Audio format compatibility with stand-alone DVD players

[Svuppe]

Hi.
I am about to start saving my home videos on DVD. For the future, I want my homemade DVD's to be playable on stand-alone DVD players.

As I understand things, one of the standard (for PAL systems anyway) is compressed audio as Mpeg1 layer 2 at 224 kbit/s. But if I can avoid a recompression of the audio, I really would prefer that.
My camera (Sony IP5) delivers the audio as Mpeg1 layer 2 at 256 kbit/s (and 48 kHz stereo). Can i use that format directly on my homemade DVD's, or do I have to recompress to 224 kbit/s to ensure DVD player compatibility?

[Cornucopia]

Svuppe,

VCD and SVCD require sequences to be Mpeg1layer2, 2 channels, 224kpbs, 44.1kHz. This is in order to be compliant (there are a number of non-compliant discs--read the guides).

DVD, OTOH, expects 48kHz, but otherwise allows much variation in terms of tracks/channels and bitrate. Your native Sony rate is fine, and you're right in not wanting to recompress it, so go for it, as is!

Scott

[flaninacupboard]

From the DVDdemystified FAQ. (linked in what is DVD-r. worth referring to mnext time oyu have a question) "MPEG audio is multi-channel digital audio, using lossy compression from original PCM format with sample rate of 48 kHz at 16 or 20 bits. Both MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats are supported. The variable bit rate is 32 kbps to 912 kbps, with 384 being the normal average rate. MPEG-1 is limited to 384 kbps."
The 224kbps limit applies to VCD, not DVD.

[EddyH]

That's more of an "italian" limit though isn't it, flan? Like their speed limits.. merely 'suggestions'

After all some early UK commercial VCDs came with 112k mono audio (allegedly) to give some bits back to the video in lieu of the 48 extra lines. It's also variable between 32k and 352/384k IIRC, 224k/1150 vid is just the bare vanilla standard that all VCD equipment must play... more generally if it all adds up to around 1375k you're ok, so just shave 32k off the standard video rate if you wanna make a VCD instead of a DVD. Some players are ok with 48khz... some not.

[destro_99]

http://134.102.55.200/haupt/SonyIP7_to_MPEG2-PS.htm

i'm sure you've found this by now.. but this batch file converts everything for the sony IP5... i've made about 10 DVD's out of home video