Video loses quality after authoring (TMPGEnc DVD Author)

[eprunner06]

I am burning DVD-VCD's. When I burn my VCD files to a normal VCD using Nero the quality is great. When I author and burn my DVD-VCD's with the exact same files using TMPGEnc DVD Author (this program reencodes the VCD audio for me while it is in the "output" process), the final video quality of the DVD is less than that of the VCD. Is it normal to lose some quality when going through the authoring process? It's like there is a slight flicker on the screen. I can get used to it after awhile and it's not to bad, but when I switch between the normal VCD and the DVD-VCD the difference is very notable. I thought that my DVD-VCD would have just the same quality as my regular VCD.
I am burning black and white TV shows captured with my ATI All In Wonder Radeon card as well as ATI's MMC 7.7. I capture directly to VCD MPG format. This whole capturing part can't be it though because the VCD's from these files are fine...I've narrowed it down to the authoring part. Now I just don't know what to do.

Any Suggestions?
-Eric

[bottle-necked]

According to TMPGEnc DVD Author's help file:
It is necessary to convert the format to MPEG-1/2 format based on the DVD video standard. This function, however, is not available in this software. To change the AVI file into an MPEG-1/2 file based on the DVD video standard, we recommend using our company's MPEG-1/2 encoder TMPGEnc Plus.
Author can not encode video. It does not change your video files other than creating VOB files. That's not considered a reencode.

I'm not sure what's happening with your DVDs but it may be something pretty simple. Maybe it's the quality of your blank disks? I don't see what the program could be doing to your files.

Have you tried another authorizing application? There are several offered for free trial download. You could try some of them, but DVD Author is the best program I've ever used.

Good luck.

Maybe consider cleaning your DVD drives. The settop box and your burner. Lint and dust can do that too, but I would suspect my media.

[eprunner06]

Ok, thank you very much for the reply. I am in the process right now of downloading DVDLab right now ... if that doesn't work then I guess that it most likely is my media ... what should I look for when looking to buy some quality blank DVD's??

-Thanks,
-Eric

[bottle-necked]

I'm having good luck with TDK. lol