Size doesn't matter

[ashtones]

I just need some opinions. If I have a movie I am encoding and file size is not an issue which is better to use a 2 pass vbr or just use a very high bitrate cbr?

[indolikaa]

8000 CBR.

[ashtones]

Ok thats what I figured I just wasn't sure if the quality would be any different at all. Thanks so much for the quick response.

[DJRumpy]

Not entirely true. VBR can produce the same quality, if not better, than CBR, assuming the video has a mix of 'easy' and 'difficult' scenes (assuming your video has motion in it anyway. Most do...)

Even CBR, at 8000 mpbs can still suffer from lack of bitrate in high motion scenes, and scene fades. VBR can allow you to go up to the max that DVD supports, while still staying compliant. It also handles scene fades, and rapid motion better because it has a clear map of a scene fade or scene change (assuming you do mutltipass vbr). CBR will show degraded quality if the bit requirment exceeds whatever the CBR value is set to (8000).

Both will show degraded quality if the max allowed (9.8Mbps) is still not enough to encode the motion of any particular frame.

I would suggest Multipass VBR. It will take twice as long as a CBR encode, but again, you can use the max allowed for DVD (assuming this is a DVD project), and still keep a high average bitrate.

Set your Average to anywhere between 6000 and 8000 (most off the shelf dvd's average in that range). Set your max kbps to 10035 kbps (=9.8 mbps). Set your min at 2000 kbps. Perform at least 2 passes.

[ashtones]

That makes sense. I guess the only way to tell is to do a comparrison. I just hate spending all that time. Oh btw good to see someone else from the Dallas area. I am currently in Red Oak.

[indolikaa]

I don't doubt DJ. I have a computer that won't do well in realtime captures above 4500-5000 VBR, and I myself probably wouldn't see the finer details between an 8k CBR and VBR stream.

I was thinking the same thing, but I didn't know if there was any broadcast material or pressed media that actually reaches that high into the bitrate. If there is, well, any situation where the process can pass the material before coding it should produce a better result.

The question is, will you see it?

[DJRumpy]

There are actually a few scenes that reach the 9+ mbps range, but chances are, if your new at this, you would never notice. I only notice now, afer a few years of encoding. Most people think VBR is just for size, or that it just takes too long, but when it comes to quality, what's a few more hours?

One thing I should mention. DVD Video, at 9.8 Mbps, is coming close to a 1:1 copy. You can squeeze about 1 hour of video and audio (assuming your audio is mp2 or ac3 and not very high bitrate) at 9.8 mpbs, and expect excellent quality. You did mention that size wasn't an issue.

Red Oak? Your about like me..I live in Arlington. Couldn't stand living too close to town