Hi every expert out there.

I bought my first standalone DVD-player 2 weeks ago.
The main reason I bought it was to view my edited analogue camcorder videos at my TV-set (PAL).
I've always had a great interest in video editing, and I thought this was great, using SVCD for Master instead of magnetic tape!!!
I'm more concerned about the Video Quality then audio.

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There are MILLIONS of of chances to make a wrong setup...
I really need some advice...
I would like some comments about my "workflow/setup" and answers to my questions, please.
The setup should be optimized for TV (PAL).
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This is the workflow I've been using this far:

Software:
--VirtualDUB (capture, clip, filter, frameserver)
--TMPGEnc
--Nero 5.5
--VCDeasy (create "chapters" and burn)

Capture (VirtualDub):
--CanonUC5 Hi8 (PAL) camcorder connected to capturecard(soundcard) via S-video(Line)
--VirtualDub, size 704x576 with Codec Huffyuv or PivVideo Mjpeg.
--At this point, I'm only adjusting Brightness/contrast while viewing histogram.

Edit/filter/frameserving (VirtualDub):
--Filtering. Need some advice here...
--Start frameserving

Encoding (TMPGEnc, Really need advice here!!!)
--Video/audio source Frameserver(virtualDub)
--So far I've been using Leons SVCD template.
--Video Tab
Stream type: MPEG-2
Size: 480x576
Frame Rate: 25 fps (25/1=25)
Rate control: Auto VBR (Q=70, max=2450, min=300, Padding enabled)
VBV 112 kb
Profile: MP@ML
Video format: PAL
Encode Mode: Interlace
YUV: 4:2:0
DC prec: 10 bits
Motion search prec: High quality
--Advanced Tab
Video Source: Interlace
Field order: Top field(A) first
4:3 625 line (PAL)
Video arrange: Full screen
--GOP tab (Have no Idea what this is for)
--Quantize tab (Have no Idea what this is for)
--Audio Tab
Stream Type: MPEG-1 Layer II
Sampl freq: 44100
CH. mode: Stereo
Bitrate: 128 (to prior filesize and Video quality)
--System Tab
Stream Type: MPEG-2 Super VideoCD (VBR)


Questions:
--Does my Camcorder produce video good enough to "make it worth" capturing in 704x576 for SVCD?
--Does Hi8 producing video with quality=VCD? If so, should I capture 704x576 anyway, to produce better VCD's?
--Is my Canon camcorder producing interlaced video or not?
--If interlaced, WHEN should I deinterlace my video? During capture (virtualdub)? During encoding (TMPGEnc)? Or both?
--Or is the deinterlace filter just for filtering? An interlaced source is still interlaced even after filtering?
--When using VirtualDub as a frameserver, where should I setup filters? In VirtualDub or TMPGEnc?
--TMPGEnc settings:
Adv.Tab. Video Source Type = Interlaced or Progressiv?
What about using an deinterlace filter?
Does this make source progressiv for an interlaced movie?
--SVCD size should be 480x576. Does cropping affect my video quality? It's not 4:3 anyway...
--Ho do I avoid Blocks in high motion scenes?

//
Peter Östlund