How do I reencode a VIDEO_TS folder with another resolution?

[broaddd]

I'd like to take a VIDEO_TS at 720*576 and reencode it to half DVD at 352*576 but am not sure how to do it. Is there a guide out there for this, before I ask lots of questions

[curtis]

You have to reencode only the video track.
In ffmpegX open the video tab choose the "fast DVD" setting in the "quick presets" menu and select "half DVD" in the "autosize" menu. Use the "bitrate calculator" to optimize your bitrate: put the duration of your movie and the size of your media (4000 MB for a DVD-R...). Click on the "best" button and remind the value. Go on the audio tab and click on "encode audio" to disable audio encoding. Then return on the video tab and click on the rate button. Compare the value with the previous one. They must be approx. the same. If yes let the second one. Then click "encode". In this case you just have the video in the ouput file. If you want the audio in the output, don't disable the audio encoding and select "passthrough (ffmpeg)" in the audio tab.

Bye

Visit my website (in french sorry ): http://videoandco.chez.tiscali.fr

[thoughton]

Is there a specific reason you want to go to half D1? I find it useful if I'm turning a low quality downloaded clip into a DVD, but otherwise it takes more time than it's worth (it's easier and much quicker to just use dvd2oneX to squeeze a large video_ts folder onto one DVD).

PS The "DVD low bitrate" preset is already set to half D1 resolution.

[broaddd]

Because I thought it might be handy way of archiving two retail dvds of 3-4 tv episodes each onto one disc at a quality similar to SVCD? (I am a newbie at this, though!)

That is, use DVD2oneX to join 6-8 episodes together into a 10+gb VIDEO_TS folder, and then reencode to half DVD to get it below 4.4gb.

On my 1.25 albook, however, that may take so long that it's not worth the trouble

B

[thoughton]

I see

I find that at the DVD low bitrate preset I get about 5.5-6 hours of video per dvd and the quality looks fine. I mostly do this with animation though.

I've also used dvd2onex to back up a lot of star trek ds9 dvds, they're about 3 hours and 8gigs each. After dvd2onex they quality is still pretty good, but there are occasional noticeable artifacts, especially on things like walls and smoky scenes. I probably wouldnt try and fit any more on a single dvd, the quality is at the verge of the acceptable limit (for me) already.