Ulead MEDIASTUDIO PRO 8.0 - SMART COMPOSITOR... User manual

User Guide
Ulead Systems, Inc.
September 2005
P/N: C22-180-110-0A0001

First edition for Ulead® MediaStudio Pro® 8, September 2005.
© 1992-2005 Ulead Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or storing in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form
without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.
Software license
The software described in this document is furnished under a License Agreement which is included with the product. This
Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses of the product.
Licenses and trademarks
All rights reserved. Ulead, the Ulead Systems logo, and MediaStudio are registered trademarks of Ulead Systems, Inc.
Intel, Pentium and MMX are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, DirectX
and/or other Microsoft products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. QuickTime and the
QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license. QuickTime is registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other
product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in this manual are used for identification
purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.
Sample files
Files provided as samples on the program CD can be used for personal demonstrations, productions and presentations.
No rights are granted for commercial reproduction or redistribution of any sample files.
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to MediaStudio Pro ........................................... 13
Getting started ................................................................... 14
Installation ......................................................................... 15
Running the programs ........................................................ 16
Readme .............................................................................. 16
PART I: VIDEO EDITOR
Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................... 18
Understanding the workspace ............................................ 19
Standard Toolbar .............................................................20
Panel Manager ................................................................20
Timeline Toolbar ..............................................................21
Personalizing the workspace ..............................................21
Saving the layout ............................................................22
Setting up a video project .................................................. 22
Creating a new video project .............................................22
Opening an existing project ..............................................24
Customizing a video project ..............................................25
Project Options dialog box ................................................. 25
Saving project settings as a template .................................. 27
Enabling Smart Proxy .......................................................27
Saving a video project ......................................................27
Capturing video .................................................................. 28
Video Capture .................................................................28
Batch Capture .................................................................30
Scan DV Tape ..................................................................30
Creating project segments in Smart Compositor ................ 31
Using the Production Library .............................................. 36
Placing clips into the Production Library ..............................36

4 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Using the Storyboard .......................................................37
Nested timelines .............................................................38
Working with folders ........................................................38
Drag and drop ................................................................39
Viewing Production Library thumbnails ...............................39
Adding effects to the Production Library .............................39
Preferences ........................................................................ 40
Chapter 2: Working with the Timeline ..............................45
Inserting clips .................................................................... 46
Inserting video, audio and image clips ................................46
Extracting extra audio tracks ..............................................47
Inserting voiceover ..........................................................47
Inserting title, color, and silence clips .................................49
Inserting Ulead video file types .........................................49
Inserting UIS files ...........................................................50
Inserting soundtracks from third-party music ......................50
Inserting Video Editor projects ..........................................51
Push Away insertion ........................................................51
Working with tracks ........................................................... 52
Single-track editing .........................................................52
Adding or deleting tracks ..................................................52
The Track buttons ...........................................................52
Determining the visibility of clips .......................................53
Displaying clips on the Timeline .........................................53
Zooming in/out of the Timeline .........................................54
General Timeline and Summary Timeline ............................54
Creating nested timelines ................................................... 56
Inserting nested timelines ................................................56
Editing a timeline ............................................................57
Working with virtual clips .................................................. 57
Viewing virtual clips in the Source Window ..........................58
Adding virtual clips to the Production Library .......................58
Chapter 3: Editing .............................................................59
Making selections in the Timeline ....................................... 60
Using the Clip Selection Tool ............................................60

