Trying to get MPEG-2 files to DVD specs w/o re-encode?

[DrHogie]

I apologize in advance if this question has been answered elsewhere -- I've spent about 30 minutes searching through the forums for an answer and can't find one specific to my problem.

I have captured video (from a TiVo, Best Quality) that is 512x480 resolution. The bitrate appears to be VBR ~5000, which I'm happy with. However, I'm coming into problems with attempting to convert these files into DVD-compliant files.

I've used TMPGEnc Plus to re-encode the files, but I'm not very happy with the quality. Is there anyway to stretch the given MPEG-2 files to the proper width without re-encoding them? If so, how?

Thanks in advance,
DrHogie

[Nelson37]

None that I know of. Cap in compatible res in the first place is the only answer, SFAIK.

[wulf109]

I would give IFOEDIT a try. It will correct 480x480 SVCD into DVD compliant files. Demux your mpg into it's video and audio elementary streams. TMPEG if you have one file,VOBEDIT if you have multiple mpg's. Use IFOEDIT's DVD author function. Load the m2v and mpa? files and let it generate a DVD directory and see if it plays on your computer. If it does burn on an RW and see if it plays on your DVDplayer. This works conerting SVCD(480x480) to DVD.

[zanos]

Yeah but what will the resulting video look like? I've done it and you don't get a perfect copy. You get these small "jagged" edges on everything. I've coverted using Dvdlab and svcd2dvd with the exact same results.

[secretagent]

the best way to do it is use tmpgenc to encode and istead of full srcreen use custom size in your case 512/480 this will put a black border around your file but you will retain most of the quality as tmpgenc will not have to resise the video or use full screen keep aspect ratio which will have the same effect but you will lose more quality

[Donny661]

If you center it with 512x480 your aspect ratio will be off (it will be squished by the black bars on the edge). I think you're only hope will be to re-enocde it.

I would also suggest you try to get your TiVo to capture at 720x480 or 352x480 if possible to avoid re-encoding in the future.

[wulf109]

DrHogie

I made a short clip in 512x480 to test the IFOEDIT method and it does work on the 512x480 clip I made. Burned to an RW and plays full screen in proper aspect ratio without the nedd to re-encode.

[DrHogie]

Thanks wulf -- I'll have to play around with IFOEDIT tonight

And I'm also looking into setting up the TiVo to capture in different resolutions -- I think I've heard about that working somewhere before. The only problem with that is having to re-tape from the Dish all the shows of this series again for the DVD set

Thanks,
DrH