MPEG-1 or MPEG-2?

[Mercury]

Simple question (I hope):
What looks better at the same resolution and bitrate, MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video?

The obvious answer is MPEG-2, but then why does MPEG-1 still exist as a standard? Compatibility? It seems logical to "upgrade" the VCD specs to include MPEG-2.

Or do the advantages of MPEG-2 only show up at higher resolutions/bitrates, like those used in SVCDs?

Is my newbishness showing?

[AntnyMD]

SVCD is the "upgrade" from VCD. VCD specification development stopped evolving at VCD 3.0. Once DVD was a certainty the Chinese couldn't stop the world from adopting, SVCD specification development stopped at SVCD 1.0.

[Mercury]

I get it.

But the answer to my first question is......

[tonyp12]

Mpeg1 and mpeg2 looks pretty much the same if you use
same size and bitrate.


Mpeg2 have flags for interlaced and 3:2 pulldown
that is usefull for higher visual quality.

[hp_lovecraft]

As far as encoding, MPEG2 is capable of being 20% more effecient with the same bitrate as MPEG1, but (according to the MPEG Guide), only super-expensive encoders can do this.
Most entry level/free encoders will be roughly equal, or MPEG2 might even be slightly worse (ie older versions of TMPGenc).
Basically, MPEG1 was 'optimized' for a 1.5MBPS data rate, while while MPEG2 was optimized for 3,6 and 8MBPS for the 3 main frame sizes.
So, as you increase the bandwidth for MPEG1, it becomes less effecient the MPEG2.

The big difference is in "meta-data". Both formats carry flags to tell the decoder information, but MPEG2 has many more flags, such as those mentioned above (interlace/3:2 pulldown), and also D-frames, Slice, half-samples, etc.

Basically, MPEG2 can do everything that MPEG1 can do and better.
Why still use it??
Many DVD players will not play MPEG2 on a CD.
TMPGenc is only free with MPEG1.
Many computers will not play MPEG2
MPEG1 is capable of the same Frame-sizes and Bitrates as MPEG2.

If your DVD player can only play compliant VCD and SVCDs, then MPEG2 can make a huge difference, but there isn't much difference between xVCD and xSVCDs....

Nick

[Mercury]

Thank you both!