So I want to get the highest quality video and put it on DVD

[etecnifibre]

so I capture Mpeg2 at 8Mbits per. Sometimes, my file size is going to be larger than the 4.36G I need to fit it on a disk. What program can I use (preferably freeware since I don't need to edit or add filters or anything) to make the file size small enough to fit on a DVD? Any input? I have programs like Ulead Media and Video Studio, just looking for maybe a simpler solution in a program where I can input the file size I want the video to be at and let the program go to work. Thanks.

[gshelley61]

Encode 2-pass VBR to start with. TMPGEnc and other encoders allow for a wide variety of settings to maximize quality; including maximum, minimum and average bit rate.

[Blazey]

What I usually do is encode the DVD as large as necessary and create an image file of the DVD. Mount it in Daemon and use DVD Shrink 3.2 to make it the correct size. I find the new DVD Shrink does an exceptional job of re-encoding the video and keeping a great level of quality.

[etecnifibre]

2 pass? I'm not sure what you mean. I'm not real good when it gets down to the real nitty gritty. I can capture a basketball game, get it on DVD, edit it to a highlight reel with titles, 3D animation and music if I choose, and that's about it. All of that from trial and error. When I capture, it's usually at 5Mbps/160 audio, VBR, max 8mbps. I want to capture higher and encode to the exact size I need. I feel I can get a better quality video if I do this. Some of my games will end up at 4800Mbps (overtime games) and some may be fine at 8mbps (Some actual game times only run 1hr 12min without commercials or halftime.)

Also, I can find the freeware version of TMPGenc anywhere. Can someone provide a direct link? Thanks.

Also, Blazey, DVD Shrink will do Mpeg2 in and Mpeg2 out, correct? I've been using DVD MF 3 and I really like it, and I'm just real familiar with simply importing my Mpeg2 file.

[Blazey]

I'm sorry, I thought you were authoring these. If you are only trying to compress the file DVD Shrink wont work.

If you are authoring a DVD, take the finished VOB's and create an ISO with IMGTools to use in Shrink.

8mbits ps is a very high bitrate for most purposes. What is your source? If it's VHS it's really unnecessary

Check out LordSmruf's guides. Especially the "understand your source" part. You will learn a lot! I sure as hell did!

[BJ_M]

there is no freeware version of tmpgenc

[etecnifibre]

Thanks, BJM. On the guide here, it shows it as such.

Blazey, I've read a lot of LordSmurf's website. One of the best I've ever come across. I just can't wait until he's finished!

Anyway, my source varies. During the season, as you can imagine, my source is from TV, DirecTV to be exact, S-Video in. I have 400 tapes or so of Indiana U. basketball games, so during the offseason, VHS is my source. I have a new JVC HR-S9911 sitting in a box beside me that just came in today that I'm itching to hook up, so hopefully it will make a difference on some of these '81 tourney games.

What bitrate do you suggest? I normally do around 5mbps, but would like to go higher. I've had a couple of friends that have had playback issues with a DVD that was less than 4Gb (One game was only like 50 minutes long).

[Blazey]

What is your capture card or box? What framesize are you capping at?

[ZippyP.]

Quality wise, the best way is to capture your video at a setting (bitrate) which fits it on a disk, second choice is to re-encode as directed above and third choice is to use DVD Shrink.

[etecnifibre]

720x480, ATI Aiw 8500 128M version. I'm also getting ready to upgrade that to at least an 8X AGP AIW or a Canopus, depending on a few things. If my new VCR solves some tracking issues I've been having, I'll stick with the AIW. If not, the seperate device is what I'll get.

[Blazey]

Your VCR is a great unit. I have one as well. It solves MANY issues! You may want to invest in the TBC unit LS recommends. I have one and it helps.

720X480 is too much for a VHS. Re-read LS guide to cap. VHS and you'll see why. This is what is accounting for your large file sizes.

