[edit] Introduction

Copyright: When planning a digital capture project, begin by requesting permissions for materials not in the public domain. If there are digital photographs, video, or sounds for which permission to copy cannot be obtained, the Freedman Center will not support the capture of the materials.

Transcoding video is the second step in a 3-step process.

Please note that the encoding process will take roughly one and a half times the total length of the video clips.

[edit] Transcoding Video

1. Check out a SecuriKey™ and analog headphones from the Freedman Center desk.
2. Plug the SecuriKey™ into the port at top of the keyboard to unlock the computer.
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3. No password is required; simply press Enter.
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4. Open the Media Encoders Folder on the desktop.
   • Under the Start tab, select Tsunami’s Video Encoder Express.
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5. Select Start a New Project
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   • Then Add File.
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6. A new screen will pop up:
   • Navigate to your My Documents folder, and choose the .avi file to encode (this is usually an .avi file that you captured in Play DV).
   • When you have highlighted the correct file, press Open
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7. Under the Cut - Edit tab, use the scrub tool to set the start frame point and the end frame point of your video.
   • Use the scrub bar to choose the point you want to start your clip. You can do this by moving the tab on the bar with your mouse or using the keyboard arrow keys (note: if you press the Stop button, it will take you to the beginning of the clip). When you have chosen the spot you want your video to begin, click the Set as Start Frame button.
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   • Repeat the same process to choose where you want the video clip to end. When you have determined that point, select Set as End Frame.
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8. Select the Filter tab. At the Deinterlace drop down menu select “Deinterlace”
   • Note: It is important to verify that you are setting the selection from “Deinterlace only when necessary” to the “Deinterlace” option.
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   • At the left tool ribbon, check and select Crop' tool. Check the box Activate Image Crop.
   • If desired, increase the amount of cropping along each edge until any blurred data has been trimmed from the video. Using the controls at the lower right area, crop the edges of the screen to eliminate unwanted areas.
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9. Scroll further down the ribbon to the Audio Correction option. Select the Audio correction tool.
   • Select the Volume Change tab. Check the box in the upper left marked Activate Volume Change.
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10. Select OK.
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    • Clicking the Okay button will add the video clip with the Cut-edit and Filter features applied to the transcoding queue.
    • You may now choose another clip if desire and repeat the above steps. Begin again with "Add file" again to select another AVI video file to transcode (the "Add clip" dialog box will appear once again). If the project clips require a specific order, select a clip and use the Move Up and Down buttons.
    • Note: To change the settings you just created for the clip, click the Edit button next to the clip.
11. Once the project is in the desired order, select the Set Output tab to choose the video output specifications.
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    • If you are transcoding video for use in a PowerPoint, you will select the Video-CD NTSC selection.
    • If you are transcoding video for use on a DVD, you will choose either the DVD NTSC or DVD PAL selection.
    • NTSC is the video specification used in North America and Japan and will usually be selected for transcoding. For a DVD to be played in an American DVD player, choose DVD – NTSC. PAL is the video specification used in Europe and Asia and videos transcoded using the PAL system will not work in NTSC players.
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12. Next, verify that the Constant Bit Rate option is selected.
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    • Click the Select option to continue.
13. It is essential to check the box to limit the bit rate to 8,000kbps.
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14. Click Okay to return to the main screen under the Set Output tab.
15. Select the Encode tab:
    • Choose whether or not you want to Output all clips in 1 file or Output clips separately.
    • Choose where you want the files to export to and click Okay at bottom of popup screen.
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    • Select the Start Output option. A popup screen may tell you what files you will be encoding if you selected Output clips separately. Verify by selecting yes.
    • When finished, the program will say Output Finished on the bottom, next to the Status label. The finished files will appear in your My Documents folder in a Project Folder.

Freedman Center Howto Guides
Category	Guides
Audio	Converting Records | Converting Cassette Tapes Recording Voice | Podcasting
Video	Capturing Video | Transcoding Video | DVD Authoring | DVD Photo Slideshow
Scanning	Basic Flatbed | Large Flatbed | Transparent Media | Slides Negative Film | Sidekick Scanning | TextBridge OCR Microfiche | Microfilm
Video Conferencing	MSN Messenger 7.0