What makes a good MPEG file?

[AndrewDV]

Hi,

I thought this would be a good topic. There are zillions of ways to make a MPEG file. There are also zillions of people trying different ways to do this.

How does one analyze a MPEG file to determine its full quality ratings. Obviously, one can use the "eye-ball" test to do this. What other tools are out there to give an understanding of the finished product? In conjunction to that, what would be a set of quality levels to compare? Why those levels?

I'm asking this because I showed files from various hardware and software sources to different people. Most found all sources more than acceptable.

Thank you

[DVman]

The best MPEG file is one you get after two weeks not sleeping and
buying UPS backup power supply, because encoding was interrupted
five times because of storm.

It is the one in which you finaly believe you get the best quality
and fit the most on the CD.

Finally you have seen that crap so many times
while comparing and stacking burned CD-Rs with permanent marks of encoding parameters,
that you will actually never watch the movie again.

Then someone posts even better parameters and you will start sweat,
your hands are shaking when you purchase another 50 pack of CD-Rs and you run the
red light, returning from Best Buy to start encoding over.

Do you have one of these ? If not you don't have the perfect MPEG yet!

[Chopper Face]

Yeah... I was lucky enough to find a place where I can buy a pack of 100 CDs.

[aldus4]

@ DVman

Exxxxxxxxxxxxcellent!

[RHO]

@DVman
Agree with aldus4.
Please, keep on going!
By the way: the same famous //=DVMan=\\?

[moog]

That was good!
That's what keeps the average home PC user from doing this. So if you want to get into a side business do this.

[next]

I don't have the time...

[moog]

I know what you mean. I thought burning my audio CD's was great. Then VCD comes along I kind of negleted my idea of converting LP's (too many anyway) to mp3. I'm sure I'll forget about this when DVD is affordable. After that I'll probably go back to the old fashion way. 35mm film where I can actually feel the film in my hand again.

[next]

The only real way to do this is to land on an acceptable way of doing real time mpeg captures that you can immediately burn and view. Even if you have to edit your capture you have to figure out a way to edit it and drop it into burning software.

All of the reeencoding is great for those that love to tinker but for my money I'll take the timeliness of real time captures. Now I'm sure the quality of my captures will probably never win a blue ribbon but I'll bet I just might take second prize. Heck I'd be happy with taking third.

But one thing for sure is I've passed the "neighbor" test. Those that have no idea what is going on think my captures look great. I guess its the old forrest from the trees thing at work.

The perfect mpeg huh? Doesn't exist. But at least start popping some popcorn and enjoy.