Editing AVI to MPEG

[Rex333]

I am using TMPEG to convert AVI to MPEG...sometimes the video quality is kinda "blocky"...anyone have any tips to make picture quality as near to DVD quality as possible...Any help would be appreciated...!

[Dragonsf]

what tmpgenc parameters are you using?
(framesize/framerate/length of movie/CBR or VBR/video bitrate/min/ave/max bitrate/# of passes/motion detection ...)

[Rex333]

Basically I am using the default settings...I choose normal vcd format, then encode it...The avi file I have is somewhat "blocky" itself so I was wondering how I can make it as clear a picture as possible...Other AVI files I have are very clear on pc, but after conversion are a bit worse...

[HAGGARD]

I use CBR with 8000kbps, 10 bits precision, highest quality (very slow), default GOP structure and soften blocknoise value of 100!!!!
Higher bitrates are also possible, but quality doesn't really get better and files become very large!!! With 8000kbps I can put about 74 minutes high quality interlaced video on a single DVD...
I've been tweaking allot in TMPG and these settings are the best for me...

I encode only video... I encode audio later with besweet to AC3, cos my decoder doesn't decode MPEG2 audio streams (isn't DVD standard)...

Authored everything with DVDMaestro and burn with Nero....

'HAG

Everything fits with a Hammer!!!

[Dragonsf]

My biggest project was a movie 2h24min on one DVD with 2 pass VBR at 3500 KBit average 2000min/5000 max and got good results.Other settings were standard.

[HAGGARD]

Aaaaah.... Sorry.... Thought U're talking about DVD....

Use higher bitrates!!! My standalone DVD player can handle bitrates up to 3000kbps!!! You should try for yourself what bitrates your player supports...
A SVCD with bitrates of 3000kbps (called XSVCD) give excellent quality!!! BUT can hold only about 30-45 minutes of video!!!

'HAG

Everything fits with a Hammer!!!

[Rex333]

It wont let me change any of the bitrate settings or anything u advised...all it lets me change is the motion search precision...

[HAGGARD]

Rex333

Load the unlock.mcf template in the templates/extra directory in tmpg to unlock all settings.... You should now be able to change all these settings!!!'

'HAG

Everything fits with a Hammer!!!

[Rex333]

Ahhhh, will do Haggard...gotta goto sleep now but will try in the morning...thanx very much for the info...really appreciate it!

[mats.hogberg]

...but a VCD is pretty much locked. Any changes beyond 1150 kbps video, 352*240/288 will make it an XVCD, which may or may not work on a standalone player. To get better quality, and still create something that's standard, go for SVCD. CVD might also be an option, even if CVD is no standard of (S)VCD dignity.

/Mats

[ABAB]

If your source is blocky to start with there's not a lot you can do about it.
Converting to VCD with a low bitrate will reduce the quality even more. The more filters you apply to reduce noise and blockiness etc will result in a blurry end product.

[Rex333]

One other question...does it improve video quality if u encode the audio seperately...why would u do that? does the audio come out better if encoded seperate? Also...what other formats and/or prgs can I use to get the best quality video file to burn on CD for DVD play...I hear that VCD is ok but other formats are better, but I use VCD cuz it is compatible with most DVD players...but lately some of my movies on VCD have been a little sketchy/blocky and I am looking for better (best) quality...Once again, thanx for the help, it is truly appreciated...All posts are sponged and stored...lol

Rex333

[mats.hogberg]

Only reason for encoding audio separately is to get better audio quality. It does not affect video quality.
As I said, VCD is limited in quality, both resolution and bitrate are low. There's not much to be done to get better quality, since bitrate and resolution are fixed. But when it comes to compatibility, there's nothing that beats VCD (not counting DVD). You can stray out of the standard (higher bitrates, VBR...) but that lowers the compatibility rating considerably.
SVCD has higher resolution and allows for (and requires) higher bitrates and even VBR. Not as many players play SVCD as VCD.
CVD is inbetween, but with a lower hor resolution than SVCD, making it look good at lower bitrates. No standard at all, at least I've never seen CVD in the specs for a DVD player...

To me, the major down side of CVD/SVCD is that you almost never get away with just one CD. I just hate when the movie suddenly stops in the middle!

/Mats