Encoders and Quality?

[video_enthusiast07]

Hi everyone, I heard that encoders have to do in quality when burning DVD's......if thats true which authoring program do you think has the best encoding?


Lets say I have full dv captured video which is I think maximum 2mbps......and I edit that footage, which setting when I'm going to render the video will give me the best out of my video?

[redwudz]

MPEG-2 @ 9800 kbps. That's the suggested maximum bitrate for a DVD. For the rest of the DVD specifications and format, see 'WHAT IS' DVD to the upper left on this page.

Authoring programs just author, you need to encode to MPEG first. Or use a all-in-one converter that encodes and authors.

[freebird73717]

Best results ~~ Encode to mpeg using an Encoder like HC (Free) for video, Aften with Gui (free)for audio.

Author seperately using an Authoring app like GFD (free).

This route offers best quality and more control.

Quick and easy route convertx (pay) or the old divx2dvd (free)

This route offers good quality but not so much control over the way the final output looks.

[edDV]

Hi everyone, I heard that encoders have to do in quality when burning DVD's......if thats true which authoring program do you think has the best encoding?


Lets say I have full dv captured video which is I think maximum 2mbps......and I edit that footage, which setting when I'm going to render the video will give me the best out of my video?

Like redwudz says, getting a quality result first means understanding the DVD format. Quality depends most on source format/quality and encoder settings. Most MPeg2 encoders behave withing a narrow band of perfromance but differ by inputs accepted and encoding strategies.

If you were to design an encoder that is performs best for highest quality Digital Betacam input, it would probably perform poorly if you gave it 2Mb/s divx.

The other main difference is interlace DV format to 480i DVD, vs. IVTC progressive movies to a 480p DVD. You might choose a different encoder for each.

In other words, the differences are subtle and depend on goals.

Some have the goal that it must be free.

[peter06]

adobe premiere (pay) uses the mainconcept encoder.
sony vegas (pay) use the canopus encoder.
the canopus encoder is reputed to be better.

[edDV]

adobe premiere (pay) uses the mainconcept encoder.
sony vegas (pay) use the canopus encoder.
the canopus encoder is reputed to be better.

For MPeg2 you will find most of the Prosumer editors and DVD authoring suites use the Mainconcept MPeg SDK (an oem kit that can be optimized to each application).

That includes Adobe Premiere/Encore, Sony Vegas/Architect, ULead Video Studio/Movie Factory/Media Studio/DVD Workshop Etc., Luminaire the HDV plugin for Apple Final Cut Pro, etc.

http://www.mainconcept.com/site/index.php?id=111
http://www.mainconcept.com/site/index.php?id=6

Does that make Mainconcept the best? No. It means they have a flexible modular line of developer products that fit a wide range of applications particularly for camcorder/broadcast interlace formats. They are the big dog of OEM encoders.

Each MPeg encoder has pro/con and is marketed differently.