Best format for MiniDV convertion (Mpeg2 or H264)

[bisli29]

Hi all,

Until now I converted all my MiniDV to Mpeg2 format and burned as DVD.
Is there any reson to convert the MiniDV to H264 ? I heard it's half the Bitrate of Mpeg2 and same quality.

Thanks

[redwudz]

Depends on what you want to play it back on. If you want to use a set top DVD player, either MPEG-2, or if you have a Divx player, Xvid or Divx formats would be another choice.

H.264 will give you smaller file sizes, but takes more computer power to encode and to decode for playback. And most times you would need a computer for playback.

You could make up a short representative clip and try some different codecs and codec settings to see what quality you would end up with.

And welcome to our forums.

[SatStorm]

H264 is the future. Mpeg 2 is the bigger part of the present.

Mpeg 2 on a superbit DVD with the highest possible bitrate (9800kb/s) wasn't always enough to keep the 100% of the DV picture quality. And that shows mostly on big LCD TV Screens (42"+ ).

H264 on around 6.000kb/s is capable to hold the 100% of DVs picture quality. Probably even 4.500 is enough.

Of course, at the time being, there is also the question of where you gonna playback those H264 files. Older PCs have problems with them and only BD players (and HD DVD ones) and some mediaplayers are capable to playback them.

Personally, I would encode those files twice: on mpeg 2 to watch them on any DVD player and H264 to store the for the future.

[tmw]

Of course, at the time being, there is also the question of where you gonna playback those H264 files. Older PCs have problems with them and only BD players (and HD DVD ones) and some mediaplayers are capable to playback them.

What is the likelihood that BD players will take a DVD with H264 encoded video? Years ago, I found several DVD players didn't like CD-R's with DVD style mpeg2, although some did.

If the goal was merely to save space (not save quality), I'm not sure I'd bother with the H264. But then again, most of my video is not great quality anyway...

[edDV]

Of course, at the time being, there is also the question of where you gonna playback those H264 files. Older PCs have problems with them and only BD players (and HD DVD ones) and some mediaplayers are capable to playback them.

What is the likelihood that BD players will take a DVD with H264 encoded video? Years ago, I found several DVD players didn't like CD-R's with DVD style mpeg2, although some did.

If the goal was merely to save space (not save quality), I'm not sure I'd bother with the H264. But then again, most of my video is not great quality anyway...

I'll take the conservative tack. Hard drives (1TB around $100) and MiniDV/HDV tapes (Pro Quality 62min tapes for ~$2.75) have become so cheap (if you shop), that I keep original DV/HDV format for the future and encode MPeg2 or other for today's needs. That means DV/HDV are saved on both tape and hard drive for backup.

I log the DV/HDV tape and only save the good stuff. For camcorder that usually means 25-35% of raw video hits the cutting room floor. When I use DV for TV captures I just save the MPeg2 unless the material is somehow special.

[SatStorm]

@tmw: On HD DVD, it was possible to author regular DVD-Rs with H264 material as HD DVD discs, and playback them on those standalones.

Later BD have this option too, but I never used it. I don't even know how to make those kind of discs.

[johns0]

Later BD have this option too, but I never used it. I don't even know how to make those kind of discs.

Use tsMuxerGUI to author a blu-ray folder(s) from a mkv source or similar and burn to dvdr with imgburn using udf 2.5.