AVI To DVD Which Target Format?

[Bunky]

Hi,
I am just trying to convert an .AVI file to a DVD to play on my set-top DVD player.
Which is the best preset or Target Format to use?

DVD-lo
DVD mpeg2enc
DVD ffmpeg

Or some other one?
I will be using Toast 7.1.3 on my MacOS 10.4.11 to burn the final result.
I am finally getting up and running, and I'd like the best way to go.
Thanks for your time,
Bunky

[Case]

Which is the best preset or Target Format to use?

I suppose you're talking about ffmpegX?
DVD-lo encodes to DVD using the mpeg2enc engine and has lowered resolution, Half D1.
DVD mpeg2enc encodes to DVD using the mpeg2enc engine.
DVD ffmpeg encodes to DVD using the ffmpeg engine.
KDVD encodes to DVD using the mpeg2enc engine, with a half D1 resolution, a lower bitrate (78%), and a KVCD quantization matrix.

I prefer the DVD mpeg2enc preset for NTSC Film framerates (23.976 fps), as it allows setting a 3:2 pulldown during encoding. For other framerates DVD ffmpeg is good too, and a bit faster.

[terryj]

Since in your other posting you were having issues with jerkiness of
frames, what happens if you:

1. Take the .avi file into MpegStreamclip and convert it to DV Stream format?
2. Take the DV Stream file, drag drop it into Toast 7, and
author a DVD Image of that to your desktop?
3. Open (mount) the .toast dvd image and play it back in Apple's DVD Player?
Does the jerkiness subside at this point?

( I'm trying through these steps to rule out either the .avi file, ffmpegx,
or Toast. Bare with me and please try these steps.)

[Case]

I am still dealing with jerky playback for DVDs.

1/ What is the framerate of your source file? If possible, try to match source framerate and target framerate. Framerate conversions with ffmpegX means skipping frames or adding (copying) frames, which is fast but not as smooth as possible.
2/ I assume your source file has progressive XviD video (quite common), but if it has interlaced content (e.g. DV AVI) then other issues might be happening.
3/ 3:2 pulldown is only useful with 23.976 fps MPEG-2 video. There is no need for pulldown with 25 fps or 29.97 fps.
4/ You may check if the 3:2 pulldown was successfully applied by dropping the output .mpg file back onto ffmpegX. In the Summary, the video spec of the file should include "23.976 fps w/3:2".

[Bunky]

Hi terryj and Case,
Man it seems like it's getting closer.
Tha Apple DVD player seemed to play it fine, but it still was a little bit jerky on my home DVD player.
I mean almost watchable, and I may.
I thought for sure when it played fine on the Apple DVD player I was in business.
I used MPEG Streamclip as recommended, but when I dropped it on Toast 7, it encoded it, is that correct?
I'm thinking it may have raised my frame rate some from 23.976 fps, to almost right. (MPEG Streamclip)
This is the output from MPEG Streamclip of the raw .AVI file input
Video Tracks:
Xvid, 624 × 352, 23.976 fps, 1.00 Mbps

This is the output of the DV file after Export DV with MPEG Streamclip.
Video Tracks:
DV/DVCPRO - NTSC, 720 × 480, 16:9, 29.97 fps, 28.77 Mbps

I didn't touch anything except add 16:9.
Thanks again for all your help you two.
I just had time to mess with it this evening.
Take care,
Bunky

[terryj]

Yes, Toast will encode it to DVD Compliant Mpeg-2.
Yes, default settings in MpegStreamclip are what
transcoded it to NTSC fps (29.97).

So playing back the Toast outputted in Apple DVD player,
what does it look like?

[Bunky]

Yes, Toast will encode it to DVD Compliant Mpeg-2.
Yes, default settings in MpegStreamclip are what
transcoded it to NTSC fps (29.97).

So playing back the Toast outputted in Apple DVD player,
what does it look like?

terryj
The Apple DVD player plays it perfectly. (It seems anyway)
When I burned it to a Verbatim 4.7 GB 16X DVD and played it on the standalone JBL DVD player it was almost watchable, definitely less jerky than before.
I am burning it on an external Firewire DVD Burner (Lacie) TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S162L: with up to date firmware.
I am only burning the DVD on 4X speed, (Via Toast) because I have an older Quicksilver Macintosh, if that matters.
Thanks for hanging in there with me,
Bunky

PS: I just tried a VCD (Which I had never done before) with the same results, jerky playback. (Memorex CD)

[terryj]

Ok bunky let's go back a bit:

The DV Stream file generated from MpegStreamclip,
how does that playback in QT player? Is it smooth,
or jerky?

if so, then we know that the we are ok at that step so the problem
may have been in the authoring stage in Toast.

Post back and we'll go further...

[Bunky]

Ok bunky let's go back a bit:

The DV Stream file generated from MpegStreamclip,
how does that playback in QT player? Is it smooth,
or jerky?

if so, then we know that the we are ok at that step so the problem
may have been in the authoring stage in Toast.

Post back and we'll go further...

terryj,
It seems to play perfectly when dropped onto QuickTime Version 7.6.4 (518.35).
So Toast Titanium 7.1.3 may be the culprit?
Can that be stepping down the frame rate FPS in some way?
Thanks terryj,
Bunky

[Bunky]

terryj,
An update, I downloaded that FREEWARE program Burn, and dropped that .DV file you had me create with MPEG Streamclip, and then burned it with "Burn" and it worked Great.. (As far as jerkiness goes.)
So right now I dropped another .AVI file onto Burn, and I am trying to use that for the whole process.
I am wondering if will look as good as the .DV done with MPEG Streamclip.
"Burn" may be slower, and may not work at getting the .DV file together I'm thinking, but the first one worked Great.
Any thoughts on the matter would be Great. Thanks Again..
Have a good evening..
Bunky

Burn can be found at: http://burn-osx.sourceforge.net/Pages/English/home.html

[terryj]

My guess is that, just from reading the sparse info on the app,
that Burn uses a variant of ffmpeg, which for some reason or another,
is handling your files ( both DV and AVI) better than your version
of ffmpegx in that regard.