So the least number of times you re-encode something the better for the output quality. This is what I currently do. Take my high quality video and encode it to DVD using Winavi. Next I use DVD shrink to cut away the start and begining(don't need the 'previously on' nor the end credits)keeping the compression at 100% (no compression). Then I use DVD Lab pro to author it. By this process I am re-encoding it twice (winavi and dvdshrink). Is there a way to cut this down to one re-encoding or is the dvdshrink process not considered encoding if the compression is kept at 100%? I have older TVs and therefore the overscan can be pretty bad...so I usually set whatever program I encode with to widescreen (same with DVD player) but it still persists, especially with hard-coded subs. Is there a program that can easily handle this overscan problem (add black borders or whatever)? Or I guess I am asking what everyone suggests. I've heard that perhaps fitcd could help? I believe it resizes a DVD-format video....any suggestions or advice?
First dump WinaAvi. Nothing high quality about it. What is "my high quality video". An AVI? What do you use DVD Lab pro for? Menus? If you are choosing 100%/no compression in Shrink it is not re-encoding/transcoding.
ok scrap winavi high quality=1280x720 (16/9) mkv file dvdshrink threw me off by saying "encoding" but I kinda figured that it wasn't true encoding if the quality is remaining the same and I am just using it to cut beginning and ending crap dvd lab pro is used to bring everything together, menus etc.
ok scrap winavi high quality=1280x720 (16/9) mkv file dvdshrink threw me off by saying "encoding" but I kinda figured that it wasn't true encoding if the quality is remaining the same and I am just using it to cut beginning and ending crap dvd lab pro is used to bring everything together, menus etc.
Well you can try DVD Flick. It's output should beat WinAvi. Under Project Settings-> Video-> Advanced you can add some borders to help with the overscan problem. But it seems to only add to the top and bottom with my version. ConvertXtoDVD 3 though works well at adding borders (pad) all around.
I tried convertxtodvd but I wasn't content with the output quality. I ended up breaking down and getting CCE however I am having trouble figuring out fitcd: see this thread http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/696856
You could have tried AVStoDVD (free). It creates menus, uses Hcenc (a great encoder) and allows you to alter the script. You would simply add an amount to all 4 entries in the 'AddBorders' line. Preview and let it run.
