Do I lose my HD quality if I add certain audio formats?

[ChancyRat]

Or any other file type formats?
For example, I work with .m2ts .264 files. If I add a .wav file, or an .mpeg file, or another file that isn't inherently HD, does the resulting processed video lose the HD altogether? Part of this is that I vaguely remember reading there is a difference between .wav and .mp3 files... but I don't recall what the issue was... Thanks,

[Paul LS]

The video will not lose it's HD quality as long as you work in a HD project. Note however PRE only exports stereo audio... most AVCHD camcorders will record in 5.1 audio, so when exported from PRE, with or without .wav or .mp3 audio added, it will lose the 5.1 audio.

[ChancyRat]

The video will not lose it's HD quality as long as you work in a HD project. Note however PRE only exports stereo audio... most AVCHD camcorders will record in 5.1 audio, so when exported from PRE, with or without .wav or .mp3 audio added, it will lose the 5.1 audio.

Thanks for responding on a Fri. night... Am I understanding this, are you saying if the .mp3 or .wav or whatever file format it is for audio, is recorded in mono, the video as a whole at the end will be mono, even if the original video file was recorded in stereo?

[Paul LS]

Saturday morning here

What I meant was PRE exports as stereo not 5.1 audio, so if you import 5.1 audio it will only be exported as stereo. If a part of your audio is mono that will be exported as mono and the rest stereo.

[ChancyRat]

Saturday morning here

What I meant was PRE exports as stereo not 5.1 audio, so if you import 5.1 audio it will only be exported as stereo. If a part of your audio is mono that will be exported as mono and the rest stereo.

So you don't loose anything by having mono audio files in a stereo video file...
How about mpegs or other images that aren't HD, do they affect the HD of the video file?
Does it at all matter what kind of file formats I add to an HD clip, in terms of the outcome of the processed final video? Thanks.

[Paul LS]

The main thing is the project preset. And for clips the main thing is the frame size not so much the format. If you use a HD project preset the exported movie will be in high definition. However, if you add SD video clips to a HD project you have two options, they can either be upscaled to HD in which case the resultant video will be grainy ( as the HD frame size is 4x greater than SD) or you use the SD video as a picture-in-picture in your HD project maintaining it's original size and quality. But obviously it will not fill the frame.

For photos, most digital cameras these have high resolutions higher than the 1920x1080 HD frame size... so these can be used in a HD project and will have good quality.

[ChancyRat]

The main thing is the project preset. And for clips the main thing is the frame size not so much the format. If you use a HD project preset the exported movie will be in high definition. However, if you add SD video clips to a HD project you have two options, they can either be upscaled to HD in which case the resultant video will be grainy ( as the HD frame size is 4x greater than SD) or you use the SD video as a picture-in-picture in your HD project maintaining it's original size and quality. But obviously it will not fill the frame.

For photos, most digital cameras these have high resolutions higher than the 1920x1080 HD frame size... so these can be used in a HD project and will have good quality.

I'm starting to get it... I have rarely added a SD clip to an HD clip, but if I do that, and I started with the HD preset, how do I do a picture-in-picture? Is it a setting, or a property?

[Paul LS]

When you add the SD clip to the timeline right click on it and deselect Scale To Frame. It will then appear in HD frame as at it's original resolution. To position it you would need to use Position under the clips Motion property in the Properties panel.

[ChancyRat]

When you add the SD clip to the timeline right click on it and deselect Scale To Frame. It will then appear in HD frame as at it's original resolution. To position it you would need to use Position under the clips Motion property in the Properties panel.

Thankkk you.

[Jayell]

I can never remember the details on this, but don't you also need to change the field order if you're putting an SD clip into an HD project .. and vice-versa?

[momoffduty]

I can never remember the details on this, but don't you also need to change the field order if you're putting an SD clip into an HD project .. and vice-versa?

I was wondering about this too.

[Steve Grisetti]

Well, if it's a DV-AVI, yes. MPEGs and VOBs use one form of interlacing, DV-AVIs use another. So if you use one in a project set up for the other, you will need to reverse its field dominance.