720x480 MPEG2 stream to 480x480 MPEG2 SVCD stream - Transcod

[mancuj1]

I have all my source video encoded in MPEG2(720x480) format.

Can you answer the following. If I were to transcode my MPEG2(720x480 - DVD) file into MPEG2(480x480 - SVCD) with REMPEG would I lose quality?

If the answer is yes, do you know of another way to transcode more efficiently that what I describe above? Can I use TMPGEnc to achieve the same results?

Am I better off saving 2 output streams(DVD & SVCD) from the original AVI file going forward?

Regards,
-Joe

[House de Kris]

Any time you MPEG an MPEG it is going to degrade. I'm sure there are varying degrees that you'll see the degrading, but a lossy compressor is lossy.

Your idea of making two different outputs from your original AVI is a good one and will most likely yield the best results. Many will think I'm crazed, but I make up to four different versions of each edited AVI I create. A VCD version for compatibility, a low bitrate CVD for my Pioneer DV-440, a max bitrate SVCD for friends with machines that can play them, a half D1 for DVDs of VHS, and a D1 version for DVDs of good sources.