How to preserve original AVI video quality?

[Nethog]

I recently started transferring my miniDV tapes to my computer into AVI format. I am using Premiere Elements 12 for basic editing. When I go to render my video, there is no AVI format available, just a bewildering array of options to use. What is the best video option to use that best preserves the original AVI format? I also plan to upload them all to YouTube. There are two categories I think I should pick from: MPEG and AVCHD. There are 18 choices under MPEG and 15 under AVCHD! How on earth do I know which one to pick?

[John T Smith]

NTSC (US standard) is 720x480 - is that what you have?

If that is what you have, you need to pick an export setting that matches your video

[Nethog]

John, when I use PE to view the AVI file properties it shows 720x480, 29.97 frame rate. And yes it would be NTSC. My Camcorder is a Sony DCR-TRV950.

[Ann Bens]

Wow I used to have a DCR-TRV950.

DV-avi as export format should be available under Advanced Settings (or something like that).

Uploading to YouTube would be a mp4 but be aware of the pixel aspect ratio.

For archiving, I would go for avchd.

[Nethog]

I did a quick test and compared viewing the original AVI to an AVCHD "MP4-NTSC DVD Standard" rendered output from Premiere Elements and to be honest with you I didn't really notice any quality difference! The original AVI was 13 GB, and the .MP4 was only 140 Mb!