Quickie Question about Half D1 and the final product

[joecav]

OK this is probably dumb, but I just can't figure it out so I need some help. Here is my process, tell me where I am going wrong.

I am transferring VHS tapes to DVD using my DV cam to "capture" it sending it to Premiere. OK, I now have a rather large (25GB) DV AVI file that is 720x480. The vids are about 2 1/2 hrs long.

If I now encode that avi file using Main Concept at half D1 (352x480), 4000 VBR it will look better than if I just left it at the ful D1 resolution, right? That's what I've read here so lets go with it.

I now have a smaller Mpeg file that I will de-mux in TMPGenc. I will convert the WAV into AC3 and re-mux the video with no sound. (I'm using DVD Architect to author) So I now have a compliant video file and audio file ready to author.

This is where I get lost. When I author, because my resoultion is 352x480, I need to keep it at that resolution to the end, correct? In other words, I don't take that video file and author a full D1 DVD, I author a half D1 DVD...and more importantly, this will fill out the entire screen on my TV? I was under the impression that by lowering the resolution, the picture would be smaller (in a box or something) when I burned the DVD and played it on my set top...I hope I'm wrong.

I know this sounds insane, I am just trying to figure this out and any advice on my procedure would be most excellent. I appreciate all the help and advice I've gotten here over the last few months.

-Joecav

[Tommyknocker]

Remember, both resolutions are DVD format. So when you burn you 352 x 480 resolution to a DVD, it will fill as much of you TV screen as possible.

[joecav]

ok thanks, so i guess my process is correct?

[Tommyknocker]

It seems sound to me. Try burning a small sample to a DVD±RW. See if you like the results. Even though I cannot tell the difference between 352 and 720 resolutions, I like the look of 480 as opposed to the 240 resolution.