DVD/MPEG2 Size and Quality Question

[nick15]

This is my first post, so if I'm posting in the wrong area, sorry! Anyway, my question.

I see a lot of Hollywood DVDs and the quality of the video is extremely superior. Obviously they have the money to afford such video quality, but that just makes me wonder... The DVD authorizer I use, DVD Studio Pro version 3 (as well as Quicktime), only allows me to convert any size DV video to MPEG2 video only at 720x480. Now is the MPEG2 format only limited to 720x480? Is Hollywood just really good as making the most out of 720x480 video, exporting at a size greater than 720x480, or is Hollywood even using the MPEG2 video format for their DVDs? If MPEG2 files can be exported to sizes larger than 720x480, what program out there (Mac or Windows) allows me to do so?

I assume that MPEG2 video is NOT limited to 720x480 and that there ARE programs that allows me to create larger MPEG2 video files (maybe even the latest version of DVD Studio Pro). Of course, I don't know where or what to look for.

I appreciate your time on answering my question. Thank you!

[jimmalenko]

https://www.videohelp.com/dvd

720 x 480 is the largest frame size you can use to be within the DVD spec.

You'll find that hollywood has all sorts of filters, hardware encoders and much better quality sources to begin with so this is why they than can do a much better job than you or I.

[guns1inger]

You simply can't compare your source material and authoring tools to the material produced on a $200,000,000 budget, transferred from high quality film stock, encoded by hand tweaking individual scenes and even frames, and and done people who know what the hell they are doing. That they end up the same resolution using the same spec shows you the difference good source and tools can make.

If you do want to see something closer to home grown in quality, check out Danny Boyle's excellent 28 Days Later. Shot on standard DV cams, you can see the similarity to your holiday videos in the low res softness. Big budget low tech.

[promark]

720 x 480 is the largest frame size you can use to be within the DVD spec.

What about 720x576 for us PAL people?

[nick15]

I wasn't so much wondering if I could do Hollywood-quality films using consumer or prosumer programs, just if Hollywood DVDs are also limited to 720x480, and that they're just really really good at making their 720x480 look better than my 720x480, that's all.

But I guess your replies answered that question. Thank you!

[jimmalenko]

720 x 480 is the largest frame size you can use to be within the DVD spec.

What about 720x576 for us PAL people?

Let me quantify that by preceding it with "For NTSC ...." for all those who took the statement literally and not within the context.

Given that the OP is in the US, there's more than a good chance that he don't use PAL