Converting Mpeg or Mpeg2 to dv-avi (PC).

[joannestuart]

Converting Mpeg or Mpeg2 to dv-avi (PC).
I have purchased the Muvipix guide to Premier Elements and I noticed it says that if you are creating movies from a camera with hard disk or sd card, the best thing to do is convert these mpeg files to dv-Avi. I have downloaded a heap of converters including, aviconverter, stoik and one you suggest in your book, however, the one you suggests is obviously for a mac, then I have to buy the media player. All the other converters don't seem to work or make the original file so much bigger, and in some cases crash when I try a convert. Can some one tell me the best converter to download (or buy if I have to), and what settings I need to use. The quality uploading to Utube when I am just editing straight from the hard drive is really bad.

Also I am only running a canon fs11 - and it is not HD. Also I am only running a canon fs11, which is not HD

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm not sure what's going on, Joanne, but I certainly wouldn't have recommended a converter in my book that's for a Mac, since Premiere Elements only runs on Windows machines. Maybe you've misunderstood the software or downloaded the wrong app.

Still, if you use a converter, you're definitely going to get a video file at least 5 times the size. That's the nature of editable video.

And simply using an MPEG instead in Premiere Elements won't work because ultimately Premiere Elements will need to convert the file internally to a DV-AVI.

Could the problem be that you don't have a large enough hard drive for your video? How much free, defragmented space is on your computer?

[joannestuart]

Hi,
I have heaps of space over 100 gig. I tried downloading what you recommended on page 34 of your book which is stream clip using the settings in your book. It then asked me to install the apple quick time mpeg2 play back component which I had to buy. Other converters also make the file much bigger (but the quality looks less than the original Mpeg). Is Avi the same as dv-avi?

[Paul LS]

AVI is a container, there are many different types of AVI. DV-AVI is Digital Video and what Premiere Elements works with best, in particular DV-AVI type 2.

Mpeg_Streamclip can convert to DV-AVI type 2. Note if you followed the instructions on the web-site you could have downloaded the free Quicktime Alternative (the version they suggest) instead of buying the Apple Quicktime component.

In order to convert to DV-AVI follow the instructions in this FAQ. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully, if you do you will have no problems and the files will be fully compatible with Premiere Elements.
http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3bc4800e

[Steve Grisetti]

Yep, as Paul (and my book) says, after you select AVI as your export format, you must go to Compression select the Apple DV/DVPRO_NTSC (or PAL, if appropriate) codec.

[Bill Hunt]

Joanne,

A little bit of background on MPEG vs DV-AVI. In the MPEG file, you have one "frame" of video, and then the next several "frames" only show the differences, not the full amount of data, i.e. you do not have all of the data to form each "frame." With DV-AVI, you have a "frame," for each frame of the Clip - just like with film. This is why the file size increases, as it does. To be able to do frame-precise editing in PE, your material must be converted, so that each frame is complete. Either the program does this, using a bunch of resources and time, or you do it outside of the editor first - my preferred way. This is just a fact of life.

There is often confusion regarding file formats, and what they really are. Paul covers it nicely above. Imagine that the term ".AVI" is like the foil wrapper on a stick of gum. We know that it's *probably* a stick of gum inside, but what kind? "DV-AVI Type 2" defines exactly what kind of gum it is - Spearmint. The term ".AVI" can mean Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, Doublemint, etc. Most NLE's (non linear editors) want and use Spearmint. It's also pretty much the same with ".MPEG," or ".MOV." These too are wrappers and can contain a lot of different gums - though none will be Spearmint. We have to either convert it to Spearmint outside (as you are doing), or force the NLE to do it inside, which is a lot of extra work, when it's trying to do other editing tasks.

I happen to use other conversion programs, but those mentioned in the FAQ and in Steve's books work very well with most file types and for almost everyone.

Good luck,

Hunt

[Steve Grisetti]

One thing I didn't mention in the book, but which, at least in my recent experience, has proven to be the best MPEG convertor of all is Premiere Elements 7 itself!

Make sure you're using the DVD project preset and then load the timeline with your MPEGs or VOBs. Then just go to File/Export/Movie. With those project presets, you don't even have to reverse the field dominance! The AVI the program outputs will work flawlessly in a standard DV editing project.

At least that's been my experience. And you know how they say Your mileage may vary. But it's definitely worth trying out.

[joannestuart]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your help. I will log on to the link Steve noted. I did however, try the export function in Premier elements, but the quality actually looks worse when I view it on Premier than original mpeg2? Is this normal? It looks quite linear and fragmented. Anyway - I will have another go at the link recommended. Thanks again. This is an awsome website!

[Steve Grisetti]

If you're using the right settings, Joanne, the output files should look every bit as good as the original MPEGs.

How are you judging the quality?

[Paul LS]

It looks quite linear and fragmented...

sounds like interlacing. Interlacing in DV-AVI is more noticeable than MPEG... however if it is interlacing that is how it is suppossed to look. When you burn a DVD and view on a TV it will look fine.

[Barb O]

One thing I didn't mention in the book, but which, at least in my recent experience, has proven to be the best MPEG convertor of all is Premiere Elements 7 itself! Make sure you're using the DVD project preset and then load the timeline with your MPEGs or VOBs. Then just go to File/Export/Movie. With those project presets, you don't even have to reverse the field dominance! The AVI the program outputs will work flawlessly in a standard DV editing project. At least that's been my experience. And you know how they say Your mileage may vary. But it's definitely worth trying out.

Very interesting Steve. That would beat installing additional software.

1- Should "Scale to Framesize" be set on or off when I have my clip on the timeline? Or does it not make any difference?

2- I just did one sample clip that was an individual scene as a .mpg file from a Sony HDD Standard Definition camcorder. I did trim that scene to remove the "extra" that I knew I would never use. I thought if I did this as a regualr, practice at least I would save some space in the larger DV-AVI files.

3- If I know that an mpg file clip needs Color or Lighting correction, do you think it would be better to use the Premiere Elements Effects for those fixes while the mpg file is on the timeline? Or should I export the DV-AVI and then make those corrections from the DV-AVI clip? Same questions if I need to stablize the video?

[Steve Grisetti]

I'd just use Premiere Elements for a converter at first. Worry about tweaking things once you've got all your files as DV-AVIs. (You never know if the conversion is going to change things, after all!)

But, if you don't need the whole clip converted, I'd definitely recommend you trim what you don't need. Why waste all that disk space making video you don't need?

[Barb O]

I'd just use Premiere Elements for a converter at first.

What about Scale to Frame Size? It seems to be set by default, so should I set it off?

[Steve Grisetti]

It shouldn't make any difference.

[Barb O]

the quality actually looks worse when I view it on Premier than original mpeg2? Is this normal? It looks quite linear and fragmented.

Joanne,
After you completed the Export to DV-AVI from your PE project that was set as Hard Disk, Flash Memory and Standard or Widescreen, did you close that project and start a new PE project which you set to be DV Standard or Widescreen ? Once the new DV type project is open, then import the DV-AVI file(s) that you just created to that new project.