Liquid - Editing (Editing - Effects - Plug-ins - How do I ...)

Problem with Gradient wipe

francesco mazzeo — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:18:33 GMT

Hi guys! I have a problem with the transitions Gradient Wipe, and with projects in Hdv not going to cover the 'entire frame, but only the central portion. Solution?

AVCHD in Liquid ??

drdimento — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:05:42 GMT

BACKGROUND

I personally have switched 100% to AVCHD and tapeless opting to keep only one HDV camera around for awhile to convert all my HDV to digital files then it will go also. We are now telling all our clients we only deliver video in DVD or BluRay even our "shoot n ship" clients. Oh and as the latter infers, we only shoot in HD widescreen; if they want elstwise (ooouuuu, i like that word) they can get someone else. There are many reasons why we went with this format and for now we have an edit solution in another product but we'd like to get the material in Liquid WITHOUT using the DVCProHD solution which is what we had with our HVX200A's and didn't like it.

QUESTION

So, I've read several threads about AVCHD discussions and either I'm not putting the search in right or I'm not getting it, but I want to know if anyone else has found a nice workable solution for a AVCHD in Liquid. My solution desire would have to include the ability to link clips together so that several files would become one where needed and which will also allow an edit in Liquid without a lot of work, time, and/or loss of data, color, or image loss?

BTW, we have the free conversion software from Panasonic that converts the data disc material to DVCProHD but we don't like that format as it is not only overly space consuming but Liquid doesn't like the codec and will only work efficiently using the MPEG2 codec and if going to that then why not just use HDV right?

If anyone wants our acquisition work flow that provides a 100% back up process, just give us a shout and we'll advise thusly. And if Smetved has a plan on how to get AVCHD into Liquid I'd love to see it especially if it was somehow able to be inclusive in Liquid instead of the converter way and/or with more control features.

Thanks in advance to those who respond thusly.

Top field or bottom field first???

dave hackley — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:52:46 GMT

Confusion reigns supreme! I'm having trouble determining whether I should be using top field first or bottom field first to burn to DVD in Liquid 7.2. Here I am ready to burn using Liquid and I do not know which to use. What is the descriminating criteriia which would tell me which to use? If it should turn out that I have been using both during my editing of this one project (heaven forbid) due to not being as careful (or knowledgeable) as I should be during configuring my sequences, is there some way of correcting this situation without a complete re-edit of some of my work? Thanks for the help.

Edit: the below info is a result of further study of my situation:

I have a sequence for DVD disk 1 which is a Liquid custom format. to field first, and made up of seven sequences which are Liquid NTSC format,bottom field first. My sequence for DVD disk 2 is Liiquid custom, top field first, and made upl of eight sequences which are Liquid NTSC format and bottom field first. Must I reconstruct the DVD Disk sequences so they are the same format as the (sub) sequences, i.e., Liquid NTSC, bottom field first? Thanks for helping me out.

Canon Eos 5D from Pinnacle Stduio to Avid Liquid

francesco mazzeo — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:39:16 GMT

Having to import the files the Canon eos 5D II Mark II camera , from Studio 14, which runs natively, to Liquid I have doubts about the format best suited to producing the best quality. From Studio 14 you can use, among others, is the 'export in WMV and Avi:

1) Which is better, and why?

2) what settings to use?

3) how to keep the frame rate and risouzione native 1920 * 1080 30P?

4) How Prent qualitatively these files compared to those generated by other types VoltaicHD Sw?

5) the best alternative compared to Studio 14?

Thank you!

M2v codec in hdv project

francesco mazzeo — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:22:14 GMT

IHello!

nstalling the code M2V circulating on the network I noticed that you can now use other codecs when you create a new timeline in HD / HDV. Which of these should use to get a better quality?

My first free Liquid tool!!! (Liquid HD m2v presets)

Smetvid — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:02:49 GMT

Well guys and girls I finally got around to finishing my first software tool for Liquid. The best part is that I am sharing this with all of you for free.

It has been a long journey but I finally managed to get things working right and somehow I actually found the time to finish it. Maybe I will get around to finish some of the other ones. Most of my stuff has been very experimental and when I say experimental I mean super experimental. A lot of stuff just didn't end up working the way I had hoped it would. My goal now is to do my best to fill in some of the gaps left in Liquid that will never get filled except for by crazy fools such as myself. Anyway...

