Need help on improving quality of AVI (DivX) to VCD (ir SVCD

[msb]

I am attempting to convert an AVI to VCD or SVCD format. I used Tmpeg to convert to VCD, and the quality significantly degraded. I do not have a DVD burner, so I need to convert to VCD or SVCD.

The attributes of the AVI file are MPEG Layer-3, 128Kbit/s, 528x400.
Is the only thing I can do to improve quality is to move to SVCD? And if so, are there any special settings I can make in Tmpeg to ensure higher quality?

The AVI is over 900MB, so I realize this will never fit onto one CD. I assume after the conversion, I could "split" the resultant mpeg into multiple files using the Tmpeg utility? Will this harm the quality? Then I intend on using Nero to burn to multiple CDs (SVCD).

Thanks for any help.

[Forum Troll]

You can't inprove the quality by reencoding. It always makes it worse, since you are compressing and already compressed source. Best way is to just buy a DVD burner. Here's one to consider:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=27-140-115&DEPA=1




You are in breach of the forum rules and are being banned.
/ Moderator John Q. Publik

[mats.hogberg]

AVI file size says nothing about the size of the same movie when encoded to VCD or SVCD specs, only playing time do.
As for splitting - better encode in parts. Splitting mpegs usually end up in sync issues. In TMPGEnc, you can use the source range function if you load the AVI into TMPGEnc directly, or if frameserving from VirtualDub, you can set start and end frame there.
VCD is pretty limited - Not much you can do within VCD specs. SVCD can be very good - close to source material, but takes ~twice as much space. For best quality within a limited space, use 2 pass VBR encodes.
Use VCDEasy to author your mpegs to (S)VCD. Avoid Nero.

/Mats

[msb]

Thanks.

btw... I didn't really mean "improve quality". I should have said "limit quality degradation"....

[mats.hogberg]

I forgot one thing - CVD - tho not officially supported by many players, I've yet to see a SVCD capable player that wouldn't play CVD. CVD is like SVCD, but with 352 pixels horisontal resolution. This makes the video upwards compatible with DVD, and if you go for 48 kHz audio (again, I've yet to find a player that enforces the 44.1 kHz audio for (S)VCD) you can just extract the mpg from the CVD and author as DVD, come that day (and it will, I assure you!).

/mats

[Abond]

Thanks.

btw... I didn't really mean "improve quality". I should have said "limit quality degradation"....

Well, to limit it even more you must go Avisynth - the "harder" way and aplly some filters to process the source (deblocking, deringing...). Lot to learn and to try - real fun!