LS recommends 352X480 (because that is basically what a VHS tape is recorded at - anything more is overkill and IMO introduces artifacts) at 6mbits p/s. I use this formula and everything is perfect for Mpeg caps.

Try this with that cool VCR of yours and you shold be happy with the quality and file size.

[fritzi93]

Also, I can find the freeware version of TMPGenc anywhere. Can someone provide a direct link? Thanks.

You're thinking version 12a, last free version. It's in Japanese. :P Okay, okay, English patch available. Be aware it's slow and cranky compared to current versions.

<edited>

[etecnifibre]

Blazey, thanks for your help and input. I've actually got over 100 IU games on DVD at 720x480 that look pretty good. I figure that by the time I'm done here (in 4 or 5 years given that I have a full time job) that I'll have 1,000 or so games and I just want to have something that looks good.

Also, with my VCR, I thought it had built in TBC?

So, will my file size at 352x480 look as good on a DVD as a file of the same length that is 720x480? Also, how much of a drop in file size can I expect? (These last two questions could be answered by myself with some trial and error, but what the hey if you're still around? :>)

[BJ_M]

please note that tmpgenc (the company) states that prev. versions are not to be distributed and therefore not legal ..

its on their web site

[etecnifibre]

The reason I thought it was freeware is because if you go to the link below, it says 'freeware' right at the top there. Didn't mean to start something here.https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=1#comments

[Blazey]

Quality should not change as your source is 352X480 (roughly). A VCR can't record 720X480, so encoding at that size is a total waste. File size should be much smaller. Your VCR has TBC built in, but it's not the same as a dedicated standalone box. It's BETTER than nothing, but a dedicated TBC is like magic box IMO.

[etecnifibre]

Maybe I'll add that down the road. Which one was that exactly? And how much?

What about when I record from DirecTV? Same? 352x480?

[fritzi93]

please note that tmpgenc (the company) states that prev. versions are not to be distributed and therefore not legal ..

its on their web site

I apologise. Didn't know that.

[Blazey]

I have a Datavideo TBC-1000 it is about $300

I don't know what resolution DirectTV broadcasts at, but if you record it to VHS, your are essentially downsampling the video to VHS resolution and what we discussed still stands.

If you are capping live to the PC, 720X480 may be the proper resolution for DirectTV, but like I said, I don't know for sure.

Back to my original post, if you author with menus, just use Shrink 3.2 to compress the disc to fit on a single layer blank.

This is my system:

TV/VHS/LASERDISC (cap with either ATI MMC OR ADS TECH INSTANT DVD USB 2.0 @352X480 for VHS and TV 720X480 for laserdisc)>MPEG2VCR (trim unwanted commercials or beginning/ends of tape)>DVD ARCHITECT 2.0 for authoring/menus created with Photoshop 7.0 (this usually yeilds me a 6 gig VIDEO TS folder)> IMGTools (to create an ISO)>DAEMON TOOLS (Mount ISO to virtual drive)>DVD SHRINK 3.2 (Compress disc to burnable size and create new ISO)>DVD DECRYPTER (burn disc)

My results are supurb and most people don't realize it's not a "real" dvd until I tell them.

Have fun and good luck!

[etecnifibre]

OK, one last question here and I may be done. So, I can actually author my DVD in Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3 (I love the full motion videos, and for a basketball game, looks very nice), instead of burning to disk, have it to create my VOB files, and then use DVD Shrink to actually burn it? (Note: If I'm out in left field here, don't bother. I'll figure it out. Just don't want you to feel like you are explaining your life away here. : )

[Blazey]

Not too far off. Instead of burnig to disc, vreat the VOB's like you said. Make a New Folder. Inside it make 2 more folders. Name one AUDIO.TS and name the other VIDEO.TS (use all caps or it wont work). Then use IMGTools to create an ISO file. Mount the ISO in DAEMON TOOLS. Ope this with DVD Shrink and you are done.

