DVD Authoring

[Vaio]

Hi,
I had a video on vhs and I dubbed it to Hi8 (yes i know that it won't make the quality any better.) Anyway I captured it through firewire so the file is an avi file. When I export the file back out through firewire it looks the same as when I imported it (Very Good) But when I make a dvd of it, it is a little blocky. I use Sonic DVDit, I have the Bitrate set at 8000kb/s, I let the program encode the video and audio for me. I burned it on a DVD-RW and seen that it was a little blocky. Then I used TMPG to encode it using a CBR of 8000kb/s then did the rest of the authoring in DVDit and came out with the same results. Anyone know what it could be?

Thanks

[bugster]

Is this a home video?

Home video is notoriously difficult to encode to mpeg. This is because the use of handheld cameras and the resulting camera shake just eat up the bitrate. In this case there probably isn't much you can do to improve things. The Tmpgenc setting 'soften block noise' may help to reduce the blocks but at th expense of overrall picture sharpness.

If it was not a homemade VHS the check you got the field order correct when encoding, and that you encoded to interlced.

Hope this helps

[ktnwin]

Have you tried to capture your VHS using the digital camcorder (via Firewire) as a pass thru device ? This eliminates on extra step of VHS->Hi8 then Hi8 -> DV.
You are doing: VHS (analog) -> Hi8 (analog) -> DV (digital)
I suggest doing: VHS (analog) -> DV
VHS->Hi8 will results in some quality loss.
I have done this and convert to XVCD, SVCD with quite decent quality.

[Vaio]

Yes it is a home video. And no I didn't go from VHS->Hi8->DV. I just went from VHS->Hi8. I also didn't loose any quality of the video either.

Thanks

[yg1968]

Nevertheless, you can probably bypass the step of taping to hi8 if you use the passthrough feature of your digital camcorder. On a Sony, you must enable "DV out" on the camcorder's menu to do this. You must also ensure that no tape is in the camcorder. This way, you will go directly from VHS to DV (through your digital camcorder).

[tilemanit]

Sounds like your Hi8 has firewire and you don't have DV.

I have transferred Hi8 and DV using firewire to my computer. The only encoder I use is TMPG. I have run numberous tests to find the best settings for home video with lots of action, (school dances, half time shows, ski trips, close ups, wide shots). These are difficult to convert to mepg 1 or 2. The best settings I have found are:

Automatic VBR-CQ gives better results than 2 pass. I don't know why, but it works better for my videos.
CQ=65%
Min = 2000 kb
Max = 6000 kb, going to 8000 did not help.
Sometimes 4000 kb is enough
VBV = 0 automatic
one item set to 4,2,0 as recommended at other site
one site indicated max GOP = 18 for dvd
I=1, P=5, B=2 gives GOP = 18 (IBBPBBPBBPBBPBBPBB)

You just have to take a small 10 second video sample and experiment. Start with a basic template, write down the conditions and create the mpeg. Then change one thing and make another mpeg and so on. You'll be able to see what workd best for your video. The Hi8 I've worked with is actually less blocky than DV. Maybe because it's not as sharp to start with.

Good luck.

[tilemanit]

oh yeah, forgot.

For motion search, the highest quality setting sometimes creates blockiness. I don't have the program up now but the one below highest quality, motion estimate (fast), produces less blocks.

[yg1968]

If your camcorder has firewire, it very likely can record in DV. If you have a digital8 camcorder, it has the capacity to record DV on a Hi8 tape. Most Sony also have a passthrough feature.

[ktnwin]

tilemanit,
are you creating VCD, SVCD or DVD with your settings ? Sound like DVD to me.
I thought TMPGEnc is an excellent encoder giving excellent quality.