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
Using the Time Selection Tool ...........................................61
Using the Track Selection Tool ..........................................61
Using the Track buttons ....................................................62
Grouping clips .................................................................62
Working with clips .............................................................. 63
Pasting attributes ............................................................63
Aligning clips ...................................................................64
Splitting the audio from video clips ....................................64
Changing the volume of clips .............................................65
Changing the speed of clips ..............................................65
Reversing the frames of a clip ...........................................67
Relinking clips .................................................................67
Calibrating video clips ......................................................68
Freezing a frame .............................................................68
Setting field options for video clips .....................................69
Working with cues .............................................................. 71
Placing project cues .........................................................71
Placing clip cues ..............................................................72
Placing chapter cues .......................................................73
Locating clips ..................................................................... 73
Locating an empty time slot ..............................................74
Trimming clips .................................................................... 74
Trimming in the Source Window ........................................75
Trimming in the Preview Window ........................................ 76
Using the Trim Window ....................................................76
Using the Scissors Tool to trim clips ..................................77
Defining trim options ........................................................78
Smart Trim .....................................................................79
Multi-trim Video ................................................................. 79
Split by Scene ..................................................................... 81
Ripple Editing ..................................................................... 82
Ripple Editing examples ....................................................83
Inserting clips into the middle of an existing clip ..................84
Using the Source Window ................................................... 85
Previewing your work ........................................................ 88
Previewing ......................................................................89

6 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Instant Play ...................................................................90
Using DV SmartPlay .........................................................92
Performing scrub previews ................................................92
Previewing on an external device .......................................93
Managing preview files .....................................................93
Chapter 4: Adding Effects and Titles .................................95
Using transition effects ...................................................... 96
Transition effects basics ....................................................96
Customizing a transition ...................................................97
Commonly used transitions ...............................................99
The Flashback transition .................................................100
The Mask transitions ......................................................101
Mask transition options ....................................................102
Audio transitions ...........................................................102
Using key frame controls in dialog boxes ......................... 103
Effects Manager ............................................................... 105
Previewing the applied effects .........................................106
Editing in the Preview Window .........................................107
Organizing effects .........................................................108
Overlay ............................................................................. 109
Overlay Options dialog box .............................................110
Overlay key types ..........................................................111
Understanding Alpha Channels ........................................112
Using Gamma correction ................................................113
Working with mattes ......................................................114
Creating image and video mattes ......................................114
Using Grayscale mattes ...................................................115
Applying video filters ....................................................... 115
Applying a regional matte to a video filter .........................118
Video enhancement filters ................................................120
Enhance Lighting Tool ...................................................120
Color Correction Tool ....................................................121
Color correcting selected regions ...................................122
Color correcting with the HSL wheel ...............................122
Color correcting with Curves ..........................................123
Global filters .................................................................124

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7
Creating a moving path .................................................... 124
Moving Path dialog box ...................................................125
Creating 3D moving paths ..............................................129
Managing key frames on a moving path ............................130
Inserting an image with moving path attributes .................131
Applying audio filters ....................................................... 131
Filling the left or right audio channel ................................132
Removing vocals ...........................................................133
Creating titles ................................................................... 133
Insert Title Clip dialog box ..............................................135
Chapter 5: Audio Mixing .................................................139
Audio Mixing Panel ........................................................... 140
Grouping audio tracks ....................................................142
Modifying volume in real-time .........................................143
Chapter 6: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound .................145
Working with Dolby Digital 5.1
in Video Editor .................................................................. 146
Surround sound hardware requirements ...........................146
Setting up surround sound projects ..................................146
Mixing Dolby Surround ...................................................147
Creating a surround sound audio file ................................150
Chapter 7: Creating and Exporting Final Video ...............151
Creating a video file ......................................................... 152
Creating MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files .....................................153
Creating HDV or HD video files ......................................... 153
Creating WMV HD files ...................................................154
Creating WMV/ QuickTime streaming file ..........................155
Determining your video save options ................................156
Performing a batch video creation ....................................159
Creating a VCD ................................................................. 160
Creating an SVCD ............................................................. 160
Creating a DVD ................................................................. 161
Creating an audio file ....................................................... 162

