Low-res DVD?

[rustic]

Hi. I have a bunch of video that I captured in 352x240 resolution. It's all in Huffy AVI format. I've done this in the past because I wanted to save it on VCDs. However, now I would like to put the same video on a DVD-R.

Do I have to re-capture at a higher resolution? Or can I write it on there at this quality, once it's converted to MPEG-1 or MPEG-2? I see that there's a tutorial for VCD on DVD-R, but I am wondering if this may cause some problems. Also, I would love to encode with a higher bit-rate that VCD to make it look better. Would this work on a DVD-R?

Thanks.

[bugster]

I see that there's a tutorial for VCD on DVD-R, but I am wondering if this may cause some problems

No problems, just follow this tutorial and you will be fine.

re-capturing at higher resolution (depending on your source) and encoding to full 720*480/576 DVD spec MAY give higher quality in the end tho.

[rustic]

Will the steps in the tutorial for VCD on DVD also work for XVCD on DVD? Then I could set the bit rate nice and high.

Or could I encode it as a 352x240 MPEG-2 file?

Since I saved the original AVI, I can encode it to whatever would work best. Unfortunately, re-capturing is not an option on some of the tapes, as they have degraded to an almost unusable state.

[McCrash]

As far as i remember a dvd can hold MPEG1 VCD compliant video stream, MPEG2 Half D1 (352x480/576) and MPEG2 Full D1 (704/720x480/576) video stream. But 352x240 MPEG2 isn't allowed.

[/\/\]

[rustic]

Ok, so MPEG1 it is.

Just a couple more questions:

1. Can I use a non-VCD-compliant MPEG1 video? For example, 352x240 with an 1800 bitrate.

2. Will Ulead DVD Workshop let me do VCD on DVD?

[McCrash]

The DVD FAQ (http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#3.4) apparently says the bitrate does not have to be VCD compliant.

I don't know about DVD Workshop but it should.

[/\/\]

[The village idiot]

Don't forget to use 48K audio. DVD workshop should be able to re-encode anything that it doesn't like. You shouldn't see any degredation.

[Mercury]

From what I know 352x240 is a valid resolution for DVD-video MPEG2.

http://www.disctronics.co.uk/technology/dvdvideo/dvdvid_videnc.htm



Edit:
Also check the "Simply FAQ for video resolutions" in the Newbie section on this site; it mentions 352 x 240 as being used in DVD.

[puertorican138]

Also, if you want the fullest DVD compatibilty with your file, make sure the MAX number of frames in the GOP is set to 15 (PAL) or 18 (NTSC) depending on where you live. Also, make sure your audio sampling rate is 48000Hz of Frequency.


Hope That Helps!!! :P

[SatStorm]

All my test untill today, show me that mpeg - 2 @352 X 288/240 is fully playable when it is burned to a DVD-R with 48000khz audio and legal GOP structure.
In a way, a 352 X 288 mpeg 1 is a "null" mpeg 2, with different header, etc. As you know, you have to demux a mpeg 1 or mpeg 2 file for burn it to DVD. So, you end up with an m2v for video and mp2 for audio. In this form, which there is no multiplexxing, I doubt that mpeg 1 and mpeg 2 at this resolution (352 X 288/240) look different to any DVD authoring proggy. The authoring program look for framesize, Gop Stucture, Audio samplerate. So, a 1/4 D1 source from mpeg 1 and mpeg 2 look identical to it.

Just for the story, there is also another framesize which is full compatible with DVD, but noone use it: 720 X 288/240. Who knows why this resolution is supported...

[Mercury]

720 X 288/240. Who knows why this resolution is supported...

Well, I think it's just because the standard resolutions for DVD are 720, 704, and 352 for horizontal and 480 and 240 (NTSC) for vertical. You can then make any combination of these and it will still be a "valid" resolution:

720 x 480
720 x 240*
704 x 480
704 x 240*
352 x 480
352 x 240

* These are "useless", but because they're still a combination of standard vertical and horizontal res's, they are supported.

Now what do I win?

[SatStorm]