Exporting Audio Files in PE 4

[abbaker2]

I am using PE 4 to develop a DVD of old home movie clips.
I am considering using Sony DVD Architect Studio v4.5 to develop the menu structure and to burn the DVD.

Before I invest in Architect Studio (and Steve Grisetti’s book on how to use it), I want to make sure it fits my needs.

Forum users have suggested that I export the final product from PE 4 in MPEG2 format using the Share ->Personal Computer->MPEG option in PE4. I would then read the MPEG2 file into Architect Studio to develop the menus and burn the DVD.

Right now I am using 2 audio tracks, Audio 1 for my narrations and Soundtrack for the background music. Will both of these audio tracks be included on the output MPEG2 file generated by PE 4?

Also, should I just accept the default export options or are there any options I should modify?

Finally, can Architect Studio process the input MPEG2 file with both audio tracks?


Thanks for your help.

Alan Baker
**abbaker2 AT comcast.net**

[Ron]

Hi Alan, you really should refrain from posting your email address. It's a target for internet crawlers to get a hold of it to spam you.

Someone should be along shortly to address your concerns.

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Alan,
First of all I think most people are exporting an AVI file (File/Export/Movie) from Premiere Elements for use in DVD Architect.
All audio tracks will be exported to whatever format you choose.

My question to you would be, what is it that Premiere Elements DVD Authoring can't do that you need?

[Steve Grisetti]

AVIs will work in DVD Architect, but MPEG2s work even more efficiently because they won't need to be recompressed by the program.

As for your two audio tracks -- don't worry. They'll become a single audio track when you output your MPEG or AVI!

[Chuck Engels]

Well I learned something today
Are there any special settings for the MPEG2 export or just use the default?

[Bob]

Are there any special settings for the MPEG2 export or just use the default?

You need to select one of the DVD compatible presets. You may want to check the advanced settings and select a compression type to suit your needs (CBR, VBR 1-pass, or VBR 2-pass).

Mpeg-2 sometimes needs to be recompressed anyway. For example, when you must place a chapter marker on a specific frame and it isn't an i-frame. So, it isn't always more efficient. Everything needs to end up in DVD compatible mpeg-2. It's really just a question of where do you want to do the encoding and compression -- Premiere Elements or DVD Architect. If you do it in Premiere Elements, you have a slight advantage that you avoided an intermediate encoding (dv-avi, for example). But, that advantage is negated if you have to recompress in DVDA for some reason.

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm sorry, I don't have version 4 on my computer anymore.

But in version 7, under the Share/Personal Computer output, there's a specific MPEG setting: MPEG2-DVD.

[Chuck Engels]

There are DVD Standard options in version 4.

NTSC DVD Standard
NTSC DVD Widescreen
PAL DVD Standard
PAL DVD Widescreen

There is also a MPEG2 Multimedia Compatible option among others.

[Bob]

There is also a MPEG2 Multimedia Compatible option among others.

Which you don't want to use if your target is a DVD. You can easily create an MPEG-2 file using this setting that doesn't conform to the restrictions of DVD MPEG-2 (which is a subset of the specification). The DVD settings are the ones you want to use for that purpose.