Questions about Half D1 resolution

[hiflyact]

I've been working with the SVCD format for awhile now and recently was turned on to the half D1 resolution (352x480) 48000hz audio. I understand that this is a better format to capture to instead of the SVCD standard of 480x480 44000hz audio. Especially if I want to move the video files to DVD in the future or if I am capping from VHS.

I guess there is no way to test an encode since I don't have a DVD burner. It looks fine on the computer though, audio sync wise. I did a sample and burned it to a CD to play in my standalone dvd player but the audio was off, I am assuming because of the 48000hz audio stream and it was burned as a VCD with the SVCD header trick.

If there is a way to actually test it on my DVD player, I'd like to know how to do it, without having a dvd burner. There's always the option of using 44000hz for the audio stream and then later converting it to 48K. I'd rather just leave it ready for DVD authoring.

How many 45 minute videos would I be able to fit on a DVD if I were to get a DVD burner? What about bitrates? Is it better to leave it at the 2520 bitrate or to go higher with it? I would be using TMPGEnc 2 pass VBR. How much of a bitrate would be overkill if we're talking going above the 2520? Is the DVD standard more flexible on bitrates as far as DVD players playing them? I've read about values anywhere from 4000 to 8000. I know that the higher I go the less video(s) I would be able to fit.

Thanks for any help

[LanEvo7]

If you use Nero, select the SVCD template and uncheck complaint cd. Then just burn the file. Some DVD players can play it, my apex plays it just fine. Regarding bitrate and size. The higher the bitrate, the bigger the file. I've encoded at about 2000 bitrate VBR and can fit about 5 hours on the DVD. At 2500 you can fit about 4 hours.

[RabidDog]

you only need those high bitrates for full d1 720x576 for svcd or cvd(1/2.d1) std svcd rates should be good. 2520 at 1/2 d1 should give very good results. As I always say try three back to back encodes of say 10mins( same clip) then burn to cdrw and check the quality. I quite agree about using 1/2d1 and 48000khz sound as this is a valid dvd spec. So no re-encoding needed when you xfr to DVD.

[dh]

I captured a TV program (about 45 minutes) in DV codec and encode it in following 2 formats:
1. SVCD Mpeg: 2520 variable bitrate average & maximum.
2. Half D1 DVD Mpeg: 3000 variable bitrate average & maximum.
Burnt them in DVD+RW.
Result: SVCD looks sharper and the file size is smaller.

[hiflyact]

So you would recommend just doing a CBR 2520 bitrate encode at half D1 resolution with the 48K audio? Then I can move it to DVD when I get a DVD burner. Using a VBR wouldn't make sense here since I'm not trying to cram it on 1 CD. I figure I would be able to get about 4 or 5 - 45 minute videos on a DVD-R, correct?

[LanEvo7]

Why wouldn't making it VBR make any sense? With VBR you can get higher quality than with CBR. Encode with a bitrate of 2520 at half d1 and you should be able to fit about 5 episodes on one dvdr.

[hiflyact]

I got confused by "dh's" post saying that he encoded with 2520 for avg. and max. Is this what I should do with a VBR? I thought usually the avg was set a little lower than the max, at least that's what I've been doing when making SVCD's and using the bitrate calc. Which calc would I use then for this half d1 resolution encode?

[Ejoc]

If you dont have a DVD burner, and you Player wont play it with an INCORRECT audio rate, why do it? If you are going to burn to CDR try using 352x480 44.1kHz, also known as CVD, and burn that to CDR, then if you get a DVD burner, you can resample the audio and burn it to DVD.