Do SVCD's need to have interlaced or progressive video?

[Hateslife]

Does it matter? That is, does the final product need to be interlaced or progressive to be standard compliant?

[adam]

Svcd supports interlacing but it does not require it. You can use either one and it will still be svcd compliant.

[AngelHito]

I would like to know which one of the two give
better quality.

Also, is there any size difference of final file?

[N0SoopForU]

If you will be watching the SVCD on your TV, then interlaced video will provide the best quality.

[adam]

At the same framerate, yes interlaced looks smoother during pans and fast movement. However you have to remember that if you encode at 23.976fps progressive and include the 3:2 pulldown then it will be played back at 29.97fps interlaced on your tv. This would be the highest quality, as far as interlaced/progressive and framerate are concerned.

No interlaced vs progressive frames do not affect size.

[Hateslife]

That must be how it pulls two frames into three and still looks good.. interlacing'em together.