Converting from AVI to DVD...DVD Results Poor

[sirgray]

Hi Everyone,
I need someone, anyone's help. I have downloaded several
AVI files and when I try to convert them to an MPEG file using
TMPGenc Plus it converts ok. I'm not sure if I have all of my
settings correct, even though I've followed the HOW TO's from
vcdhelp.com. The problem is when I convert the file and preview
it on TMPGenc Plus or POWERDVD or any other preview, it plays so
clearly in a small previewer box. But when I make the screen a
full screen, use POWERDVD to show the mpeg file in full screen,
or write the file to a DVD-RW disc and play it back, the quality is
not very good. I lose color and picture clarity. The sound plays
pretty good so far and I've got it so it doesn't play out of sync.
Can someone please, please, please help me figure out what I'm
doing wrong?

I have a PIONEER DVD.
Use TMPGenc Plus to convert the AVI file to MPEG.
Use neoDVD to create the DVD.

Under TMPGenc Plus:
Video Settings:
I LOAD DVD (NTSC).mcf
My Video Settings are:
Rate Control Mode: 2-pass VBR(VBR) or Constant Quality (CQ)
I use bitrate conversion to calculate the movie.
Encode Mode: INTERLACE
DC Component Precision: 10 bits
Motion Search Precision: Highest Quality

Advanced Settings:
Video Source Type: Interlace
Field Order: bottom field first (field B)
Source Aspect Ratio: 16:9 525 line (NTSC)
Video Arrange Method: Full Screen (keep aspect ratio)
I Select Filter Name Noise Reduction:
Still Picture: 4
Range: 2
Time Axis: 4
I Select Enable Filter and High Quality Mode

Quantize Matrix Settings
I Select Use Floating Point DCT
I Select No Motion Search for still picture part by half pixel
I Select Soften Block Noise

I'm also having problems trying to get the results to be
full screen instead of letterbox.

I've read and read and read. I've tried several settings
and stayed up way too late trying to come up with a solution.
Folks, I've done everything I could to figure out the problem
myself instead of just looking for a handout. But now I'm
at the end of my rope.

I've invested lots of money and time into this project and
learning so I don't want to give up (and I won't).

But I do need HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks in advance!!!

[igornt]

What's your bitrate? Anything lower than 5000 kb/s, in my opinion, is not good enough. Why then you need to have a DVD? That is why, all VCDs suck.

[sirgray]

Are you referring to my avg. bitrate, max bitrate or min. bitrate?
My maximum bitrate was set to 8000.
My minimum bitrate was set to 8000.
My average bitrate was set to 2000.
By the way, I am running a DVD, not a VCD.

So should I change the average bitrate to above 2000?
Also, does the rest of my setup and process seem ok?

Thanks.

[Triffid]

Yes,

I'm surprised it didn't complain that your average was lower than your minimum!. But assuming it has then ignored your minimum, it will produce a file with an average bit rate of 2000 kbps which is way too low for DVD (You also havn't mentioned your resolution, but I assume that to be standard..720x480)

Depending on your source you should set it somewhere between 4000 (if you started with a good quality DVD rip or something, with not too much fast movement) and 7 - 8000 if it's coming from a home video (with lots of movement, shaking, noise etc.)

Too stop it being full screen, try NOT using the Full Screen output option...use a custom setting or something (I've seen other mails on the subject, so try a search)

Good luk!

[sirgray]

Thanks Triffid!!!
So are you saying that I should set the max. min. & avg. bitrate
to 4000 if I have a good DVD rip?
I usally run it at the highest quality which is a very slow movement.
I would say it's coming from a good quality AVI file since it looks
excellent during the preview (small screen only).
I'm still curious though, am I using everything I should be using
when converting an AVI file to DVD.
I'm using TMPGenc Plus for the conversion.
And then neoDVD (I have NERO also) to write it to DVD.
Is this the correct process or have I missed a step?

Thanks.

[Triffid]

Actually, I'd leave your maximum where it is, and put the minimum somewhere below the 4000k (or what ever else you final choose) average setting.

It's all a bit of a black art, and depends very much on the video content, but TMPGEnc will TRY to

- keep your average (it does that quite well)
- assign as much as possible (but less than your maximum) to the tricky bits (while maintaining your average, and not going below your minimum for the easy bits)

So, if you have NO 'easy' bits, it will probably NOT be able to assign much above your average either (no matter what your maximum is).

For my 'home videos' I use min 7500, av 8500, max 9500. But I really do believe that a good source should allow you to go muck lower. Maybe try min 2000 av 4000 max 8000. If you get blocks..move the average up.
Good luck

[whiteboy]

Acually SVCD is probably the best choice right now a dvd burner is not a smart investment at the moment. There are 3 different formats dvd-r, dvd-rw, dvd+r, dvd+rw, and dvd-ram, and I recentely found out that they havent decided on a format yet when all said and done they are only goin to use one of those formats, and if your dvd burner is not that format mite as well throw it away cause once they decide on one format thats the only disc you'll be able to get!

[onerag9]

I think it'll be quite some time before a definite format is decided. DVD+R/RW doesn't have any clear advantage over DVD-R/RW, and vice versa. Personally, i use DVD-R because the media is much cheaper, and the format is supported by the DVD Forum. I definitely wouldn't say that a DVD Burner isn't a good investment, because i've had nothing but great results with mine.

[igornt]

Triffid. It is interesting that you use av 8500 bps for your home videos. I usually use 5500, max 8000, and the resulting video is excellent (5 passes with CCE). How many minutes can you put on a DVD-R with such a high bitrate? Besides, you need to add an audio.

[hkmak]

I created a very good result with the following bitrate setting :-
Setting = 2 pass VBR
Max = 8000
Min = 2000
Avg = 6000

It will store up to 1.5 hour in 4.7GB DVD-R depend on the video content.