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Question

Hello
Sorry for the lengthy question.
I recently downloaded a short clip from YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_riYAlUp4V4
GSpot tells me that the codecs (MPEG2 for video and  MPEG-1 Layer 2 for audio) are installed, and that the frame size is 640 wide x 360 high. The frame rate is 25.000 per sec. Other audio details include 44100Hz  192 kb/s tot , Stereo. Then I open up MediaInfo and while it does not inform me that this is a PAL clip or not, at 25fps I am guessing that it is. These are the clips's other properties:
Name: Helena screen test.mpg
Video:
MPEG Video
BitRate is 1 193
Frame is 640px wide x 360px high.
25fps
Display aspect ratio: 16:9
Bit depth: 8 bits
Scan type: Progressive
Compression mode: Lossy
Audio:
MPEG Audio
Bit rate: 192 Kbps
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Compression mode: Lossy
I now wish to edit the video, so I open up Premiere Elements 11 and go to File | New Project and in 'Project Settings' I try to match the clip's properties that I know about from GSpot and MediaInfo with the settings I am about to assign to my project. Thus, I ignore NTSC completely since my clip runs at 25fps. On the other hand, there is no PAL setting in Elements 11 that corresponds exactly to my clip's 640 x 360 frame-size properties.
Eventually, I choose PAL | DV Standard 48kHz (not my desired 44.1kHz) which has a frame rate of 25 fps and a frame size of 720 x 576 (and not my desired 640 x 360). However, if I have understood correctly the clip itself obliges Elements 11 to accept its own properties once it is on the Timeline.
I think that's right?
I click OK to the PAL | DV Standard settings on the 'Change Settings' dialogue box and leave unticked the 'Force selected Project Setting on this project' because I don't want to impose different properties on my clip.
I click on 'Add Media' and drag my clip to the Timeline. I go to Edit | Preferences | General and ensure that 'Default frame to scale size' is ticked. So far so good. Now for the confusing part: I go to Edit | Project Settings | General and see that although my clip is on the Timeline and despite not having ticked the 'Force selected Project Setting on this project' (in my Presettings), Elements sees my clip as having a 720 x 576 frame-size and not a 640 x 360 frame-size which is really what it is (screenshot).
On the other hand, if I go to File | Get Properties for.... | Selection with my clip still on the Timeline, the Properties dialogue box tells me that my clip has a frame-size not of 720px x 576px as 'Project Settings' has informed me, but of 640px x 360px! (screenshot).
It seems that Elements 11 is trying to dictate the properties of my clip, rather than the clip determining the settings in Elements 11. The two lots of settings are inconsistent in that the clip's properties do not correspond to the settings in Elements 11.
Be that as it may, I add a couple of transitions to the clip and I'm now ready to Publish+Share it. I choose 'Computer' and then MPEG, and then under 'Presets' I choose PAL DVD Standard. I can see immediately that the project will be saved with settings that do not correspond to the clip's original properties. The frame rate is the same but the frame size at 720x576 is not; neither is the audio setting of 48kHz (the
original is 44.1kHz) (screenshot).
I click on 'Advanced'. Under 'Video', I set 'Quality' to 5, leave TV Standard at PAL, frame-rate at 25, 'Field Order' at Lower, and 'Pixel Aspect Ratio' at 4.3 (1.094). I don't understand the Bitrate or GOP Settings so I leave them as they are. I change the 'Preset' field of 'Export Settings' from Custom to PAL DVD Standard. I can see that the frame-size is 720x576, but it is greyed-out so I couldn't alter it even
if I wanted to.
Under 'Audio' I leave 'Audio Format' at Dolby Digital and the 'Preset' at PAL DVD Standard. The Bitrate is set at 192 which corresponds to the original clip's audio properties, so I leave it at that.
As it happens the clip turned out very well - I can detect no difference between my clip and the one I downloaded from YouTube - but what I wanted to ask was, despite the 'lack of correspondence' between original and exported settings, is my methodology - the way I am going about processing the clip - a reasonable one? Is that the way it is supposed to be done? Furthermore, is it true to say that since my final exported clip looks just fine, that settings do not NEED to correspond exactly?
Sorry again for the lengthy nature of the question.
Many thanks
Steve   

Answer 1

Hello ATR
I set up the video with settings along the lines you suggested (screenshot).
These settings have a frame-size of 1280 x 720. I find that a bit confusing because the original settings are 640 x 360. These settings effectively double the original settings, don't they. Why would I want to do that?
Anyway, I ticked the "Force Selected Project Settings On This Project" and left "Default Scale to Frame Size" active in preferences. Then I imported the video alone into my project Expert Timeline (that is only the video and not any Folders).
I then clicked on 'Yes' to the SmartFix 'Fix quality problems in clips?' I then edited the video a little and then clicked on Publish+Share | Computer | AVCHD. For PAL DV Widescreen I can only see MP4 - PAL DV Widescreen, so I set it to that.
In Export Settings I needed to release the link between frame width and height and type in 640x360. I have to leave the Preset field in Export Settings as 'Custom', otherwise if I try to select MP4 - PAL DV Widescreen from the drop-down menu it alters the frame-size. The Format, which is greyed-out, is set at H.264. I then change the 'Field Order' to 'None (Progressive)' and the Pixel Aspect Ratio from Widescreen 16.9 to Square Pixels. The other settings are as you have them: Profile = Main; Level = 3.1 The final settings before clicking 'Save' look lie this:
I click Save and it saves as an MP4 video and the quality looks good! One thing I am unsure about is why you would choose this: Publish+Share | Computer | AVCHD | with Presets = PAL DV Widescreen. Why widescreen? Is there something in the original clip's settings (frame-size of 640 x 360) that indicate to you that the clip should be saved as a widescreen clip?
Thanks again!