an existing project. There are three tabs in this dialog box:
Video Editor tab
• Select the desired TV standard.
• Choose whether or not to preview applied video filters when you view your
project in Video Editor.
• Specify the type of audio channel, Stereo or Multi-Channel Surround Sound,
that you will use for your project.
General tab
• Set the project Frame rate and Frame size.
Project settings directly determine the default settings in the Video Save
Options dialog box which in turn determines your final video format. (See
“Determining your video save options” on page 156 for details).
The Frame rate option determines the number of frames for any
resulting video file. The appearance of the clip on the Timeline will not
change.
26 VIDEO EDITOR
•The Frame type option determines interlacing properties.
If your final output video is meant for playback on progressive interlaced TV, set
frame type to either Lower Field First or Upper field First.
If your output video allows for progressive frames (LCD monitors, plasma TVs,
TFT monitors, etc.), use the Frame-based option. This setting is more film-like
and less complicated to handle when editing or retiming your video.
• You can set the size for the target display and output screen to 4:3 (for
traditional letterbox TVs, computer monitors, or some DV camcorders) or 16:9
(widescreen used in HDTV, theaters, or some DV camcorders).
To use the 16:9 display, select Perform non-square pixel rendering on the
Video Editor tab first and choose 16:9 as the display aspect ratio on the
General tab.
AVI / Compression tab
This tab has all the video and audio compression controls.
One thing to remember in dealing with compression and data rate is output file
size. To minimize the size of your rendered projects, compress your files with the
best and the most recent compression algorithm possible.
Bit size is another way of saving your hard drive space. The bigger it is, the more
space you will need.
You will need to balance between compression, bit depth and quality of your video.
Experiment to preserve as much fidelity as possible using less memory space on
your storage.
• Be aware of the aspect ratio of the video files you are using and the
display aspect ratio of the intended playback screen for your videos. This
will help you determine which display aspect ratio to use in your projects.
• The aspect ratio is also important when dealing with moving paths in a
project. The moving path's aspect ratio should be similar to the aspect
ratio being used by the project.
Changing a project's properties clears the undo/redo history.
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 27
Saving project settings as a template
After you have customized your video project, you can save your project settings
as a template by clicking the File: Save Project Template command. In the
dialog box that opens, give the template a name as well as a description. Presets
and previously created templates are also displayed in the Existing templates list
box. If you wish to replace one of these templates with the properties of the
current video project, select it and then click OK.
Enabling Smart Proxy
Proxy files are lower resolution working copies of video files. They are reduced in
resolution or compression bit rate for only one reason - to speed up editing of HDV
and other large video source files. Proxy files are source-dependent rather than
project-dependent. In other words, proxy files can be shared among different
projects.
When you edit and preview your project in Instant Play mode, proxy files will be
used as substitutes for their large video source counterparts. Whereas when you
preview your project in high-quality playback mode or when you render a video
file, the original video source files will be used. (See
“Previewing your work” on
page 88 to know more on playback modes).
To enable the creation of proxy files, click in the Timeline Toolbar, or go to File:
Preferences - Smart Proxy, then select the Enable video proxy option. In the
Smart Proxy tab of the Preferences dialog box, you can set the condition when
proxy files need to be generated and choose a proxy file format. For more details
on the settings, see
“Preferences” on page 40.
Once video proxy is enabled, proxy files will automatically be created and used in
your project whenever you insert video files into the Timeline.
Saving a video project
When you save a video project, it is saved as a DVP (Digital Video Project) file.
This is a small file that contains all of the information about your project, like which
clips to include, their position on the Timeline, and any transitions that you have
used. This file is not a movie and can only be opened in Video Editor. To save your
current project, select File: Save.
You can customize Video Editor to save backups of your project automatically by
selecting the Automatically save every option in the General tab of the
Preferences dialog box. Set a desired time interval between saves and the
maximum number of backups to keep.
28 VIDEO EDITOR
Capturing video
From within Video Editor, you can directly capture footage from your video camera
for editing. Alternatively, you can also use the separate Video Capture program
that is included with MediaStudio Pro.
In both the Video Editor and Video Capture programs, you will find three tools for
capturing footage in the Capture menu: Video Capture, Batch Capture, and
Scan DV Tape. Before you start capturing with these tools, make sure you have
your capture card installed in your computer and your video camera is connected
and switched on.
Video Capture
Video Capture allows you to capture a video clip at a time. The Video Capture
dialog box in Video Editor looks slightly different from the one in the Video Capture
program, but the capture settings are mostly the same.
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 29
To capture a video sequence:
1. Select Capture: Video Capture.
2. If you have several video devices connected to your computer, select your
desired source device from the Capture device list.
3. Click Capture Options, then select Change Capture Plug-in from the pop-
menu.
The Change Capture Plug-in dialog box provides special plug-ins that enable
capturing footage from HDV, Sony MICROMV, and miniDV camcorders as well as
DVD and DVD-VR discs. You need to choose the proper plug-in to be able to
capture footage from such devices.
If you are capturing video as MPEG or WMV files, you also need to choose the
proper plug-in in this dialog box.
After you have selected a capture plug-in, click OK.
4. Check if the Capture format is set to the target file format that you want to
use for saving captured video files. If not, choose your desired file format from
the Capture format list.
5. In the Capture Settings tab, set your preferences for performing the capture:
• Capture method - Choose to auto capture with specified duration, auto
capture with no time limit, or manual capture. Select Auto naming to
save each captured segment as a separate file.
• Capture options - Specify the prefix file name and folder to use for
saving captured videos.
Click the Advanced tab to see more settings and customize them according to
your needs.
For details on all the capture settings in the Advanced tab, see “Capture Video
dialog box: Advanced tab” on page 215.
6. After customizing all capture settings, play your videotape and stop at the part
of the footage that you want to capture. If you have a DV or HDV source, you
can directly use the Navigation controls in the dialog box for playback.
7. Click Capture Video to start capturing.
8. If you specified a capture duration, wait for the capture to complete. Otherwise,
click Stop Capture or press [Esc] to stop capturing.
If you are capturing TV footage via a TV capture card, choose your desired
TV channel as well.
30 VIDEO EDITOR
Batch Capture
Batch Capture allows you to choose multiple video segments from your footage
and capture them all at once. You can use Batch Capture when capturing video
from DV and HDV sources.
Select Capture: Batch Capture to open a dialog box where you can play back
your footage, and at the same time, mark your desired video segments. The markin and mark-out times of the video segments will be logged into a task list. After
you have finished marking, click the Capture Video button.
To save the task list for future use, click Save .
The Batch Capture dialog box in Video Editor is just the same as the one in the
Video Capture program. For more details on this dialog box, see
“Batch capturing”
on page 226 under “Part II: Video Capture”.
Scan DV Tape
Scan DV Tape quickly scans an entire DV tape and automatically detects scenes
based on the recording date and time (that is, based on stops and starts of video
recordings).
To use this function, select Capture: Scan DV Tape. In the Scan DV Tape dialog
box, first choose how to perform the scan from the Scan/Capture method list,
then click Start to begin scanning the DV tape. As each scene is detected, a
thumbnail frame will be created and added to the list at the left side of the dialog
box. After the entire tape has been scanned, click Capture Video to capture the
detected scenes.
To save the scenes list and information for future use, click Save .
The Scan DV Tape dialog box in Video Editor is just the same as the one in the
Video Capture program. For more details on this dialog box, see
“Scanning a DV
tape” on page 224 under “Part II: Video Capture”.
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