Capture Bitrate vs. DVD output Bitrate - best quality...

[Dkolacz]

Hello,

Been using the ATI AiW 9800 Pro with ATI's MMC software for capturing MPEG-2.

For capturing standard VHS, what would be the lowest bitrate I should capture at, but still retain the BEST quality.

Likewise, I am using Pinnacle Studio 9 for making DVDs. It also has options for Bitrate when making the finalized DVD. Range is 3000-7500.

Are these related at all? If I only capture at 5MB, would it make sense to set Pinnacle's bitrate to 7500 ?

Thanks

[lordsmurf]

Quit letting Pinnacle Studio 9 re-encode your video, for starters. Use something else to edit and author.

You should read all these:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/intro.htm
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/understandsource.htm
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/playback.htm
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/atimpeg/atimpeg.htm
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/atiavi/atiavi.htm

That should answer all your current questions.

[Dkolacz]

Pinnacle 9 doesnt re-encode my video. I dont think :0

Once I capture MPEG-2 at 720x480 with ATI MMC, it takes less than an hour compile and burn the video onto DVD with Pinnacle Studio.

Believe it or not, I have already read all of those, and I am still unclear regarding the bitrates. If I capture at a higher bitrate, should I also tell studio to use the higher rate.

I guess I am just looking for the best quality settings for standard VHS.

[dcsos]

If it suggests a new bit rate :

If I only capture at 5MB, would it make sense to set Pinnacle's bitrate to 7500 ?

then its re encoding your clips.
Use a better program if you can afford it!
obviously, if you encode at 5, you can't get more quality than that in any
later step.

suggestionsDVD ARCHITECT
TMPG DVD AUTHOR

[lordsmurf]

Believe it or not, I have already read all of those, and I am still unclear regarding the bitrates. If I capture at a higher bitrate, should I also tell studio to use the higher rate.

I guess I am just looking for the best quality settings for standard VHS.

Read this:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/intro.htm#mpegbitrate

Extrapolate from this:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/dvdguides/capture/understandsource.htm#analogsource

To spell it out for you: 352x480 and 3.0 to 5.0Mb/s range VBR (3000k-5000k). Maybe as low as 2.0 to 2.5 on animation.