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How to Convert a Movie to HD

Now that high definition is the new standard in television and home theater video equipment, you may want to know what can be done to keep your old movies looking their best. High definition offers up to two and a half times the display resolution of the old standard. In this guide, we will show you how to scale up standard video using Adobe Premiere CS3 and Topaz Enhance software. We will assume your movies have already been transferred to your computer.

Things You'll Need

  • Adobe Premiere CS3
  • Topaz Enhance plug-in for Adobe Premiere CS3
  • Blu-Ray disc burner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Open a new project in Adobe Premiere CS3 and designate the project type as "HDV 720p30."

    • 2

      Import your original movie files into the Adobe Premiere CS3 project by selecting "File" and "Import" from the menu.

    • 3

      Drag the imported files onto the sequence time line. Note the file in the program monitor window. The original movie should appear smaller than the new HD movie frame.

    • 4

      Select the "Effects" tab, and choose the "Video Effects" folder. Locate the "Topaz Enhance" plug-in folder and select "Enlarge" from the list of available effects. Use your mouse to drag the effect onto the video clip you placed in the time line.

    • 5

      Select the "Effect Controls" tab and expand the "Enlarge" effect to display the plug-in controls. Adjust the "Zoom in" amount until the edges of the original DVD clip touch the vertical edges of the monitor frame. You will have to play the time line sequence to view the effect. If your original clip was shot in full screen, some cropping may occur at the top and bottom of the frame. If the original is wide screen, you still may have some black at the top and bottom, depending on the wide screen format. Either way, you can use Adobe Premiere's image adjustment controls to reposition or stretch the full screen image to fill the new HD frame. When you are satisfied with the image size and position, proceed to the next step.

    • 6

      Select "File," then "Export," then "Export to Encore" from the menu. Select "Blu-Ray Disc Single Layer MPEG-2" for the export type. Make sure "Entire Sequence" is selected for export range. Press the "Settings" button and from the "Preset" pull-down menu, select settings for a 720p Blu-Ray format. Press the "OK" button. Pressing "OK" again will begin transcoding the video and copying it to your Blu-Ray disc burner.

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