Do these settings look correct for...
1) capture via firewire to AVI from my JVC Mini DV camera and
2) creating an Mpeg2 video file and then
3) burning to PAL DVD?
Captured Video Properties:
Microsoft AVI files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 4:3, 25 fps
Lower Field First
DV Video Encoder -- type 1
DV Audio -- PAL, 48.000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo
Create Video File Settings:
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)
Create Disc Settings:
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)
I have set the Dolby bit rate to 192 kbps. Is there any point in setting the rate higher? Will it increase the sound quality or just reduce the amount of space for the video?
Many thanks for your time.
Could someone check these procedure settings please?
Moderator: Ken Berry
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THoff
Looks good to me -- the settings are consistent throughout the workflow.
In practice, you will find little difference in the audio quality between 160Kbps and anything higher. With most camcorder recordings, unless you are in an extremely quiet environment or use a lapel or some other type of external microphone, you will have enough background noise to make encoding using a higher audio bitrate somewhat pointless.
I'm using 128Kbps AC-3 audio to encode DVDs with material recorded by my DirecTivo. People have been listening to 128Kbps (and lower) MP3 music for years...
In practice, you will find little difference in the audio quality between 160Kbps and anything higher. With most camcorder recordings, unless you are in an extremely quiet environment or use a lapel or some other type of external microphone, you will have enough background noise to make encoding using a higher audio bitrate somewhat pointless.
I'm using 128Kbps AC-3 audio to encode DVDs with material recorded by my DirecTivo. People have been listening to 128Kbps (and lower) MP3 music for years...
Settings look good
the settings look good. you might get a little better audio upping it to 224/256 -- depending on the recorded material (but it would be hard to tell for your average soundtrack).
I would only suggest a slightly lower video bitrate considering you have dv source (more like 7000kbps -- you would have to look real hard to see a difference between 7 and 8mbps give the Ulead/MC encoder and your dv source). Not only will this allow you to put more onto a disc, it could make your dvd more compatible with other dvd players (if your disc is for distribution).
I would only suggest a slightly lower video bitrate considering you have dv source (more like 7000kbps -- you would have to look real hard to see a difference between 7 and 8mbps give the Ulead/MC encoder and your dv source). Not only will this allow you to put more onto a disc, it could make your dvd more compatible with other dvd players (if your disc is for distribution).
Last edited by GeorgeW on Wed May 04, 2005 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
George
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Keith C
Thanks Torsten for your reply.
In view of your comments, I may as well lower the bit rate of the audio to 128 - 160 kbps then...giving a little more room for the actual video?
Cheers
Keith
Sorry George I was typing my reply to Torsten when your reply came thru...I must admit I didn't think of lowering the actual encoding rate from 8mbps to 7mbps. If I use the 2 pass encode will that compensate for it do you think? Also, most of my DVDs are for friends and relatives - so your comment about compatibility is very valid.
In view of your comments, I may as well lower the bit rate of the audio to 128 - 160 kbps then...giving a little more room for the actual video?
Cheers
Keith
Sorry George I was typing my reply to Torsten when your reply came thru...I must admit I didn't think of lowering the actual encoding rate from 8mbps to 7mbps. If I use the 2 pass encode will that compensate for it do you think? Also, most of my DVDs are for friends and relatives - so your comment about compatibility is very valid.
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THoff
I'm sure you also noticed that Ulead lowered the default bitrate for the high-quality DVD templates with UVS 9 -- they now use 7Mbps as GeorgeW suggested.
I agree that there is little point in going above 7Mbps, and that using the lower bitrate will increase compatibility and avoid potential problems during operations such as fast forwarding.
If you use VBR encoding and have very complex scenes (which is very rare using consumer camcorder footage -- think more along the lines of Hollywood movies and fireballs, special effects etc.), then the encoder can shift the availabable bandwidth around to account for this. VBR encoding takes more time than CBR encoding, and given the nature of your source material, it probably isn't needed.
Simply switching from CBR to VBR encoding by itself will also not reduce disk space usage, you would have to lower the bitrate in addition to using VBR, since VBR is always in reference to an average bitrate.
I agree that there is little point in going above 7Mbps, and that using the lower bitrate will increase compatibility and avoid potential problems during operations such as fast forwarding.
If you use VBR encoding and have very complex scenes (which is very rare using consumer camcorder footage -- think more along the lines of Hollywood movies and fireballs, special effects etc.), then the encoder can shift the availabable bandwidth around to account for this. VBR encoding takes more time than CBR encoding, and given the nature of your source material, it probably isn't needed.
Simply switching from CBR to VBR encoding by itself will also not reduce disk space usage, you would have to lower the bitrate in addition to using VBR, since VBR is always in reference to an average bitrate.
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Keith C
I think I understand what you mean Torsten, I suppose encoding at 7 mbps will get more video on the disc with no discernible loss of quality.
Can I just clarify then:
1)Import AVI and edit
2)Create Video file:
Mpeg2 - CBR - 7mbps - single pass encoding - 128-160k audio AC3.
3)Create disc: Same settings as used for creating video file.
I'm just a bit confused as to whether you mean to encode the AVI to Mpeg2 and create video file with the same settings i.e identical bitrate.
