Convert 640X240 MPEG-2 files to SVCD or CVD - Simple way??

[tluxon]

I have captured a number of videos I would like to preserve on CD using SVCD or VCD. The captured files were saved with a ATI AIW Radeon 7500 video card using the "good" setting in MMC. This saved MPEG-2 files at 640X240 resolution, 44.1kHz audio, and 6 MBits/second bitrate. I really don't want to lose any more resolution than I have to.

So far, I've found that my player (Panny CP72) does best playing VCD (352X240, 1.15 MBit/sec) or SVCD (480X480, 2.5 MBit/sec), but these files are not encoded that way.

How can I best preserve these video files?
What's the most compatible format for good preservation?
What software can most easily do what I need to do? How 'bout inexpensive or free software?
If I need to cut out commercials and such?
If I just want to save existing file without edits?

Thanks,

Tim

[DJRumpy]

You have to resize them, which means a slight loss in quality. I would suggest you stick with SVCD if your player supports it. The drop from 640 to 352 tends to introduce jaggies (diagonal lines look jagged) in your output video.

You can use DVD2AVI (version 1.76) to open your MPEG's, and either save them as AVI's, or save them as a Project File, and frame serve them to your encoder of choice. You can use AVISynth + MPEG2DEC to open the project file, or VFAPI. All of these can be found in the TOOLS section to the left. TMPGenc is the only shareware encoder out there. It's MPEG-2 support expires in 30 days, but it is fully functional until then.

[tluxon]

Thanks DJRumpy,

I just started using DVD2AVI to frameserve the video to TMPGEnc. I used a KVCD template in TMPGEnc and was pleasantly surprised by the output, although it was veerrrrrrrry sloooooow. Will I be able to continue to use that method after 30 days?

[DJRumpy]

Not unless you purchase TMPGenc. The price is nice, considering what the softare does.

[RabidDog]

or a really easy way to start is to download and use dvd2svcd. this is pretty tweakable and can be abandoned later if you go the manual route.
N.B. you need the avi2svcd option (this is free software except for the addition of tmpenc or cce). It also can show you how avisynth works.

[DJRumpy]

I never suggest it at the start. It's better if someone has at least a basic understanding of how to transcode an mpeg. Once they find out how tedious/complex it can be, and they abandon all hope , then I might suggest DVD2SVCD.

I prefer to suggest DVD2AVI - MPEG2DEC - AVISYNTH - ENCODER. Quick, clean, painless.

[mats.hogberg]

Hear, Hear! Whenever anything goes wrong (and believe me, it will!) when using those "all-in-one" GUI's, you don't have a clue as to where in the chain the problem started, and no way to figure out how to fix it. Hence all questions along the "I pushed in this AVI in one end of XXX and the MPEG that came out the other looks/sounds awful, is way too big, wont play etc, etc - Why?" line, that's impossible to answer.
By learning as much as possible about the dirty work and different programs involved in this business, you have a chance at fixing it. It's always best to learn what goes on behind the scenes, and then start getting lazy...

/Mats