Best video bitrate

[lordsmurf]

I've tried using even those "single pole" tripods, but to be very honest, they suck big-time.

Monopods are meant for active movement with a better-than-handheld balance. Usually only used for still photography, often something like sports of wildlife where you may need to move quickly to the next location (or out of the way!). So you really weren't using it correctly, not for video.

start with a high bitrate, and work your way down, until you feel the level of comprise meet your needs. ........ VBR is the better route. .......Too many brain-washed common practice with applying filtering with everything. This is just not necessary.

Agree. Agree. Agree.

[SatStorm]

Filtering is needed when you wish to put more film on one DVD.
IMO, a minor filtering on a DV source, helps when you encode 2 hours per DVD. Less macroblocks that way on the final output.

For 1 hour per DVD filtering is not neccessary.