352x240 vs 480x480 x 352x480 for xSVCD

[Vejita-sama]

I'm playing around with xSVCD at lower than standard bitrataes (900-1800). Question: what do you think gives the best picture quaility:
352x240
480x480
352x480

I ask because until now I've been making only VCDs and 352x240 seems to work best, and Sefy's SxVCD templates also use 352x240.

[PolarBear]

Obviously high bit/high res is best. But we have to make trade offs for having a decent amount of movie/disk, etc.

I look at it geometrically:

A. 352x240>84480 pixels
B. 352x480>168960 pixels
C. 480x480>230400 pixels

So 352x240 has least pixels. By today's standards, a 352x240 digital camera isn't even tolerable, but we tolerate that for video? Then again, 480x480 isn't much better compared to today's digi cams but gives a comparison. B has double the pixels of A. So logically it would require double the bitrate to keep up with a given picture quality. C is 2.7 times A so would require 2.7x bitrate of A for same picture quality. But the higher res is a compensating factor, so really the necessary bitrate for B can be somewhat less than 2x bitrate of A and less than 2.7 for C.

Another major factor for encoding is letterboxing. I would not encode a letterboxed flick at less than 352x480 because when you subtract the letterboxed area, the actual resolution of the visible picture is would be way below 352x240 in that res and difficult for me to watch.

My Simpsons eps get 1200 video bitrate at 352x240 vbr. Movies usually 352x480 at 1800-2600.

Matt

[Vejita-sama]

Thanks, I've been making VCDs 2pass VBR at min=0 ave=1100~2500, max 2700. But stop and thought about it decided SVCD might be better. But I know that if I up the resolution but use a low bitrate I'll actually get worst quaility Just trying to see what others use.

Quess I'll have to encode a 2-5min clip with all 3 resolutions and see what looks best.

[schwinn]

I've yet to do a SVCD so I'd like to know how your tests come out!I've made a XVCD which is a non standard VCD that lets you change bit rates etc and it's much better then VCD and if your carefull you can still fit a fair amount on one disk!