Liquid m2v codecs:

These may or may not be usefull for everybody but this is for the most part a hack of how Liquid deals with m2v codec presets. Normal Liquid can only ever use up to 50 mbits/s for it's m2v codecs. This is fine for HDV editing or SD editing but it really left those who were serious about HD production in the dark. Our only choice really for HD editing in Liquid is HDV or uncompressed HD. This is kind of the two extreme ends to th spectrum but we never really had an in between. Many other NLES use some form of intermediate format for HD production work such as Cineform, Canopus, Avid DnxHD, and Apple Prores. These formats allow people to work with a high quality HD format that doesn't eat massive amounts of drive space and bandwidth.

So this tool forces some of my own m2v presets that allow bitrates up to 300 mbits/s (37.5 MB/S). This is the max level of quality mpeg2 can have and is virtually perfect compared to uncompressed HD. It basically looks as good as 50 mbits/s SD material compared to uncompressed SD. It isn't lossless but it is almost visually lossless and you would be really hard pressed to tell the difference. In fact other then it being an 8 bit format I would say it is superior to DnxHD 220.

There are 9 presets ranging from 35 mbit/s for the SONY EX1 camera and all the way up to 300 mbits/s. There are even presets for the upcoming Flash XDR unit which is a HD-SDI capture device for cameras to record directly to media cards with up to 160 mbit mpeg2. There is even a I frame only version of a intermediate codec for EX1 users. It runs at 100 mbits/s which would roughly be the I frame only equivalent to 35 mbits/s IPB. I have done lots of image tests and it is impossible to tell the difference between raw 35mbit material and converted 100 mbit material so there is no loss in quality.

M2v-intra (my own take on AVC-intra but with mpeg2) really is the ultimate format to work with in Liquid. It is the only codec that offers a wide range of flexibility and can offer seamless import, render and fuse functions. About the only thing missing in Liquid is a way to capture to these codecs but that doesn't have to be a huge deal breaker. Here are some uses:

Chrome users can capture uncompressed like they do now and convert to m2v-intra. This allows them to use 1/3 to 1/6 the amount of bandwidth for each stream which equals more layers of editing in Liquid. It also means more material per GB of storage.
Flash XDR users have direct codecs to support the material they will shoot.
animations and graphics will no longer have to be converted to HDV or massive uncompressed files. You can still work with native HDV video but all your other elements will stay high quality.
m2v-intra files scrub and run in Liquid much faster then IPB based files.
DVCPROHD and Blackmagic mjpeg users will no longer have to render their high quality footage to HDV or uncompressed HD. The 100 or 160 mbit presets will be a great quality match to preserve your material.
SONY EX1 users can convert their footage to a m2v-intra format for a smoother work flow.

http://www.smetware.com/liquid_m2v_codecs.zip

Multi-language videos???

ozeagle — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:15:02 GMT

Would anyone know if there is a technique in Liquid for producing multi-language videos? I would like my viewers to be able to set their own language, prior to watching a video, like in the commercial movie features on DVDs. This should work for voice-over and sub-titles. Thanks.

Newbie help

ffalcone — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:56:48 GMT

I'm looking at buying my first editing software so I can edit our church services and broadcast them over local cable. I have a Canon XH A1 camcorder that records in SD and HD to a mini DV cassett.

Does Liquid 7 take in and put out SD to SD, HD to HD?

Can you take in SD and put out HD and vice versa?

Also, I'd like to stream just the audio portion to the web. Does Liquid allow you to take the audio and put into a streaming file (MP4?) for the web?

I'd like to eventually stream the audio and video. Can Liquid do this for me?

Lastly, is Liquid the right product for me? I'd hate to buy a discontinued or end of life product just as I'm getting started in the editing process.

Thanks to anyone willing to take the time and answer a few questions from a newbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can I fix "hollow" sound from clip shot with consumer cam?

DVP3D — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:35 GMT

Hi all

I have a roughly 2 minute clip shot with a cheap consumer DV cam (a sony TRV22e) in a small room of about 3.5m by about 4m with the subject being about 2m away from the camera(and obvsiously the microphone). The picture is more or less perfect, however the sound sounds "hollow" asif an empty room (I'm geussing due to no special microphone used). Anyway is it possible to fix this inside Liquid 7.2, and how would I go about doing it? A rough guide or some pointers could be very useful (I rarely need to rely on the sound from clips and even in sound in general, so not very clued up in this area)

I appreciate your help.

Regards,

Morne

Fusing Progressive Material from an Interlaced Timeline

Seamus Byrne — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:03:35 GMT

I've got 1920 x 1080 25fps Progressive Video on a HD 1080 Interlaced timeline in Avid Liquid 7.2.

