CCE Basic Quality Setting

[gpalko]

Have been fooling with CCE Basic to determine the best setting for DVD's. Still not sure of 2 pass VBR bs. 2 pass CBR. However, one of the settings allows you to change the Quality Setting. The manual's description states "When Quality Setting works pre-filter is enabled". You have a choice of image (Natural Picture is default) and a slider bar for Complexity of Material. What exactly does this slider bar do and should it be pushed to right (complex setting)? It defaults in the center position.
Thanks for any help.

[SaSi]

Two pass VBR is always better. You can use an average setting higher than the one you would use in CBR and still get a file of less size.

The complexity slider is a "crude" way to select how motion estimation is done. The extreme right setting for complex picture does a more refined and time consuming estimate. Takes more time to encode (slightly) but bitrate is "supposedly" allocated better. Only important if your average bitrate is at the starvation level (3000kbps for PAL DVD) and even then, the difference is small.

Beware, all my advise is based on the trial version and 3 minute clips.