Of course, when I create disc I am really just copying the mpeg2 file I made in the "create video" stage aren't I...there is no re-encoding at the burn stage?
Can I just clarify then:
1)Import AVI and edit
2)Create Video file:
Mpeg2 - CBR - 7mbps - single pass encoding - 128-160k audio AC3.
3)Create disc: Same settings as used for creating video file.
I'm just a bit confused as to whether you mean to encode the AVI to Mpeg2 and create video file with the same settings i.e identical bitrate.
Of course, when I create disc I am really just copying the mpeg2 file I made in the "create video" stage aren't I...there is no re-encoding at the burn stage?
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THoff
I don't follow you on what you wrote in that first paragraph. I think your workflow and settings are good the way they are, except that you could lower both the video and audio bitrates without any noticeable quality impact, as was mentioned before.Keith C wrote:<snip>
I'm just a bit confused as to whether you mean to encode the AVI to Mpeg2 and create video file with the same settings i.e identical bitrate.
Of course, when I create disc I am really just copying the mpeg2 file I made in the "create video" stage aren't I...there is no re-encoding at the burn stage?
And yes, the disk creation needs to be done using custom DVD settings that match the parameter that were used during the file creation. If you don't do this, time-consuming re-encoding will be necessary.
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david reece
I created a DVD at the weekend with 8000 kbps vbr. played perfect on PC but on DVD player the disc kept on stopping, sound jumped and had dropouts on the video.
I reset template to 6000 cbr and issues went away. i also tried the two pass method and disc was corrupted as above.
when i reviewed the disc in POWER DVD 4 and looked at the bit rate. it quite often fell below 2mbps. this is where there was a a transition or not much action happening in the clip ie digital stills! all problems i observed in the video occured where bit rate fell below this level.
I have read in the Pinnacle manaul that some set top players cant handle VBR properly and you should go with CBR if writing your own discs. apparently commercial discs can handle VBR better.
Although i have had a little check on some of my cmmercial disc and they all seem to indicate CBR rather than VBR. they seem to run at 4mbps as well!
I reset template to 6000 cbr and issues went away. i also tried the two pass method and disc was corrupted as above.
when i reviewed the disc in POWER DVD 4 and looked at the bit rate. it quite often fell below 2mbps. this is where there was a a transition or not much action happening in the clip ie digital stills! all problems i observed in the video occured where bit rate fell below this level.
I have read in the Pinnacle manaul that some set top players cant handle VBR properly and you should go with CBR if writing your own discs. apparently commercial discs can handle VBR better.
Although i have had a little check on some of my cmmercial disc and they all seem to indicate CBR rather than VBR. they seem to run at 4mbps as well!
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THoff
Two-pass VBR encoding would only help distribute data for complex scenes more efficiently, it doesn't affect the average bitrate.
Some software MPEG decoders also have trouble with VBR in that they can't seek in these files very well. If you click the mouse to try to jump to the middle of the movie, you may sit there for a minute or two while the decoder starts decoding the movie from the beginning, trying to find the jump location.
Some software MPEG decoders also have trouble with VBR in that they can't seek in these files very well. If you click the mouse to try to jump to the middle of the movie, you may sit there for a minute or two while the decoder starts decoding the movie from the beginning, trying to find the jump location.
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david reece
i wasnt trying to say two pass affected the rate.
what i am trying to say is that how variable is variable.
when i used the two pass method the video was corrupted on set top player but not PC as it was for VBR.
in POWER DVD 4 you can set details to show on screen.
i had video at 8000 vbr and it varied from 8 mbps down to 2 mbs. that is a big jump!
commercail DVD's i noted were constant bit rate of about 4 mbps. ie ie didnt change from that level throughout the movie. it may have waivered to say 3.98 at transitions.
I dint seem to have any problems with CBR DVD's only home written VBR's. I stick by what i read in the Pinnacle handbook. Also i read that home written DVD's are slightly different to commercial DVD's in that the grove that is burnt to the disc is slightly wider than that of a commercial DVD hence the laser might have problems reading a VBR disc.
I have to say i had one commericial DVD "The Last Emporer" which was VBR adn would not play at all on set top player unless you pressed some buttons to get it to go but this was random. played perfect on PC though. Again was observed to be VBR from POWER DVD 4.
Therefore i will be using CBR for time being for saftey.
what i am trying to say is that how variable is variable.
when i used the two pass method the video was corrupted on set top player but not PC as it was for VBR.
in POWER DVD 4 you can set details to show on screen.
i had video at 8000 vbr and it varied from 8 mbps down to 2 mbs. that is a big jump!
commercail DVD's i noted were constant bit rate of about 4 mbps. ie ie didnt change from that level throughout the movie. it may have waivered to say 3.98 at transitions.
I dint seem to have any problems with CBR DVD's only home written VBR's. I stick by what i read in the Pinnacle handbook. Also i read that home written DVD's are slightly different to commercial DVD's in that the grove that is burnt to the disc is slightly wider than that of a commercial DVD hence the laser might have problems reading a VBR disc.
I have to say i had one commericial DVD "The Last Emporer" which was VBR adn would not play at all on set top player unless you pressed some buttons to get it to go but this was random. played perfect on PC though. Again was observed to be VBR from POWER DVD 4.
Therefore i will be using CBR for time being for saftey.