DVDFlick Re-Encoding

[bolintx]

I am using ADSTech USB Instant DVD to capture analog video to my PC. Last night I downloaded DVDFlick, great program sofar, to Author and Burn.

The question I have is that I am capturing at either 3mbps or 4mbps to MPEG2 format. I believe this is a DVD Standard format.

DVDFlick is reencoding the video and audio streams before the burn. I have pasted the output from a 3mbps capture that I completed in hopes that someone can tell me what I need to change to save the reencoding step.
The output is from gspot. I did notice that it states I do not have the MPEG2 coded installed, my burning machine is different from my capture system.

Thanks

--- File Information ---
File Name: HomeVideo1.mpg
File Name (with full path): F:\HomeVideo1.mpg
File Size (in bytes): 1,950,449,664

--- Container Information ---
Base Type (e.g "AVI"): MPEG (.MPG/.MPEG/.VOB)
Subtype (e.g "OpenDML"):
Interleave (in ms):
Preload (in ms):
Audio alignment("split across interleaves"):
Total System Bitrate (kbps): 14107
Bytes Missing (if any):
Number of Audio Streams: 1

--- Video Information ---
Video Codec Type(e.g. "DIV3"): MPEG2
Video Codec Name(e.g. "DivX 3, Low-Motion"): MPEG-2
Video Codec Status(e.g. "Codec Is Installed"): Codec(s) are NOT Installed
Duration (hh:mms): 1:18:58
Frame Count: 141987
Frame Width (pixels): 704
Frame Height (pixels): 480
Storage Aspect Ratio("SAR")" 1.467
Pixel Aspect Ratio ("PAR"): 0.909
Display Aspect Ratio ("DAR"): 1.333
Fields Per Second: 59.940
Frames Per Second: 29.970
Pics Per Second: 29.970
Video Bitrate (kbps): 2997
MPEG-4 ("MPEG-4" or ""):
B-VOP ("B-VOP" or ""):
QPel ("QPel" or ""):
GMC ("GMC" or ""):
NVOP ("NVOP" or ""):
H264 ("H264" or ""):
Quality Factor (bits/pixel)/frame: 0.296"

MPEG-2 ("MPEG-2" or ""): MPEG-2
Interlaced ("I/L" or ""): I/L
Progressive ("Prog" or ""):
Top Frame First ("TFF" or ""): TFF
Bottom Frame First ("BFF" or ""):
3:2 Pulldown ("3:2" or ""):
Picture-per-field ("PPF" or ""):

--- Aspect Ratio Related ---

Broadcast standard: "PAL" (else blank)
Broadcast standard: "NTSC" (else blank) NTSC
src:"VCD", "SVCD", "CVD", or "DVD (else blank):
Instructions to convert to VCD, first part: Resize to 352 x 240 ( w:[1/2] h:[1/2] )
Instructions to convert to VCD, second part: No cropping req'd
Instructions to convert to SVCD, first part: Resize to 469 x 480 ( w:[2/3] h:[1/1] )
Instructions to convert to SVCD, second part: Pad 5 to left, 6 to right for 480 x 480
Instructions to convert to CVD, first part: Resize to 352 x 480 ( w:[1/2] h:[1/1] )
Instructions to convert to CVD, second part: No cropping req'd
Instructions to convert to DVD, first part: No resize req'd
Instructions to convert to DVD, second part: Pad 8 to each side for 720 x 480
Instructions to convert to AVI, first part: Resize to 641 x 480 (Use +/- for other target sizes)
Instructions to convert to AVI, second part: Crop off any non-picture areas, if req'd

--- Audio Information ---
MPEG Stream ID (e.g. "0xbd"): 0xc0
MPEG VOB file Substream(e.g. "0x80"):
Audio Codec (e.g. "AC3"): MPEG-1 Layer 2
Audio Codec Status (e.g. "Codec Is Installed"): Codec(s) are Installed
Audio Sample Rate (Hz): 48000
Audio Bitrate(kbps): 192
Audio Bitrate Type ("CBR" or "VBR"): CBR
Audio Channel Count (e.g. "2" for stereo): 2

[bolintx]

I did just notice something jumped out at me... Instructions to convert to DVD say to pad 8 on each side. Is there a way to say leave it at the current size?

