svcd on 2 discs?

[vcd4me]

Ok I have been making vcds and svcds for a while.
So this really isn't a newbie conversion question . I just didn't know where to put it.

When I make svcds I make them with constant bitrate and lowest speed(best quality)settings. Now some shorter movies I can get around 2500 kbps by cutting the credits and stuff like that. but on the longer ones I have to lower the bitrate to 1600-1800 and the quality isn't that great.

Well here goes I am lazy and I don't want to get up and put in three discs.

Here are my questions

1. Should I use cq or vbr ?
2. What is the diffrence between cq and vbr?(I read about them but really don't understand)
3. How do I figure out the minimum and maximum bitrate ?
4. Does either of them affect the ability to play on diffrent machines?

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[ABAB]

VBR, your file is analyzed first and then whatever bitrate you have available is used accordingly..i.e. not so much bitrate is used for the low action scenes which in turn enables a higher bitrate to be used for the high action stuff. This does increase encoding time though.
CQ, https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=126471&highlight=constant+quality

My lack of knowledge means I can't really describe what I think CQ is so I'll let this post do it for me.

As for bitrate you can use any one of the 4 or 5 calculators that are in the tools section.

[vcd4me]

Thanks ABAB,

I have read numerous post like that but I still don't get it

Signed
VCD4ME

[Gazorgan]

VBR! Don't waste bitrate on a still scenes. Set your min to 300, max to 2250 (or 2500 if your player will take it) and your average to whatever the bitrate calculator tells you to hit 2 CDR's. Next to highest search precision and 2 passes. Results can be pretty dam good.

However, don't expect high quality for a movie over 2 hours on 2 CDR's. I generally go to 3 CDR's at 100 minutes.

[ZippyP.]

1. Should I use cq or vbr ?
2. What is the diffrence between cq and vbr?(I read about them but really don't understand)
3. How do I figure out the minimum and maximum bitrate ?
4. Does either of them affect the ability to play on diffrent machines?

Variable bitrate applies a higher rate to scenes that need it while saving bits from low motion scenes. It is more efficient than CBR that way and can reduce filesize while maintaining quality. VBR is an SVCD standard which is compatible on most machines. Warning: Too high a bitrate and sometimes too low can give some machines problems! Kept within limits it shouldn't be a problem.

CQ is VBR! It is basically 1-pass VBR with a quality setting which is chosen. Upside - speed, downside - unpredictable filesize.

2-pass VBR, upside - predictable filesize, downside - takes up to twice as long.

Personally I use TMPGEnc's 2-pass VBR and let it run overnight so time isn't a problem. Maximum - I don't go above the SVCD standard 2500. Average - how low depends on personal choice. 1600 gives about 60 min. per disk. I don't go below 1600 and like to stay closer to 1800. Minimum - I set it so that average is right in the middle of min and max, ex. 1100-1800-2500.Some people leave minimum at 0 or very low to free up more bits.

Like deciding on CBR/CQ/2-pass, settings really are personal choice and a little testing and experience will help you decide. Hope that gives you a few guidelines to get you on your way.
8)

[vcd4me]

Thanks guys !

Now ZippyP.,

Can you elaborate on the unpredictability ?
I thought tmpgenc will basically keep the file size correctly for each disc.

Is there a guide to using vbr or is it pretty much self explanitory when I open tmpgenc?

I am going to try to use your settings. They make sense 1100 is slightly less than vcd bitrate and my player will normally play 2500cbr with no problem. I think I'll try tonight.

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[hwoodwar]

vcd4me:

In answer to your questions:

1. Provided you wish to stay within SVCD standards, use VBR/2-Pass VBR if your video is greater tham 35 minutes in lenght. Less than 35 minutes you can use either CBR (at approx 2520 kbps) or VBR/2-Pass VBR (average and max at approx 2520 kbps) it shouldn't make any quality difference.

2. CQ basically is VBR since with CQ the bitrate is varied to maintain a specified quality level. The difference between CQ and CQ_VBR I am not sure. 2-Pass VBR on the second pass the bitrates are refined more to add bitrate into the scenes that need it and to remove bitrate from scenes that don't need it.

3. Minimum bitrate, testing, suggestions from others and trial and error. Maximum should be the maximum your DVD player can handle within the SVCD specification (usually about 2520kbps), or if you want to consider making XSVCDs then make it as high as your DVD player can play.

4. I have only heard of a very few DVD players that can not handle VBR and these may have been in relation to VCDs (which by specification are CBR anyway.)

For 2-Pass VBR using the project wizard is easiest for me. On the Filter Setting page click Expert, change the Rate Control Mode to 2-Pass VBR, click the Settings button next to 2- Pass VBR and enter your bitrates. When you are done with that, click the next button on the Filter Setting page, you will see the estimated filesize on the Bitrate Setting page. On the Bitrate Setting page you can adjust the filesize by changing the Average Video Bitrate, or you can change all the bitrate settings by clicking Expert.

[ZippyP.]

Can you elaborate on the unpredictability ?
I thought tmpgenc will basically keep the file size correctly for each disc.

From what I understand regarding CQ mode (I don't use it), the encoder will apply the correct bitrate for each scene to maintain the selected "Quality" level. That bitrate will vary from one scene to the next within the maximum and minimum selected by the user, the total bits is not precise. Filesize will depend on the movie length, Q level and the amount of action. Q level, max. and min. are selected by the settings button next to the Rate Control box. If you use the wizard you'll see that bitrate and filesize are not adjustable in CQ mode.

To get more opinions on VBR you could do a search of the forums.

Good luck!

[vcd4me]

Zippy p. wrote

To get more opinions on VBR you could do a search of the forums.

I did and thats were all the confusion came in Too much info to small a harddrive...... oh sorry I meant to say brain capacity.

The clearest answers to my questions I got right here in this post from got were from you (Zippy P.) and hwoodwar

hwoodwar,
Thank you also for the clear explanation

Thanks again EVERYONE,
VCD4ME