This isn't so much a question as a request to all the (x)VCD makers as to what their preferred settings are.

I have been experimenting with various settings on TMPGEnc and feel that I have now found my preferred settings.

Picture Size: 352 x 288 (Pal)

I use this frame size as most of the (x)VCDs that I make are VHS conversions. Having owned a Toshiba 220SE for the last two years and its annoying SVCD sound/video sync bug, I have not gotten enthusiastic about SVCDs.

Kbps: 1400 to 1800.

This is so that the smudgyness/blockyness of VCDs is not apparent (like you need telling that!!!) and the shorter the film is the higher I will go. With the above Kbps range, I can still happily fit up to one hour of good quality video on one CD-R. Also if I wish to burn the file onto DVD+R (as I recently found out thanks to Bugstar) going above 1850kps will not work.

Audio: 48,000 Hz

The standard 44,000Hz often has a "tinny" sound to it and using 48,000Hz seems to solve this problem.


Has anyone got any other favourite (x)VCD settings and the benefit of them (or even the drawbacks of my settings)