[marioval]

I believe there is an option to "copy mpeg2 streams" or some similar wording. This option tells DVDflick to copy rather then encode compliant streams.

[bolintx]

Thanks Marioval, I tried that but it is still going through the step encode video and taking quite a bit of time if it is just copying the stream.

[tomlee59]

I did just notice something jumped out at me... Instructions to convert to DVD say to pad 8 on each side. Is there a way to say leave it at the current size?

Edited: In a word, I'm very mistaken. Of course 704x480 is a legitimate resolution (for NTSC).

[bolintx]

TomLee In a word yes, 704x480 is a compliant format.
From What is DVD, upperleft corner NTSC (NTSC Film)

Video:
Up to 9.8 Mbps* (9800 kbps*) MPEG2 video
Up to 1.856 Mbps (1856 kbps) MPEG1 video
720 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Full-D1)
704 x 480 pixels MPEG2

704x480 is listed as a standard. So why is it needing to encode again.

So does anybody have an idea why it needs to encode the video?

[poisondeathray]

Total System Bitrate (kbps): 14107

Perhaps you exceeded the video bitrate limit? Audio bitrate is only 192kbps of that total...

[bolintx]

Not sure what that incorporates because further down it states:

Video Bitrate (kbps): 2997

But I'll look into it, thanks

[TBoneit]

If you have a DVD compliant video why are you using DVDFlick??

IMHO You should be using a DVD authoring program. There are several free ones listed in the tools section. I would never use DVD flick just to author. I have used it to convert flv to DVD for example however.

Under Project Settings choose video, Then choose advanced and check the box "copy mpeg 2 streams"

dvd%20flick.bmp
the little i next to that option shows

[TBoneit]

If you have a DVD compliant video why are you using DVDFlick??

IMHO You should be using a DVD authoring program. There are several free ones listed in the tools section. I would never use DVD flick just to author. I have used it to convert flv to DVD for example however.

Under Project Settings choose video, Then choose advanced and check the box "copy mpeg 2 streams"

dvd%20flick.bmp
the little i next to that option shows

So it should do what you want. It just isn't what I'd use myself.
Good Luck

[bolintx]

TBoneIT or anyone else,

What would your recommend for authoring? I just picked DVDFlick because it looked relatively easy to use.

[TBoneit]

As you can see it will work, it is free and if you choose your options properly it won't re-encode.

I myself use TDA3. It isn't free. There are several free ones.

Here is a link to one of them. note that the page has links to GUIs to make it easy to use.
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/dvdauthor

[tomlee59]

TomLee In a word yes, 704x480 is a compliant format.
From What is DVD, upperleft corner NTSC (NTSC Film)
704x480 is listed as a standard. So why is it needing to encode again.

So does anybody have an idea why it needs to encode the video?

Yes -- you are quite right (I've updated my previous erroneous comment as well). Your authoring tool is behaving as if it thinks only D1 is a legitimate choice. Unless there's some option you can set in its preferences menu, you may be out of luck with this tool.

[TBoneit]

I'll be interested in how DVDFlick works with 704 by 480 with the copy mpeg2 streams box ticked.

[bolintx]

it doesn't copy them, it forces to 720x480. Not sure if it is my stream or the software but it doesn't copy it reencodes.

[TBoneit]

Try VideoReDo on your files using the QuickStreamFix tool. You will need to request the free trial key which will remove the file size output limitation and allow it to run full featured. The QuickstreamFix tool has saved me many times.

http://www.videoredo.com/en/index.htm

In fact try VideoReDo TVSuite it will allow editing and DVD authoring. I used it with the trial key and it was OK.

It could be the best solution for you. A full featured editing tool for MPEG files as well as DVD authoring.

There is a link to the forums on the page I posted.

Good Luck