The difference between mpeg-2 and mpeg2-dvd in Premiere and the use in DVD

[umforrest]

First of all, I have to apologize for my poor English.
But I really need help at the moment... so I need to use my poor English to ask for your help.

The source video is DV PAL and after i edited and put effects in Premiere and After Effect, I exported it into MOV. using Sorensen Video 3 for codec because the output is clearest.

I'm really happy with the mov. quality but there's still another process to proceeed, DVD authoring.

I put all .mov files into DVD Studio Pro on MAC but after the authoring process completed, the videos are not clear like they were in .mov from Premiere.

I think because of the mov. compression in DVD Studio Pro that make the quality change.

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My Solution is to convert the mov from Premiere to m2v then put m2v into DVD Studio Pro to avoid compression in DVD studio Pro.
The quality of m2v from Premiere is quite good but the problem is I couldn't import them into DVD Studio Pro!!!!

I tried to convert using Premiere again but now I convert using mpeg2-dvd codec. The quality from .mov to mpeg2-dvd is not good but I can import it into DVD Studio Pro

So I have an Idea, I convert .mov to mpeg2 first then convert from mpeg2 to mpeg2-dvd. The quality is acceptable and I can import it into DVD Studio Pro.

I would say the quality is around 5-7% lost from the original and that's the problem I'm finding the solution now.....

Is there any other way to maintain the quality of the video????

[guns1inger]

If the video is compliant, DVD Studio Pro should accept it. G-spot your premiere output, looking at the standard stuff, plus bitrates. I suspect that premieres mpeg2-DVD settings have pretty conservative bitrates. Perhaps yours don't.

[Richard_G]

Skip the .mov stage. Don't go DV -> .mov -> mpeg-2. After you have done your editing in Premiere, output as DVD compliant mpeg-2 (for PAL this would be 720 x 576 with a bitrate of somewhere between 6500 and 9000 kbs) and use that in your Authoring software. I'm not familiar with the one you use but you should be able to tell it not to re-encode as the file is already DVD compliant.

If you still need the .mov file for another purpose, create that from Premiere as you have been doing but create directly from the edited DV original.

[umforrest]

Thank you very much for your suggestions.

gunslinger:
I used the same settings both mpeg2 and mpeg2-dvd videos, aspect ratio, pixel ratio. DVD Studio Pro limits the bitrate up to 8 Mbps and I already tried CBR, VBR1 pass, 2 pass. I used to use mpeg2 video with DVD Lab Pro, Encore, DVD It Pro without any problem.


Richard_G:
I used to try that way, DV PAL to mpeg2 720x576 and the bitrates as you recommended but the quality was not acceptable.

The source video DV PAL 720x576 as normal but the pixel ratio is strange. I have to adjust it to 720x404 to make it as normal ratio as it should be to put the Spanish instead of the original English. So I got .mov with 720x404 after editing then output .mov to mpeg2 with 720x404 then adjust mpeg2 720x404 and output as mpeg2-dvd 720x576

Anyway, I really appreciate your help...

[Richard_G]

Is your original footage shot in 16:9 widescreen? This will give you the non-standard frame size. As long as the file is flagged as 16:9 (and the project settings in your authoring software are also set as 16:9) it will be correct when burned to DVD, but it may just look distorted when you preview it on your computer.

For some jobs I use half D1 resolution (352 x 576), most players read the header and display it properly, others display it at half width. The final output plays correctly though.

[umforrest]

Thank you very much Richard_G.

I will have a try