Does higher setting really mean better quality?

[kel]

Does higher setting really mean better quality
im using powervcr and im just wondering if the higher
you capture the better the quality is,
and what other settings people capture at?
any advice would be great.

[vhelp]

kel,

"Higher settings" does improve to some extent, but that depends on a number of
factors, but take note the following, when thinking "higher settings" :
* higher resolution... will increase hd space (when capturing)
* higher bitrate... again here, will increase hd space (when capturing/encoding)
* higher combo of settings... more than likely, again, will increase hd space (when
capturing)
* and then some...

But, more than likely, you'll have to learn how to "balance" between space and
quality during your video endeavors.

Now, with the above all said, glance over to your left and do lots of reading on
the F.A.Q. and newbie, vcd/svcd/dvdr, capture, convert, etc. LINKs.
Good luck there.

-vhelp

[Barnabas]

Does higher setting really mean better quality
im using powervcr and im just wondering if the higher
you capture the better the quality is,
and what other settings people capture at?
any advice would be great.

From the many captures I have done, I have found in general that real-time (via software rather than hardware) capturing needs a much higher bitrate than avi to mpeg via TMPGenc encoding does for the same results. It makes sense that when you are capturing real-time, less intelligent compression choices can be made compared to letting the software study the image and take it's time making better choices. It will also depend of the source. Stuff with the black bars at the top and bottom can be compressed much easier than say a full size screen with a raft going down the rapids. I have yet to see ANY real-time capturing software that looks all that good when compared to an avi to TMPGenc encode, or one done with hardware compression. Even hardware compression needs the bitrate to be set a bit higher for the best results.