Nero 6 Encoding Bitrate

[PlayerOne]

Hi all,

I have a .mpg file that is in SVCD format (if you could say that). When creating a SVCD Compilation in Nero 6, you have to choose encoding bitrate. The options are:

1. Try to fit to disc (default)
2. User defined (150-300 KB/s)

My question is, what should I choose here, and what implication does my choice have on the SVCD quality? What is Nero encoding, doesn't it just burn the file?

I have searched this and other forums and found others wondering the same thing, but without satisfying answers. Some say 'you should never let Nero do the encoding, use TMPGEnc'. But as I understand it, you use TMPGEnc when creating a mpg/svcd file from a DVD, not when buring the mpg/svcd to a cd.

Thanks,

Fredrik

[g_shocker182]

Your bitrate for an SVCD should be much higher than 150-300, around 1500-3000. I would suggest you use TMPGEnc for encoding. In fact, you can use TMPGEnc for a bunch of other stuff, including multiplexing (putting audio and video file together to make an mpeg file), de-multiplexing, cutting, merging, and most important encoding from various video sources to a user defined sized MPEG file.

[PlayerOne]

So you are saying that I should encode my .mpg-file (which is already in SVCD-format) using TMPGenc, and then burn the result in Nero?? But I don't understand the logic in that. Are you sure that you understand that I already have a .mpg/svcd file?

What will be the output when encoding a .mpeg/svcd file in TMPGenc? And when buring that output in Nero, I don't see why the encoding bitrate option shouldn't be availible in the SVCD Compilation? And isn't the file already encoded...?

[mats.hogberg]

2. User defined (150-300 KB/s)

Notice KB, not Kb (kilobytes vs. kilobits). This is normal SVCD bit rates.
Neros idea is that you take "any", video file (DivX, XviD...) and tell Nero to create a SVCD of it. In this case, Nero (tries to) encodes it to compliant mpegs, and burn it as SVCD. Since SVCD leaves some play room regarding bit rates, you get the option to specify what bit rate to use.

All the following is based om experiences with pre 6 versions of Nero:
One problem is that Nero is not that good at recognizing a valid SVCD/VCD mpeg, but reencodes any way (maybe just to be sure) which results in a drop in quality. As Neros mpeg encoder has a reputation for not being "top notch", along with some doubts regarding it's VCD autoring, (my player can't play a VCD authored with Nero, but works fine when I author with other apps) I'd recomment using Nero for what it is: a CD/DVD writing app.
For (S)VCD:

• Encode with TMPGEnc (or other dedicated encoder).
  Author and create CD image with VCDEasy, latest free version.
  Burn this image with Nero.

Nero aspires to handle all these three steps, but is really not very good at anything but the last.
By performing each step "by hand", you can check your results, and make sure the output is still OK and worth continuing with.
I can't count the posts where someone has thrown a AVI file at Nero, just to discover, when the CD was inserted in the DVD player, that the SVCD came out with no sound (or just sound and a black screen), as the system didn't have a codec needed.

/Mats

[PlayerOne]

Thanks for your answer Mats!

Encode with TMPGEnc (or other dedicated encoder).

Hope I understand you right, but the step above isn't applicable if I already have a svcd compliant .mpg file?

[mats.hogberg]

No, of course not. Only if your source is not an mpeg, or an mpeg out of SVCD specs.

/Mats

[PlayerOne]

OK, good, that's the intital cause to my confusion. If I already have a svcd compliant .mpg file, why is there a encoding bitrate option in Nero svcd compilation(?)

Maybe it is as you say, that nero always try to reencode the file. But if Nero should do that, wouldn't that take a long time (hours)?

I have tried some different options for the encoding bitrate in Nero svcd compilation when burning a svcd compliant .mpg file, but I don't think that nero really reencodes the file, because I think that would take a long time (maybe I'm wrong).

[honorarybrutha]

should be able to switch to nero express, load the file, and burn it if it's SVCD compliant.

[RabidDog]

nero 6 is newish software so not many people have access to it. incidentally vcdeasy can also burn quite successfully.