Getting exceptional quality...

[tryoty]

Is there documentation somewhere that describes the range of settings for each TMPGENC option and the effect of those ranges on output?

I found this: http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0165394101/TMPGEnc_Template.html

which tells how to get DVD compliant output from TMPGENC. However, by using those settings I have yet to get output that will work on my < 1 year old progressive scan JVC player. I think its the max bitrate causing the problem... I get output, but its horribly choppy. VCDHelp.com shows most JVC players at 2500 Bits/S and I have been setting that to 7000. How damaging is lowering the bitrate to 2500 to the overall picture?

I have a prosumer level camcorder (Canon GL-1). When I connect the camcorder direct to my RCA hidef TV the picture is incredible... nearly hi-def quality, seriously!

I need to burn that kind of quality onto DVDs... but so far have come up short.

I've used ULEAD, MGI Videowave, Pinnacle Express, Video Explosion, and TMPGEnc as encoding software. TMPGEnc has the most options, but documentation stinks. I have used Sonic DVD, MyDVD, and Pinnacle Express as the burning software.

I am getting "good" results with all of them, not much difference in them actually. But what I am getting falls considerable short of what I see when connecting the camcorder directly to the TV.

NOTE: I have only tried SVCD & XSVCD so far. I am trying to get the settings right before burning DVD's at $8 each!

I'll try some DVD's this weekend and see if the results are better.

Sorry for the long post

Troy

[dvddog]

I gave up on VCD/XVCD/SCVD/XSVCD etc. The quality just wasn't good enough for my eyes. I went with DVD using the Tmpgenc DVD template and the results are far superior. Not perfect, but almost. I still see as little block noise, mostly in fast moving pans, but the pixels are much smaller and it is not distracting like it is on VCD's. Similar to Satellite quality.

Try using a DVD-RW. You will waste time, but not money!!