You need:
IMGTools
Daemon Tools
DVD Shrink 3.2

All are free and links are on the site here as well as guides to use them, but you should be able to just go at it with the information ive given you.

[etecnifibre]

Excellent. I've give it a shot this weekend. So (LOL), one more question. Say I've got a file that is 4.6 Gigabyte. What does DVD Shrink ultimately shrink it down to? Or what if the file is (for example) 6 Gig? Does DVD shrink have a set file size it uses?

[ZippyP.]

Does DVD shrink have a set file size it uses?

Kind of, you adjust the compression % to fit a DVD-r.

[etecnifibre]

Well, just got my VCR hooked up. Fixed my problems on the tapes I was having, so I'm thrilled. I've got some damn good games that I just couldn't get to track correctly. Thanks for all the help, guys (and gals)

[etecnifibre]

Can someone explain some things to me? Here is what I ended up doing. I captured the Indiana-Duke game from 2002 at 8 Mbps, 128 kbps audio (I figure this is well high enough for announcers voices and background band noise). I then created a disk image file and VOB files using Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3. I never did figure out why I needed IMG Tools for, or the DAEMON TOOLS. My Ulead Program creates my Video.TS folder for me. So, I now have my VOB files and my ISO file, each 5.24G. I tried to use DVD Shrink to open my ISO file and it wouldn't work.

It did work with my VIDEO.TS folder, so I compressed my video (using the 'better' settings, the program analyzed, burned and shut down my computer for me as I went to bed before it was done.

So, I guess my question is, what exactly does the DAEMON program do? The stuff I am putting on DVD is not digitally protected in any way to begin with. That's what I came to figure this program was for.

Anyway, what I did worked, I was just curious I guess as to what the other stuff was for.

[duhmez]

If you have a video_ts folder you do not need imgtools or daemon tools. DVDshrink will work right out f the video ts folder.

A side suggestion: Capping form vhs use 352,480 not 720,480. VHS res is not good enuogh to justify that res. You csan then cap @ less than 8 mbps too and maybe avoid the whole situation. (I recomend 3-4 Mbps @ 352,480)

[etecnifibre]

Thanks for the advice. Just what I needed to know.

[lordsmurf]

please note that tmpgenc (the company) states that prev. versions are not to be distributed and therefore not legal ..

its on their web site

That sucks.

I know in a few situations, the newer version choked on some files, so I had to use one from 2003 or so. It's that damned CRI codec usually, and even when you uncheck it, sometimes it comes back "checked" on its own.

[BJ_M]

i prefer a slightly older version myself, nowhere does it say you can not USE an older version or that you HAVE to upgrade ..

They just dont want websites hosting older versions, just like many other companies.

[Nelson37]

It is well established that VHS has a resolution of 352x480, or actually slightly less. THIS IS IRRELEVANT TO CAPTURE. You're damn right I'm shouting, read on.

It is equally well established that many capture cards, including ATI, introduce undesirable video artifacts when capping at any res less than 480x480, regardless of source. 720x480 is both free of these artifacts (caused by resizing algorithms and possibly blurring filters used by the card), and is DVD-compliant. This topic has been discussed many times, and there really should be more people who are aware of it. Do some searches, it's all there.

Do both resolutions with the same source. Do some frame-by-frame analysis. Or you can listen to theoretical advice without actually looking at your video.

Lowering resolution does NOT reduce file size, reducing bitrate does. Although a variable bitrate encode will tend toward smaller size with less resolution as less bits are required. The real size savings comes from specifying a lower bitrate.

You are correct on the usage of IMGtools and the Daemon prog. If you already have a DVD-compliant folder, use Shrink to reduce the size. No other progs or procedures are needed. Shrink will not open an ISO file, it requires a DVD file structure. Most authoring progs will create this for you.

I would recommend that you use a much smaller gap between AVG and MAX rates with ATI. My experiments have indicated that large gaps contribute to problems with macroblocking.