8 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Creating an image sequence ............................................ 163
Analyzing a video file's data rate ...................................... 164
Recording to a digital video camcorder ............................ 165
External preview ...........................................................166
Creating an Edit Decision List (EDL) file ........................... 167
Posting timecode ...........................................................168
Outputting to analog video tape ....................................... 169
Exporting to Ulead DVD MovieFactory and Ulead DVD
DiskRecorder .................................................................... 171
Chapter 8: Managing Video Projects ...............................173
Smart Package ................................................................. 174
Smart Relink .................................................................... 175
Converting files ................................................................ 175
Smart Check & Convert ..................................................176
Batch Convert ...............................................................176
Using the Quick Command Panel ...................................... 177
Chapter 9: Integration with Ulead Products ...................179
VideoStudio project files .................................................. 180
PhotoImpact UFO files ..................................................... 180
Importing masks from PhotoImpact ................................ 180
COOL 3D Production Studio files ...................................... 181
Chapter 10: Shortcuts .....................................................183
PART II: VIDEO CAPTURE
Chapter 1: Getting started .............................................194
Understanding the basics ................................................. 195
Standard Toolbar ..........................................................196
Navigation Bar ..............................................................196
Preparation ...................................................................... 197
Connecting a DV or Digital 8 camcorder ............................197
Connecting an HDV camcorder ........................................198

TABLE OF CONTENTS 9
Sony HDV camcorder ...................................................... 199
JVC HD camcorder .......................................................... 199
Connecting an analog video source ..................................202
Connecting a USB camera ...............................................203
Previewing video from your video source ..........................203
Setting preview options ..................................................203
Resizing the program window ..........................................204
Defining audio input when capturing analog video ..............204
Improving video signal when capturing analog video ....... 205
Calibrating your display ..................................................205
Typical calibration settings ............................................... 207
Adjusting color with your video capture board ...................207
Preferences ...................................................................... 208
Chapter 2: Capturing Video .............................................209
Tips for capturing video .................................................... 210
Before capturing ............................................................... 211
Enabling device control ...................................................211
Choosing a capture plug-in .............................................212
Capturing video ................................................................ 213
Capture options .............................................................215
Capturing video from a DV camcorder ..............................216
Capturing video from an HDV/HD camcorder .....................217
Direct MPEG capturing from a DV camcorder .....................218
Seamless DV and MPEG capture ......................................219
Direct WMV capturing .....................................................220
Selecting a profile .......................................................... 220
Editing and customizing a video profile .............................. 221
About dropped frames ....................................................221
Capturing single frames ..................................................222
Capturing a sequence of still frames .................................223
Capture history .............................................................223
Scanning a DV tape .......................................................... 224
Batch capturing ................................................................ 226
Importing and editing a batch list ....................................228
Changing a file's properties .............................................. 229
Chapter 3: Shortcuts ......................................................231

10 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
PART III: AUDIO EDITOR
Chapter 1: Getting Started .............................................236
Understanding the basics ................................................. 237
Playing audio files .........................................................239
Creating a new audio file ................................................239
Saving files ...................................................................239
Saving files to a video .....................................................240
Changing audio properties ..............................................240
Zooming ......................................................................240
Changing the view of a waveform ......................................241
Controlling the display and time unit of waveforms ..............242
Recording sound .............................................................. 243
Tips for determining audio quality ....................................244
Preferences ...................................................................... 245
Chapter 2: Editing Audio Files .........................................247
Working with selections ................................................... 248
Making selections ..........................................................248
Creating precise selections .............................................249
Clearing audio data .......................................................249
Inserting audio data ......................................................250
Working with cues ........................................................... 251
Managing cues ..............................................................252
Using cues with Video Editor ...........................................252
Enhancing sound .............................................................. 253
Changing the audio level ................................................253
Changing pitch ..............................................................254
Quantizing a waveform ..................................................254
Working with silence ......................................................255
Removing background noise ...........................................255
Muting a waveform .........................................................256
Calibrating files recorded from different sources ................256
Mixing tracks .................................................................... 257
Removing a mixed track .................................................257

