Determining quality

[fillishave]

I have read in several posts that choice of media gives different results. For heavy pixelation, skipping and freezing I completely understand that that's true but is that also true for the over-all picture quality?

I've been using a Maxell DVD-RW with several different programs to test versions of a full back-up of "Spiderman" (about 7 gb).
With Intervideo DVDCopy I got a fairly good picture quality but it was clearly visible that it was not an original movie. The picture had kind of a "floating" look.
This was at about 55% so I'm not at all surprised I didn't get perfect results.

My question is: Is it possible that I would get better over-all picture results using diffent media? (Again I don't mean longer lasting DVD's, skipping/freezing problems, heavy pixelation etc)

If not it would be possible to get a feel on how much I can shrink a movie and still have an acceptable quality for my tv and dvd.

[richdvd]

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=855393&highlight=#855393

[Jayhawk]

My question is: Is it possible that I would get better over-all picture results using diffent media? (Again I don't mean longer lasting DVD's, skipping/freezing problems, heavy pixelation etc)

fillishave, the link richdvd gave you should answer your question about compression rates (or confuse the hell out of you). As to the question about different media generating different quality, I would have to "not likely".

Compression-based quality is a function of bitrate (data in a giiven media space). If the ones and zeros are there, then they are there (not meant to sound stupid). It's when they are not there that you get the pixelation, skipping, and freezing). Assuming the laser could burn the data onto the media (recorder quality and media quality), then the quality show will be a function of the compression algorithms.

As long as the player can read the 1's & 0's, it's going to display frames based on them. No better, no worse.

[richdvd]

As to the question about different media generating different quality, I would have to "not likely".

I agree Jayhawk.
Some DVD Players like certain media more than others.. but as for quality among media, it should all be the same.

[Jayhawk]

We seem to be agreeing more and more richdvd, am I getting smarter or are you getting dumber.

[fillishave]

Thanks for the replies. The "if the ones and zeros are there" is what I suspected. Also what I hoped for cause then I can really use the same DVD-RW-disc, that works fine with both burner and stand-alone, to see what program for re-encoding I like best.

richdvd: I read that post and I, at least somewhat, understand the compression rates. I just didn't get it if the media itself could affect the end result, other than pure data-errors.
I'm not even going to get into the whole perception-issue (ie "I always use 50% compression and it looks exactly like the original" vs "I never go below 80% because it looks like sh*t" )

Thanks both for helping out!

[richdvd]

We seem to be agreeing more and more richdvd, am I getting smarter or are you getting dumber.

[ZippyP.]

That's the thing about digital information, be it audio or video, as opposed to analog. If it's readable then it's perfect, if not then you have nothing...there's no in between.

[bdf24]

That's the thing about digital information, be it audio or video, as opposed to analog. If it's readable then it's perfect, if not then you have nothing...there's no in between.

That's what I always believed as well. But I have read of people having differences in quality between different media . But then again I've heard of people stating that they could tell a difference in the way there car drove after an oil change. So maybe it's all in there head?

[ZippyP.]

But then again I've heard of people stating that they could tell a difference in the way there car drove after an oil change.

That's the thing about the internet, it's great for free interchange of ideas, but you definitely have to have your filters on so that you can sort the good from the bad.

(Garbage filters that is, not oil filters. )

[bdf24]

I think more times then not the garbage filter is actually common sense! LOL

[FulciLives]

That's the thing about digital information, be it audio or video, as opposed to analog. If it's readable then it's perfect, if not then you have nothing...there's no in between.

So perfectly said!

Those that use cheap DVD media seem to not understand this.

I laugh when they say more expensive media like Taiyo Yuden is not worth the money.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[aggies11]

Just a tiny addenum (Just a recap of everything said above, straight and to the point)

Bad quality media causes read errors.

Read errors result in playback problems, such as skipping, stuttering, or rather large macroblock/pixelation. (This is different then the minor stuff you can ocassionally see in dvd's. It's more akin to what happens when watching satellite tv when the signal briefly cuts out. The term "graphical glitch" is very appropriate)

These are the only kind of effects media quality can have on the movie. So any other issues you see are part of the movie itself (eg transcoding, etc) and can't be caused by a bad disc.

This is actually not so much because it's digital, as it is in the way that dvd's (and mpegs) are organized. When something goes wrong, it doesn't cause blurryness or any subtler picture degradation, you see huge ugly messy problems

Hope that helps

Aggies