Interlace or Non-Interlace? mkv to vcd problems ...

[Stoleacow]

Two questions, from someone relatively new to this:

First, how do I determine if my avi is interlace or non-interlace? I use avicodec to determine the size and fps, but I can't figure the rest out. Is there a program I can use?

Second, recently I've tried to convert from mkv to vcd. I use virtualdubmod to create an avi and it works really well. I get an excellent quality avi. But when I use TMPGEnc to convert to mpg, the quality gets really bad. This hasn't happened before, only when going from mkv to avi to mpg. Is it something that happens when I create the avi in virtualdubmod? Or is it in my settings in TMPGEnc? The avi is PAL, 16:9.

TMPGEnc mpg quality is never as good as the original avi, but this is a little ridiculous ...

If anyone can help, much appreciated.

After reading the rules, I'll add this:

In TMPGEnc, my settings were the following:

Video: 4:3 625 line (PAL), 25 fps, High Quality (slow)
Advanced: Non-Interlace, Full Screen (keep aspect ratio)
Filters: Noise Reduction, 20-1-20
GOP Structure: Output bitstream for edit (Closed GOP), detect scene
Quantize matrix: Soften block noise, 35-35
Audio: 44100 Hz, 224 kbits/s, Stereo

In Environmental Settings, I use tooLame, LameENC and SSRC for audio and I have everything under CPU selected. My audio is not a problem, though.

I'm not 100% on all of the above, but it's all stuff I picked up from guides here and on Afterdawn for making a good quality mpg.

[Baldrick]

Open the video in virtualdub, if you see lines it is interlaced. Check www.100fps.com for examples. Divx,xvid is usually not interlaced.

Try convert without any filters.

And remember that vcd is not that good...if you want higher quality try svcd or dvd.

[Stoleacow]

Thanks for the quick reply ... it's Divx and no lines, so non-interlaced. Virtualdubmod also informed me it was progressive.

I'll try SVCD for the quality problems ...