Converting WMV's to DVD using TMPGENC Plus - What are the best settings?

[mike_bradshaw_99]

Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some advice as to
what the best settings are to use when converting WMV files to
MPEG-2 using TMPGENC Plus (2.58)? I want the best quality possible.
After converting these, I use an authoring program such as Sonic
MYDVD to burn them to DVD.

Currently in TMPGENC Plus I have been using these settings:
CBR 8000, Expert Setting For Source: Non-interlace, 1:1 (VGA), Video Movie;
MPEG Setting: Video - CBR 8000, Non-interlace, DC Component Precision - 9 bits,
Motion Search Precision - Highest Quality (Very Slow);
Advanced: Non-interlace (progressive), Top field first (field A), 1:1 (VGA),
Full screen (Keep Aspect Ratio).

I have used both the Ghost & Noise Reduction filters together or
sometimes no filters at all. I want the very best quality possible
(as I know WMV files aren't the best to begin with, but these
are shows I've downloaded and are only in that format.)

Here are the details of these particular files; Codec: Windows Media Video V8,
Codec: Windows Media Audio 9, Compression: 20 kbps, 44 KHz, mono (A/V)
1-pass CBR, Bitrate (Kbps): 294.

I have tried other programs to convert WMV's such as "Super" but
nothing else seems to compare to TMPGENC Plus as far as quality goes
and audio/video sync being perfect. Someone told me though that
using CBR 8000 doesn't make any difference with WMV files like these
and that I might just as well use CBR 3000. Could any of you advanced
users out there in converting WMV's give me some advice on what works best?
Again, I would like to have the best quality possible, even if it means
longer to encode - within reason though. A 30 minute show at the above settings
takes 2 hours for me to Encode on my AMD XP 3000+ system with Windows 2000 SP4.
I wouldn't like it to take any longer than that if possible. I know there are
programs like DVD Santa out there that can convert WMV to DVD, but it just converts
one file straight to DVD. I would like to have 2 or more files on a DVD
with a menu. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks so much!

[guns1inger]

What resolution are the originals ?

Highest Quality motion precision is probably overkill, and will double your encoding times for negligable quality increases. Your source will be 1:1 progressive, however your output will 4:3 or 16:9 (until I know what resolution your source is, I can't say where you are headed), and can be progressive or interlaced. Tmpgenc is slow at the best of times, and the settings you have added are really putting it under the pump.

As to bitrate, that is really up to you. There is no magic number or absolute rule. Try sampling a 5 minute segment at different bitrates and settings. Do some 2-pass VBR or CQ encodes as well and see what you get. Then encode with what meets your quality criteria. All, be aware that downloaded material varies greatly from file to file, so one configuration might work well for one file, but not be the best for another. Again, there are no absolutes.

[mike_bradshaw_99]

Thanks for the reply guns1inger. I have no idea what the resolution is. The only thing I can tell you is that they are "Streamed" WMV files that I am capturing with WM Recorder or SDP Multimedia. The only other details I have were the ones given conserning what codecs they used. You're right about Highest Quality Motion precision search doubling the encoding time.
I've just discovered that the other day. As you mentioned, I'm sure the settings used do vary based on the different sources. I was just wondering if there were some general recommended settings for converting these streamed WMV's or any other software that does a good job of converting WMV files (I've tried a bunch with not too much luck so far). Thanks again for your earlier reply. It was very kind of you. Take care.

[guns1inger]

I suspect that your WMV files are lower than full-D1 resolution, so when you encode you are upscaling them. Any artifacts and blocking present in the original videos will become more obvious. MSU have a deblocking filter that runs through virtualdub, however Vdub's wmv file handling can be hit and miss. There are also filters for avisynth, but I can't speak for it's wmv handling.

WMV can be used to produce high quality output, however when used for streaming, it rarely gives great image quality. This is in part because it is often heavily compressed, and also because it can tune itself on the fly based on available bandwidth, and so vary the quality.

Try opening a file in WMP, then clicking on File -> Properties to see if it can give you the resolution.

[mike_bradshaw_99]

Hi Guns1inger, thanks again for that info. I opened a bunch of the WMV files in WMP and checked the properties. It looks like most of the shows are 320x240 although some of them
are 240x180. I get the impression that this tv station has changed to using Windows Media Video 9 instead of 8 along with the 320x240 resolution, as most of the newer shows have these properties. Here are the properties of the 2 different types of encoding they've used:

Most shows (especially the newer ones) are:

220Kbp
Video
320x240
Windows Media Audio 9
20 kbps, 44 kHz, mono (A/V) 1-pass CBR
Windows Media Video 9

Some shows though have the following properties:

200Kbps
Video
240x180
Windows Media Audio 9
20 kbps, 44 kHz, mono (A/V) 1-pass CBR
Windows Media Video V8

Again, any advice/help you can give me would be very much appreciated. Thanks again!!!
I appreciate it so much.

[guns1inger]

At that size, I would use tmpgenc to convert them to VCD resolution using mpeg1 at a bitrate around 1500 or so. There is no point trying to encode them at a higher resolution as it will certainly expose the compression issues already present. The audio will have to be upsampled to 48kHz for DVD compliance. This will give you DVD legal files for authoring.