XVCD - Kbps & Resolution

[biggantdogg]

What would be a very good picture quality Kbps rate for a 480X480 2 Disc XVCD movie from a DVD-rip?
For some reason, my panasonic standalone will not play SVCD's, but it will play any resolution and almost any bitrate in a vcd template. (It won't play if the movies were encoded in Non-standard video cd either.) Weird huh?
I usually use 2350 - 2500 kbps for 352X240, but once I go above 352X352, I lose picture quality @ that bitrate.

[biggantdogg]

Sorry, what I meant above is that my standalone will play anything as long as I burn it in NERO as a VCD, no matter what the bitrate or resolution!!

[ViperXT]

If you tell me how long the movie is, I will tell you the max bit rate. Also, are these 80 or 74 minute cds?

[biggantdogg]

Usually about 100 to 110 min on 80min cd.
Starting tomorrow, I finally found 99min cd's for cheap by the 100 spindle.
WWW.ALLMEDIAOUTLET.COM
So could you tell me the bitrate for a 99min cd too?
What's the max vcd MB allowed on a 99min cd? 990MB?

[biggantdogg]

Viper, I meant 100 - 110 min between 2 80min cd's.

[ViperXT]

Ok for a 110 minute movie here is the bitrate:
These are rates assuming a 192 kb/s audio rate

2-80 minute cds 1760 kb/s
1-99 minute cd 1005 kb/s
2-99 minute cds 2230 kb/s

My suggestion is to use 2 pass VBR with a resolution of 352 x 480. Use 2 99 minute cds and enter 2230 kb/s as the average, 300 as the minimum and 3500 as the maximum.

[biggantdogg]

Viper...
I already use a 2vbr on 2 80min cd's at 2350 avg and 2500 max with 224bit sound...@ 352X240
That would actually be dropping my rates....wouldn't I need to raise them?

[ViperXT]

For a 110 minute movie with the bitrate you suggested the file would be way too big. Are you sure the movie is 110 minutes? Also at bitrates over 1700 you should use 352 x 480 especcially with VBR encoding, unless the source is only 352 x 240.

[biggantdogg]

I'm not sure it's actually the length of the movie, it's more about the amount of movement and action in the movie that eats up the bitrate. JOE DIRT was 90 min and took more MB than DOUBLE JEOPARDY that was 105min!???? Using same exact template.???

[ViperXT]

Something is not adding up here. If you tell the encoder what data rate to use it will not veer away from that. You must have used CQ encoding.

[biggantdogg]

I never use CQ, but thanks for the help anyway!
Also, what is the max MB for a 99min cd? 990MB???

[ViperXT]

990mb sounds about right