Quality: One DVDR disk vs. Two SVCD Disks

[Timoleon]

Hi All ---

I'm on the verge of buying a DVD writeable drive to back up my DVD movies, but there is a nagging, annoying doubt in the back of my mind about doing this:

If I rip a movie to a single 4gig+ DVD disk, and do it right, will it be noticeably better than the best efforts using two disks in an SVCD format? I've had such good luck lately using DVD2SVCD along with Kwag's templates that I'm wondering if I could notice the difference with a ripped DVDR copy. I've also read a couple of posts in these forums complaining about the video quality of some DVD rips to DVD --- hence my doubt and confusion.

Any comments or clarifications? Thanks!!

[ghoster]

well if the dvd is under 4.7 gigs you will be able to copy it without any lost in quality by using DVD Decrypter. it will be a perfect copy of the orginal. if it is over 4.7 gigs like most of then are nowadays. you will have to rencode the movie but you will still prob won't lose any quality inless it is like a 4 hour movie but it still will be better than svcd if you use TMPGEnc.

[tonyp12]

2 x CDR disc = 1.5GB
single DVDR = 4.3GB

Does not take a rocket sientist to see that
DVDR allows for more than twice the bitrate.

using ifoedit and the movie part turns out to fit on one DVDR,
you keep the original production mpeg encode (= good quility)

[Timoleon]

Ouch!!!

Werner von Braun I ain't...

[dilligaf]

Quality wise, I think I stretched the envelope a bit too far by squeezing that 4 hour Dinotopia thing onto a dvdr using Rempeg to transode, its little better than vcd & gets a bit blocky at times. In hindsight I would have used tmpgenc & maybe used 352 x 576.
The rest of my efforts have been great, dvd also has better standalone player compatibility than SVCD.

[Timoleon]

OK, I did a little experiment this afternoon. I took a 3X magnifying glass (a la Sherlock Holmes) and put it up to the screen of my Zenith 27" System3 SEQ Surround Sound beast of a TV, and examined my original DVD copy of "The Fifth Element" as it was playing. I then put in the first disk of my two-disk SVCD copy of the same movie, that I ripped with the latest version of DVD2SVCD, with Kwag's latest TMPGEnc templates. I examined that with the glass as well. ***I cannot tell the difference***

I'm not disputing that a higher bitrate is better --- what I am challenging is the notion that one can tell the difference, once one gets to a certain bitrate level; a level that to my eyes has been reached with this new DVD2SVCD.[/b]

[tonyp12]

Zenith 27", is not really a good TV.

Try a SONY 32".

Or what I have, a 56" widescreen progressive-scan HDTV.


If your TV quility is maxing out at SVCD resolutions,
comparing it to DVD will not be fair.

And what is it you really are looking for with the magnifing glass ???

Using high bitrates is about the overall quality,
and not a frame here and there.

[bbeiler]

I am battling the same thing, on whether to buy the DVD burner or stick with DVD2SVCD. Today I was testing some SVCD's I have with some DVD Changers (I would like a changer if I stay with SVCD's) I tried my media on a Sony 36 inch HD TV. I brought Hart's War, which is almost identical in length to the fifth element. It looked horrible compared to what I see on my 27" panasonic Superflat. I don't know if it looked terrible because it was HD or because it was 36", or a combination of the two. The player was the Philips 793. However, I believe it is something to think about if you ever plan to upgrade your TV. Any flaws in the signal will be amplified on a big screen.

I was actually kind of depressed on the thought of leaving DVD2SVCD. I have finally mastered the DVD2SVCD creation, and it only takes about 8 minutes of my time per movie. I heard DVD - DVD-R is a little bit more time consuming and it is still a little more costly. Maybe there will soon be a DVD2DVDR one step program in the near future.

I am a little curious on the templates you mentioned. I am VERY pleased with the results I am getting. However, any movie over 2 hours, I can spot the pixalations if I stare hard enough. You mentioned even using a magnifying class on your 2 hour movie. Maybe I can tweak a little more. Please let me know what you are doing. Thanks

[jim]

I was using 99min cdr and making svcd with tha max allowed bitrate.I have a 55 inch widescreen tv.The quality was good better than a vhs tape.
I later on purchased a dvd burner 104 and now I have redone all my old movies to dvd-r.
I have realised that for the past year I have wasted my time making svcd as there is no comparison to a dvd.
Again if you have a small tv then it doesnt matter as much but WHEN you get a bigger tv (especially hdtv)then be prepared to redo all your movies again.

[Timoleon]

bbeiler ---
Check out this web page: http://www.kvcd.net./

Tony ---
It was just because I couldn't see anything in the overall quality difference sitting on the couch that I got off my ass and grabbed a magnifying glass. Yea, I realize my Zenith was state of the art about a decade ago, and I am anxious to make the switch over to a widescreen 43" Toshiba. They're down to $1600 at Best Buy now. I guess the bottom line with DVD vs. SVCD all has to do with how good/big a TV set you have.
Of course this 16:9 widescreen HDTV stuff brings up the dirty little secret that you or someone else here in the forums mentioned about DVD's not being up to snuff when it comes to appearance on a nice big HDTV-capable widescreen, because HDTV is capable of so much more than current DVDs can offer...

[crahak]

DVDR, by FAR. Better overall. You'll be able to get "real" DVD quality without any reencoding for lots of them too.

[markums2k]

I was dealing with this topic a week ago. Here's my take. I'll keep it brief:

DVD to SVCD = You are losing quality. Period.

Right now, I only have a 27" Sony Trinitron. SVCD looks *alright*. Not great. I can tell it's not DVD. So... before ditching my source files and living with my SVCDs, I decided to keep my source files and ditch my SVCDs. I bought a DVD burner. The technology is affordable, and two years from now it's going to be REALLY affordable. Why settle for a drop in quality? I can afford the extra couple bucks to jump into DVD writing, so why-- WHY settle for a drop in quality??

Just remember: DVD to SVCD = You are losing quality. Period. Period. Can you live with the loss even with DVD writing technology being available at the consumer level? If so, then by all means. I just figured I'd be sorry if I jumped into DVD-R six months down the road (and thus be stuck with some sorry excuses for digital video) as opposed to RIGHT NOW.

I am so smart...

[Big_glare]

Do not advocate Warez

TGPO

[crahak]

[quote="Big_glare"]Do not advocate Warez
Uh? Stop smoking that, ain't good for you... You're the only one who mentionned it...

[Big_glare]

uh......How did I write that? I never saw this thread before?

[Luis Neves]

bbeiler, there is now a DVD2DVD-R software. Check the topic on this forum. It will take less than 8 minutes of your time (but a few hours to your computer).