High quality DVD

[stilettoFUS]

When I burn a DVD, if I want to keep up the high quality then I don't get very much video on (I have a 4.7 gig burner). If I want to put on more video, then the quality is reduced, sometimes a lot. On professionally made DVDs though, they can have a lot of video yet still retain great quality. Is this because they use larger size DVDs? I just want to know if by any means can I still get more video (2 hours worth or more) on a DVD and still retain my high quality.

[duffyr83]

i believe so. professional dvds have dual layers whereas the 4.7gb dvd media your using has only a single layer. i dont think you can add more video without losing quality. fortunately, the new dual layer dvd burners are out, which i plan i to get soon , anyways i suggest getting one of those and buy dvd dual layer media and then you can hold more video on a single dvd.

[lordsmurf]

When I burn a DVD, if I want to keep up the high quality then I don't get very much video on (I have a 4.7 gig burner). If I want to put on more video, then the quality is reduced, sometimes a lot. On professionally made DVDs though, they can have a lot of video yet still retain great quality. Is this because they use larger size DVDs? I just want to know if by any means can I still get more video (2 hours worth or more) on a DVD and still retain my high quality.

Size has nothing to do with it. For 2 hours, 4.38GB is plenty. It's all about the MPEG settings (bitrate, etc).

[freestyler]

Professionally authored dvds have the advantage of hardware encoding, with many options helping you get great pictures at lower bitrates. Encoding from a master tape source also helps keep the video looking as close to the original as the operator can muster, as opposed to having to work with tv captures or existing mpegs / or otherwise lossy material.

Dual layer is only half the story, in my opinion, but 2 hours looking good on a dvd-r is very doable as Lordsmurf mentioned. If you're looking at 4 hours at full D1 resolution you should consider dual layer.

[jimmalenko]

bitrate is the predominant factor. Dual layer discs do help but as mentioned above, but you can quite easily get 2 hours @ excellent quality on a DVDR provided your source is good, you use a few filters and/or you use 2-Pass VBR.

This isn't a surefire recipe but does help.

[stilettoFUS]

Thanks, but when I turn down the bit rate to allow for more video (2 hours worth), it turns the quality down to "37%" as Pinnicle says. Is there a better program I can use for burning my DVDs?

[BJ_M]

the single biggest factor is that the source material is better ... sometimes hardware and sometimes software encoded -- but working from the best scans or transfers possable.

[lordsmurf]

Thanks, but when I turn down the bit rate to allow for more video (2 hours worth), it turns the quality down to "37%" as Pinnicle says. Is there a better program I can use for burning my DVDs?

You must be copying video, not making your own.
In that case, you're out of luck.

[piano632]

Thanks, but when I turn down the bit rate to allow for more video (2 hours worth), it turns the quality down to "37%" as Pinnicle says.

If you're using Pinnacle Studio, the default setting for audio is PCM, and PCM takes up a lot of disc space. There should be a checkbox that says "MPEG audio" on the "Make Disc" options. Put a check in that box and your quality level will increase hugely.

[xycer]

it has to do with the bitrate AND the size of the disc, whoever said 2hr movie will fit on a single layer DVD while keeping 100% bitrate must be joking. Most newer movies are put on dual layer DVD's, if you notice when you watch a movie and you see that little pause, that means its switching to the next layer. Dual layer DVD's hold 8.5gb of data so they can keep the HIGH bitrate and still fit it on a DVD. When you use a DVD shrinking program, and it has that % ratio thing, that means your taking that much % of the DVDs bitrate thus reducing the quality, you haveta go below 75-80% of the movies bitrate to really notice any difference.

Since most movies are put on dual layer discs, if your backing it up using a single layer disc (4.7gb) thats why its hard and youll prolly haveta end up deleting stuff like the extras etc. Usually for the movies that are over 2.5 hours or have DTS sound, i usually dont bother burning those (i like to keep the DTS) cuz youll prolly end up having the movie to 50-60%.