It came from AVCHD Upshift, and the Bit Rate is 60MB/s. (Originally AVCHD 1920 x 1080 50i Footage transcoded up and deinterlaced in the process).

I've finished making my Progressive 25fps SD DVD (I exported an MPEG2 Progressive 720 x 576 25fps which 'passed through' DVDit Pro HD).

Now I want to Fuse the finished timeline so as to archive the high quality M2V (albeit at 25MB/s). BUT the fuse setting wants it to be Interlaced (according to the timeline).

Should I...

a) Just go ahead with the Fuse and end up with an Interlaced M2V?

b) Export a Progressive M2V or MPEG2?

I guess I'm trying to preserve the original Progressive quality in case I have to mix different music, for example, at a later stage and redo the Progressive SD DVD.

Seamus.

* Audio Editor * pointing finger, etc. unavailable

ForestWebber — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:53:00 GMT

Hi all,
I've been editing an audio-only project, and using the Audio Editor. I've been able to open the Audio Editor and manipulate individual tracks using the pointing finger and level functions. I have somehow disabled this function, and now cannot access these features. I opened an old project, and these features were available. Whta can i do to get these functions back? Thanks!!

screen effect viewer

caritas ticino — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:30:17 GMT

when i work with several video line with many windows and contemporary effects and i'd like to modify one of those effects i can't see the modify in the preview screen...is it a problem of graphic card?of the processor?or...

thanks

Liquid 6.1 DV Chroma key

caton524 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:42:16 GMT

I am working on a short movie and I am attempting to do some green screen work.. In using Liquid 6.1, I have keyed out most of the green screen less the jagged edges that are typically associated when working with DV footage. Right now the clip looks pretty sloppy. I understand Liquid 7.2 has some better filters but I am wondering if there are any filters in 6.1 or other recommendation for creating decent green screen footage on a budget.

Creating second page in DVD menu

andrew34 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:22:25 GMT

I am following the book to make a second page but it doesn't seem to work. I have 2 football games on the same timeline all edited, 1 hour and 50mins. I put markers at the beginning of each game labeled game 1 and game 2. and the markers at 2nd quarter, 3rd quarter and 4th quarter on each game respectivley. Using a blank menu I used the editor to create the menu with 4 links on the first page and all buttons seem to work. My problem is making the second page. This is what the book says, select the make new page button, which I do. Supposedly it puts next buttons on the menu, but I don't see them anywhere. I go to top of menu screen and the drop down shows page 1 and page 2. My second set of links lights up on the links table to the left. But I can't get to the next page. What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something. Been trying this for 3 hours and can't figure it out. Someone fill me in on what I am doing wrong. Do I need to make another menu between game 1 and game 2 on the timeline or something. I'll check back later on this, I going to get a drink and clear my head. Thanks in advance.

Timewarp mystery

simonbaker — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:11:02 GMT

This doesn't make sense to me.

I'm doing a PAL HDV to NTSC HDV conversion.

I put a half-hour 50i clip on a 60i (59.94) timeline. As expected, it rendered but the motion is quite jerky in places.

I added a 100% timewarp, mixed fields, and the motion is smooth. I fused it for reference.

but...

Then I made a cut toward the end of the clip, so I now have two pieces, each with 100% timewarp.

The problem is, the trailing piece has the jerky motion again, even with the timewarp. But if I look at my reference fused clip, the same section definitely has smooth motion.

I try experimenting with the clip after the cut, removing and reapplying timewarp, making it smaller so renders faster, and adjusting the leading frame by a frame or two in case that synchronizes the clip better with the timeline. No change. Even with TimeWarp, the clip shows jerky motion.

It seems that if I render the entire captured clip with TimeWarp, it is all smooth motion. But if I cut a piece off and render it, it has jerky motion.

Has anyone seen this?

-SB

(and why does this Pinnacle website freeze my browser for 15 seconds occasionally, and take a minute to edit a message...but that's another story...)

DVD Burn to DVD Settings

jita — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:14:20 GMT

I am trying to burn to a DVD and in the setting it will not allow me to change the Bitrate Peak to 7000.00 and the average to 6000.00

everytime I change it it goes right back to 5412.80 for both. Can anyone tell me this would be happening.

liquid 7.20 build 4296

gateway gm5260 nvidia gforce 7300 2 cpu 6300, 2gb, atapi dvd drive dh16w1p, os xp pro, sata 250 hd

deinterlacing

simonbaker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:20:41 GMT

I have searched this forum for "deinterlacing" and haven't seen any definitive conclusion on LE deinterlacing algorithm (particularly for HDV).

