How many hours of VCD can you put on DVD?

[johnharlin]

I am sure that VCD files are much smaller than DVD files. And I know around 2 hours of film can go on a DVD in the DVD format. So I'm just wondering how much more film can you put on a DVD in the VCD format for standalone DVD players of course.

[sacajaweeda]

8.5, maybe 9. Most I've ever got was just over 8 hours before I couldn't see wasting a blank on something that looked so crappy.

Last time I did this I was recording the stuff on all the different news channels as I flipped back and forth between them all night durring the presidential election. Got just over 8 hours on a DVD before it started looking like less than VHS quality.

[johnharlin]

Wow, that's great. I have lots of old videos I need to get on DVD and there is no sense in formatting a video in DVD quality anyway since I don't think you can get better than the original. Thanks.

[sacajaweeda]

I wouldn't put more than 3.5 to 4 tops for anything I really cared about, and it would be MPEG2, not VCD (MPEG1). My example was in the extreme....just experimenting really. That was 8 hours of video capped under the best conditions, converted to progressive scan (23.976 fps) and it was really pushing it quality-wise.

[ZippyP.]

And I know around 2 hours of film can go on a DVD in the DVD format.

Just to clear up some confusion. DVD has three basic resolutions; full, 1/2 and 1/4 DVD. All three resolutions are "DVD format." You can use any bitrate that you wish for any of the resolutions and it's the bitrate that determines the number of minutes on a disk. To keep the video looking good you will need to increase the bitrate as the resolution is increased...it's the number of bits per pixel that matters. So I use 1/4 DVD for less than 1,6000 kbps, 1/2 DVD for 1,600 to 3,200, full DVD for >3,200. I always use 2-pass VBR when I'm at the low end of the range.

VCD resolution just happens to be the same as 1/4 DVD so it can be put straight to DVD. Assuming the VCD standard 1150 kbps bitrate you can get about 420 minutes on a DVD, or about 7 hours. Of course you can lower the bitrate (like sacajaweeda) and get even more.

[thecoalman]

Of course you can lower the bitrate (like sacajaweeda) and get even more.

About 20 hours+ in the very extreme using mpeg2.

[reboot]

Use the KSVCD or KDVD templates, and get 16-20 hours on one dvdr. Don't expect miracles.

[jimmalenko]

If sticking strictly to VCD specs, you'll get a touch under 7.5 hours one DVDR. As mentioned by the others though, there's many little tweaks you can do if you need to get more time on.

[mariogarcia]

do you have to upsample the audio to 48khz or something like that?
when I try to put a fully compliant vcd video on a dvd using tmpenc dvd author it tells me that the GOP is too long, what does it mean exactly?
thank you

[jimmalenko]

It means that the GOP is too long

For DVD, the GOP can be a maximum of 15 frames for PAL, or 18 frames for NTSC, so you need to alter the GOP to fit these specs. I have used MPEG-VCR and its GOP fixer to do this in the past, but others have reported issues using this method.

[yoda313]

do you have to upsample the audio to 48khz or something like that?
when I try to put a fully compliant vcd video on a dvd using tmpenc dvd author it tells me that the GOP is too long, what does it mean exactly?
thank you

Hello,

Yes the audio does have to be 48khz but tmpgenc dvd author SHOULD convert it for you and leave the video the same.

Kevin

[ZippyP.]

Try the "ignore" button for the GOP error and see if it plays, I suspect it will.