VCD People Please Read

[thunderz]

For the guys who still stay w/ vcd what is the best technique that you have found to make the vcds

thanks for your time in replying

[aldus4]

Personally I prefer Smartripper-->DVD2AVI-->Panasonic Mpeg Encoder.

[hmosesi]

Smart Ripper -> DVD2AVI -> TMPGenc -> Nero. Hasn't failed me yet. Go to http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdtovcd.htm.

[vitualis]

DVD Decrypter --> FlaskMPEG + Panasonic MPEG Encoder --> VCDImager --> CDR-Win.

Regards.

[Cosmo Kramer]

I usually use these;

[for VCD or SVCD]
Smartripper->DVD2AVI->TMPGenc 12h->
-Always burn with NERO. Great quality and lots of
options with TMPGenc.

[or sometimes for VCD]
Smartripper->FlaskMPG [with Ligos plugin]
-Bit faster but Flask dont have so many options to
tweak with.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Cosmo Kramer on 2001-07-23 01:02:16 ]</font>

[poopyhead]

vitualis, heh..u r nutz

smartripper->dvd2avi->tempgenc->nero

this process may be less flexible...since nero's authoring capability is not nearly has good as iauthor or others..but it's the most straightforward and easist to follow...

btw..i personally don't c a significant difference in using the "de-interlace" filter in tempgenc...as opposed to using IVTC...the "de-interlace" filter is much easier to use and less time consuming...

[vitualis]

I no longer make simple VCDs but rather spend time creating a nice "DVD-esque" layout.

I simply like the FlaskMPEG+Panasonic method over DVD2AVI+TMPGEnc -- especially as I will sometimes use subtitles and I always rip added material (e.g., trailers, menus, scene selections, etc.)

VCDImager simply because it's the only proggy that can let me do what I want. I despise Nero5.5's attempt at "menus". Of course, it's fine if you don't need/use them.

Regards.

[andy_shaker]

Whats the final quality of the vcd like using any of these methods, is it the same quality, I havn't yet ripped any dvd's but have converted divx films to vcd and the quality was not very good. Thanks in advance for your info, Andy

[vitualis]

There are many reasons why some DivX --> VCD won't look good.

However, a standard VCD from a DVD rip will look as good if not better than VHS. The audio is CD quality.

The quality between DVD2AVI and FlaskMPEG is contentious. There is probably no difference. The main difference is between TMPGEnc vs Panasonic MPEG Encoder. Both are excellent encoders but give different results (TMPGEnc is sharper but blockier and Panasonic is smoother). What looks better depends on your eyes.

Regards.

[Feslmogh]

This is my method...
Capture in HQ AVI formatusing ATI AIW --- recode in VCD format using TMPEG with the VCD template --- then burn onto the disc using Nero 5.5.
I come out with real good looking VCDs with it.

[vitualis]

Capturing is not ripping, and a capture can never look quite as good as a properly done rip.

Capturing involves a digital (DVD) --> analogue (DVD player output) --> digital (PC) process.

Ripping is an all digital process.

Regards.

[poopyhead]

vitualis, heh....u can still rip subtitles using dvd2avi->tempgenc method......just hafta use vobsub/virtual dub in between...

[AntnyMD]

I've never been happy with the quality of my standard VCDs and SVCDs. I use Smartripper > DVD2Avi > TMPGEnc > Nero. When I first started this stuff two years ago, I used Flask > BBMpeg > Nero. I didnt stick with it because the playback was not smooth (for example, people walking through a scene would cause jerkiness) ... However, I watched an old VCD I made two years ago and was very impressed with the complete lack of interlacing artifacts, and exceptionally faithful reproduction of skin tones. I almost went back to Flask > BBMpeg > Nero over the weekend because of that, but thought better of it. I have yet to make a satisfactory VCD I'd share with friends and family.

I am most pleased with my direct from DVD miniDVD discs. I've made three so far. Although the play time is short (I've maxed out at 15 minutes per disc), I am seriously considering giving up low bitrate everything and (gasp!) stop copying movies altogether.

[poopyhead]

AntnyMD, if you really want high quality stuff, then use dvd2avi->tempgenc....SVCD at higher bitrate...at least avg. 2000...i use avg. bitrate of 2200 which usually amounts to 3 discs/movie...which is still alot for those ppl who do divx and can fit 1 movie/disc...but the quality is great....just make sure u use the right settings...(i.e. motion search accuracy to high (slower), etc...)

[vitualis]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-07-23 15:30:40, poopyhead wrote:
vitualis, heh....u can still rip subtitles using dvd2avi->tempgenc method......just hafta use vobsub/virtual dub in between...
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

I know. Buy, don't you think that it's a REALLY cumbersome solution though when compared to FlaskMPEG's "choose your desired subtitle stream" option?

Regards.

[Tandem]

I agree that Flask is a much easier way to do subtitles, but I had to stop using Flask due to the fact that it kept locking up and giving errors. I switched to DVD2AVI, but I hate the fact that I can't do subtitles without using another damn program. Doen't anyone make a program like Flask that does subs and doesn't suck like Flask does?

Tandem

[vitualis]

Tandem, I have to say that FlaskMPEG very rarely locks/hangs on me in a critical way (i.e., halfway through encoding something). Actually, it's happened only once in about 100 DVD rips, and that was probably because there was an mastering error on the original DVD.

The latest version of FlaskMPEG (the preview) is a lot more unstable than v0.594. It is, however, quite a bit faster (almost 20% faster on my PentiumIII with Panasonic MPEG encoder).

FlaskMPEG is very temperamental if your VOB files are ripped using SmartRipper in Movie Mode. Try File Mode or DVD Decrypter.

Regards.

[hitechjunkie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-07-23 15:38:34, AntnyMD wrote:
I am most pleased with my direct from DVD miniDVD discs. I've made three so far. Although the play time is short (I've maxed out at 15 minutes per disc), I am seriously considering giving up low bitrate everything and (gasp!) stop copying movies altogether.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

don't you mean "backing up movies"?

[AntnyMD]

Ahem. Why yes, I do.

[Tandem]

Vitualis, thanks m8, I think I'll give Flask another go. I'd really like to use the subs feature. Can you turn them off and on while watching the movie?

Also, I seem to get some speedups in the picture in places, but the audio stays playing correctly. Then the video catches back up again. So I really don't get sync problems, just sometimes it quickly speeds up the picture and then fixes itself right away. What do you think of this? Could it just be my Apex DVD player? Or maybe need to try using Flask? Or even changing from TMPGEnc to the Panasonic encoder? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks m8.

Tandem

[vitualis]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-07-27 10:24:33, Tandem wrote:
Vitualis, thanks m8, I think I'll give Flask another go. I'd really like to use the subs feature. Can you turn them off and on while watching the movie?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

No. These subs are hard encoded into the MPEG. Standard VCDs don't support optional subtitles.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>Also, I seem to get some speedups in the picture in places, but the audio stays playing correctly. Then the video catches back up again. So I really don't get sync problems, just sometimes it quickly speeds up the picture and then fixes itself right away. What do you think of this? Could it just be my Apex DVD player? Or maybe need to try using Flask? Or even changing from TMPGEnc to the Panasonic encoder? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks m8.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Search for this problem on the forums as it has been mentioned a few times. I don't have this problem so I can't really comment. I use the Panasonic MPEG Encoder. It probably isn't a problem with your DVD player, but it could be that your DVD player is more susecptible to some sort of problem in the MPEG stream.

Speculation only: ?muxing error

Regards.

Tandem
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