Does anyone know for HDV (60i and 50i):

1. can LE deinterlace without losing vertical resolution, or does it simply use "line doubling"?

2. can LE do any "motion tracking" deinterlacing to improve the resulting frame?

3. what technique with LE gives the best quality "deinterlaced" frame result?

4. what are the current favorite utilities (including lower cost ones) for deinterlacing HDV video, and how to integrate with LE?

Regards,

-SB

Multicam Theatre Production - Mix of SD PAL and AVCHD NTSC footage to output to PAL DVD...

MDoragh — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:21:40 GMT

The title sums up the task....

I foolishly volunteered to edit the footage of a stage based theatre production (75mins) to produce into a DVD. Unfortunately the "main" camera, with the best mid-range footage (hopefully mostly good usable footage), is an Canon HG-10 NTSC AVCHD camera... yet I live in PAL land (until I see the footage, I assume it is 1080 30i - although the camera also has a 24p mode but I won't know which was used until I see footage). I've read lots of threads on here about AVCHD footage not compatible with Liquid.

The other cameras are all SD PAL Mini DV 4:3 :-

Cam 2 = Head & shoulders shots is on a Canon XM1 (expecting a mix of great closeup footage, and rubbish!)

Cams 3 & 4 = Two cheapo Sony Mini DV cams, were locked on tripods at different angles covering whole stage width from way back (I expect this footage to be dire quality, and for emergency or wider scene setting use only!)

Sound from the Mixing desk is coming to me on MiniDisc.

I will get the footage Tuesday (hopefully) or Wednesday. They would love to see basic footage for Cast party on Thursday night! (probably impossible, so might just show them unedited HD cam feed which hopefully will play s NTSC on a projector!)

I want to Pan & scan the AVCHD footage, so I can custom frame the footage for best shots, without losing quality for a PAL output DVD.

Several groups of questions arise about how best to handle aspects of this project:-

Has anyone used "Free HD Converter 1.4" from http://www.koyotesoft.com/indexEn.html ?
Is it any good?
What other free converters are at my disposal?
Which output setting is recommended? (Do I want: MPEG2, 1920 x 1080 25fps output - regardless of AVCHD input fps)? Or should I let Liquid handle the 30fps -> 25fps conversion? (Am I right in saying the the NTSC bit is handled by the move to MPEG2?)

From reading here, Multicam seems to only work with identical footage!

So, assuming I get PAL HD MPEG2 footage out of converter, do I want to upscale SD footage to HD MPEG2?
Or pre-crop the HD footage in Liquid (using my own hand Pan & Scan) to create down to PAL mini DV?
If pre-cropping, would I do this by editing the HD footage on its own PAL DV sequence first and using a classic 2D editor to frame it manually? (making sure "ft to screen" is off)

Sound:-

I need to get the MiniDisc audio exported for me (as I don't have a minidisc player). What format should I request it in? 44.1kHz 16 bit Wavs?
Do I need to attach the sound files to a camera feed for syncing in the multicam tool, or will it go in fine as itself?

My best guess from reading around here, is I think running the sequence in PAL DV will probably make most sense, as I expect to be unable to create a meaningful 16:9 output from the MiniDV cams. If the PAL footage could take 16:9 conversion by letterbox cropping, then it might be worthwhile running a 16:9 PAL DV profile. I don't expect there to be much to be gained from importing all the SD clips onto a MPEG2 HD timeline profile, unless others say otherwise. It will just add an overhead to the processing & rendering work, which would be down-sampled to DVD again anyway.

The reason for asking ahead of seeing the footage is to be as prepared as possible in advance.... so I can get to work once the footage arrives.

The one redeeming feature (which also complicates it too) is that there were two performances of the show, and both were recorded, so I'll be getting a duplicate of all the above footage! Clearly sound & video would have to be swapped in together if one show has significantly better footage of a scene than the other.

Fortunately for me, one show was much better than the other, so the choice of which to concentrate & base upon on has been made for me! I only need dive into the second show's footage if it solves a significant problem from the first show's footage or acting! (But nice to have that backup though). So in theory I have 8 cams of footage for any moment (4 cams of each show), but in reality, I don't have high hopes for the 2 widest cams in either show, or the pans & zooms between usable stable head & shoulders footage. So I'm expecting the NTSC cam will be the basis of the whole production output, with the other cams making appearances to break it up & add interest, scene setting or close detail. I will concentrate on the "good" performance, and not even capture the footage for the 2nd show unless I see I technical glitch or line fluff up that needs editing out.