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11
Applying special effects .................................................... 258
Performing a fade ..........................................................258
Changing speed .............................................................259
Performing a stereo pan .................................................259
Reversing a file .............................................................260
Performing an echo ........................................................260
Performing a cross fade ..................................................261
Using DirectX Audio plug-ins ...........................................262
Chapter 3: Shortcuts ......................................................263
PART IV: MORE PROGRAMS
Ulead DVD MovieFactory ................................................ 269
Launching DVD MovieFactory ........................................... 269
Start Project ..................................................................... 269
Add Media ........................................................................ 270
Adding/Editing chapters ..................................................271
Export selected clips ......................................................272
Setup Preferences, Project Settings and other options ..... 273
Settings and options .....................................................273
Preferences ................................................................... 273
Project settings ............................................................275
16:9 DVD ...................................................................... 276
Play and edit media .......................................................... 276
The right-click menu ......................................................277
Trimming a video ..........................................................278
Setup menus .................................................................... 278
Manipulating objects ......................................................281
Displayed thumbnail and text style ..................................281
Layout settings .............................................................282
Preview ............................................................................ 282
Burn ................................................................................. 283
Burning options .............................................................284
The Burning Options dialog box .......................................285

12 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Ulead DVD DiskRecorder ................................................287
System requirements ....................................................... 287
Hardware checkup and configuration ............................... 287
Running DVD DiskRecorder .............................................. 287
Important terms to know ................................................. 288
Preferences ...................................................................... 288
Create Disc ....................................................................... 289
Introduction to the workspace .........................................289
Adding video files ..........................................................290
Editing programs ...........................................................290
Protecting programs ......................................................290
Playlist .........................................................................291
Setting the name for a program, playlist, or entry point ......291
Exporting video or image files .........................................292
Burning your disc ..........................................................293
Edit Disc ........................................................................... 294
Formatting a disc ..........................................................294
Protecting a disc ............................................................294
Certifying a disc ............................................................295
INDEX
Index ............................................................................... 298

INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Congratulations on purchasing Ulead MediaStudio Pro, the ultimate video
editing solution for desktop professionals and digital video enthusiasts. Built
around a powerful suite of versatile and high performance programs,
MediaStudio Pro is the first choice for anyone wanting to work with video.
MediaStudio Pro offers Real-time MPEG capture, Real-time preview and Real-
time output. With intuitive controls and seamless integration, creating video
has never been easier or more accessible.

14 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Getting started
If you ever worked with digital video before, you can start working in MediaStudio
Pro right away. The program is equally intuitive for both - the novice users and
professionals. The fastest way to learn the program is direct interaction with its
tools. The more advanced features, however, are not on the surface and you might
well refer to the manual for particular answers on specific questions.
There are several sources of information that will help you explore the broad range
of MediaStudio Pro features: the manual, online help, and the MediaStudio Pro
Web site that contains tutorials and a host of other useful informative content.
All the information required to master MediaStudio Pro is in the manual and online
help. These are the primary sources of information.
The MediaStudio Pro Web site (www.ulead.com/msp/runme.htm) also has a
number of resources you will find useful.
The Web-based learning center has excellent tutorials that will guide you through
the program in a brief and intense way. Spending a few hours on the tutorial page
(http://www.ulead.com/learning/msp.htm) will empower you with an intimate
knowledge of MediaStudio Pro tools.
There are also a few private Web sites that have great tutorials and sample
projects. One of the best is the MediaStudio User’s Group, or MUG, at
www.mugcentral.com. This is the home base for the MUG mailing list, which you
can subscribe to at this site. Everyday, dozens of users, including quite a few video
professionals, ask and answer questions in an amazingly useful forum.

WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO 15
Installation
The MediaStudio Pro installation program runs from within Windows and contains
complete instructions to take you through the installation process.
To install MediaStudio Pro:
1. Read the license agreement that comes with the MediaStudio Pro package. The
license agreement contains important legal requirements that you need to be
aware of. If you agree to abide by it, continue with the installation.
Please take a moment to fill out the registration card during installation.
Becoming a registered user entitles you to product updates and upgrade
information, as well as technical support. You can also instantly register
online (electronically) after installing the program.
2. Insert the MediaStudio Pro CD into your CD-ROM drive. Windows should detect
the CD and then automatically run the installation program. If the automatic
detection feature is turned off, use Windows Explorer to run the SETUP.EXE
program directly from your CD-ROM drive.
Follow the installation program instructions. While the program is installing files, a
window will appear, displaying information about MediaStudio Pro and the
installation status.
If you want to browse the contents of the MediaStudio Pro CD, run AUTOEXEC.EXE
found in the Setup folder from your CD-ROM drive.
Installing Acrobat Reader
An electronic copy of this user guide is also available in the Adobe Acrobat format
(Portable Document Format - PDF). To view this, first run the AR500ENU.EXE file
(in the \Driver folder of the first MediaStudio Pro CD) and follow the installation
instructions. After successfully installing the Reader program, run the program and
click File: Open to open the file MediaStudio Pro 8 User Guide.PDF that is in the
\Document folder of the CD. You can then view the user guide.

16 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO
Running the programs
To run the MediaStudio Pro programs, click on the desired program in the Start:
Programs - Ulead MediaStudio Pro 8 submenu. This submenu may differ
depending on the choices you made during installation. If you are already working
in any of these programs, the easiest method to run another MediaStudio Pro
program is by using the Switch menu, located on the right of the Menu Bar.
Readme
In the fast paced world of software, changes occur almost daily. While we have
tried to keep this manual as up-to-date as possible, there will inevitably be some
things that did not make it into the book by press time. Please browse through the
Readme file installed in the Ulead MediaStudio Pro program folder to find out about
the latest notes, drivers, and troubleshooting tips.

PART I: VIDEO EDITOR

1
GETTING STARTED
This chapter introduces the Video Editor user interface, beginning with a
walkthrough of the workspace and its various components, followed by ways
on customizing and saving the workspace. You will also learn how to capture
video directly in Video Editor, manage your media using the Production
Library, and use some of the basic program functions.
This chapter includes the following sections:
Understanding the workspace
Setting up a video project
Capturing video
Creating project segments in Smart Compositor
Using the Production Library
Preferences

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 19
Understanding the workspace
The Timeline Window is where you assemble and edit your video project. It is
laid out horizontally and composed of several independent layers or 'tracks.' These
tracks hold the clips that make up a video project. The other windows in the Video
Editor workspace, such as the Preview Window and Effects Manager, are there to
help you in the editing process.
7 Timeline Window
8 Track buttons;
Lock, Hide and Solo buttons
9 Video clip in the video track
10 Transition effect clip
11 Audio clip in the audio track
1 Standard Toolbar
2 Panel Manager
3 Effects Manager
4 Production Library and Project Tray
5 Source Window and Preview Window
6 Timeline Toolbar
6
8
1
5
3 4
7
91110
2

20 VIDEO EDITOR
Standard Toolbar
Panel Manager
The Panel Manager allows you to show or hide the different windows in the
workspace. You may dock it beside or below the Standard Toolbar, or float it
anywhere in the workspace as a separate toolbar panel.
Create a
new project
Open a
project file
Save a Video
Editor project Show and edit
Project Settings
Cut a clip
from a project
Copy a clip
from a project
Paste a clip into
the Timeline
Find the next
clip in a project
Find a clip in
a project
Redo an undone
function
Undo a previous
action
Help
Open Ulead
Home page
Create a video file
Preview Window
Source Window
Quick Command Panel Audio Mixing Panel
Production Library
Effect Manager
Dock/Float Timeline Window
Layout Template