Quick Encoding Survey

[spidey]

Hi All,
Just 2 quick questions. On ripping my dvd's I have been usually encoding to a standard vcd. This is due to wanting to get the movies on 2 discs at a maximum. Overall the quality has been excellant. Recently 2 things though have come up.
1) Under the Advanced Options, should the Detect Scene Changes be checked to force an I frame, or is this just using up processing power. (on some I had it unchecked and they were flawless in high action scenes, and in some with it unchecked I got a little "haziness" over distance shots). I just wanted to see if there's an overall opinion on this option.

2) Does anyone see any major harm in converting just to VCD and not anything higher ? Is it a waste of a rip to convert only to that quality ? The reason I didn't vary things for an xVCD is that I wanted compliance for all other players if I bummed them to people, etc.

Thanks Buds. As Always appreciate any info. Have a great one !!!!!

[spidey]

Also, if to go to an xVCD does anyone have a good set of spec's to fit 1 hour per disc
vid bitrate =
aud bitrate =
vid stream = mpeg?
kind of stream = cbr, vbr, ?

Thanks guys !!!!

[gambit32]

1) I've noticed that when I have "detect scene change" selected, I got this sort of fast movement whenever there's an action sequence. It's like the movie fast forwards. When it's unchecked, it doesn't happen. I think got the idea from one of homerpez's posts. So now I always leave it unchecked.
2) I've become a believer of Sefy's SxVCD template. I encode almost exclusively using that template after using VCD for so long. If it's something that I want to share, I usually have a plain VCD version on my computer for compliancy with other players.

[spidey]

Thanks Bro,

Yeah I agree that SxVCD template is great. I helped Sefy test out some of the text clips when he made it. When I use that on rips, it's interesting, if you scan ffwd you lose the audio track indefinately. So you're forced to watch the movies entirely. Now here's where it gets tricky, it only happens on rips, not on anything else encoded with that, so that's why I just went back to vcd.

So iis it safe to say, you'd recommend NO detect scene changes, and plain old vcd quality is not gonna lose or be a waste of a rip ? Thanks Bud

[Guiboche]

If I'm encoding to VCD I usually never use the "Detect scene change" option. I find that it forces too many I frames during fast-motion sequences cause more blockyness. Fades out of black, and fades to and from white confuses "Detect Scene Change" and instead of a seamless transition, you get 1 extremely blocky frame, because it thinks the scene is changing.

Anyhow, what I think of using force I frame.

Craig Guiboche

[gambit32]

I vote for not detecting scene change. As for VCD, on my Apex660, SxVCD looks better.

[spidey]

Also, to get into another area. I have noticed the haze and water moe on the recent batch of Sony 700 mb blue cdr's I bought. In comparison I burned the same clips on crappy PNY discs, and had NO discoloration or distortion.......I figured the Sony's would've been better quality, but so far, guess not....