Oh, and one last thing... it is my first Multicam edit... and my first project with any HD footage in.... and my first project with some NTSC footage in! (Eeek! Help!),

....and only my second ever project since upgrading from Liquid 5.5 to Liquid 7.2.1

Should be fun though... I like a challenge!

Any useful tips, ideas, suggestions, settings or formats advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Mike

PROBLEM WITH SAVING MOVIE

BohlenFan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:46:06 GMT

Hi,

I'm using Windows7 and Pinnacle Studio Plus 11. Hard disc is one (1000Gb), PC is just bought too. So PC should be fast and modern....

I have (unusual) problem with saving my finished movie: when I have editing video (cuting, put some transitions etc) and want to save final movie in my PC I cant do it! I choose Save Project as... and then I get message that it isnt possible to save and my video in timeline will be disappeared! Will be again original video as was on the beginning and seems that I should start editing again. Have to say, this problem is not always! Thats way i do not understand, where I do wrong :(

Where is the problem? Or do I smth wrong?

Liquid slave to camera?

Supermeatball — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:28:37 GMT

I know liquid can control my camera through firewire when I capture. But when I press the record button on the camera is there a way it will also start digitizing in liquid? In other words can't the camera control liquid at that point?

Thanks Mike

Liquid Edition Pro High Def

dnsing — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:18:13 GMT

I have been using LE for about 6-7 years in regular definition and now I want to start using high def. I need some advice on what to expect, etc. and searches do not come up with anything. Sounds like LE Pro will handle HD but not sure about my two PC 19 inch flat panels. I know I'll have to get an HD television for looking at the output. I assume my regular DVD burner can handle burning HD, any problem here? I have customers that have HD and some don't...how do I cover both of them.......can I burn a non HD DVD from an HD timeline? What other surprises might I have? Thanks, Dave

rendering

caritas ticino — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:52:18 GMT

is it possible rendering only a part of the sequence?for instance from in to out only?

thanks

Electric bill...

simonbaker — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:10:36 GMT

Haven't made a DVD for a while, maybe I've forgotten the reality, but...

I have a simple timeline with about 2 hours of HDV video on it. I applied an overall color correction (using the clip | open native corrector), some audio adjustments, and let it render. It took several hours as expected.

Now I'm burning a standard DVD using a template that makes the iso file and burns the DVD, with Dolby sound, between in/out markers. I checked the box to let it fit best quality onto the DVD (DVD -R disk).

It's crunching away with a time estimate of 26 hours and is 1% done. I realize maybe the estimate will drop as it works longer, but I don't remember DVDs taking anywhere near that long to encode. I have dual Zeon 2.8 GHz machine. Total CPU utilization is around 40%.

Is this typical?

-SB

AVID WON'T LET me ADD CLIPS TO TIMELINE; GRAY SLICES WONT RENDER after CRASH

WILLSKILEE — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:49:46 GMT

Okay, using footage from canon Xh A1, which is a feat in itself. Won't even bore you with that two week episode. Anyway, I am using a Gateway FX with 8GB RAM, QUAD CORE. My system has crashed a few times, and it seems directly related to Dekko pro. When I get my system rebooted, the "please register Dekko Pro" screen comes up when I go to add a title. Of course, its already registered, so I am assuming this is part of my issue.

Anywhooo...when I go to add clips to my project, the timeline will not accept any additions.I can delete previous clips, but nothing will add. The last time this happened, i had to completely uninstall then reinstall my software, which then of course wiped out the ability of my computer to recognize my DVD disc drives....and so on and so on....

Okay, just need to know what I can try to get the timeline to accept new clip...just discovered a clue: After the project restored, all my title sequences came back with GRAY SLICES which will not render. I am assuming I'll have to delete and recreate all the titles...?????

Thanks!

PCM Video/Audio Sync

dnsing — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:59:27 GMT

I have been burning DVDs with Dolby sound for some time now but I don't like the fact that the volume level is low and makes you turn the sound way up when playing back. So on the latest DVD, I went back to PCM sound. When playing the DVD back, I have three different Sony DVD players. On one of the three there is a very slight sound sync problem with the video, Anyone had this problem before? Audio looks about 60ms early. The Sony DVD players are very similar but range in age from 1 to 4 years old. The sync problem is on the newest. Can find no adjustment I can do to fix.