Encoding in 720p to single or double-layer DVDs?

[broaddd]

Hi folks,

Dumb question, perhaps, but I see a lot of people out there are encoding various roughly 2-hour Bluray movies to 720p mkv (264, AC3) at either 4.37gb or 6-8gb...

...I'm trying to work out which datarate I should generally go for myself, and the 4.37gb mkv files I've seen look fine (usually around 4500kbps video rate) and are obviously convenient for single-layer DVD backup.

Is there something I'm missing, or should I be considering a higher bitrate like some of the other encoders out there? To me, it looks like the higher bitrate is generally just wasting bits?

I mean, I'd guess even if you disregarded bitrate and encoded at a 264 constant rate factor of 59-62%, you'd still end up less than 4.38gb, more often than not - maybe I'm completely wrong on that tho - maybe that is why some movies blow out to 6-8gb?

Cheers,
Broad

[Soopafresh]

Depends on your own eyes - if you're happy, that's all that counts. Another factor is the type of scenes in the video. Any movie with lots of water, smoke, or fog scenes needs a lot of bitrate in order to avoid macroblocking.

[RabidDog]

Star Fields will also need big bitrate.. something like the Enterprise going into warp mode
"LaaaLaaaaaa Where no man has gone before ...SHOOM!"