I would like to author a DVD. My starting point is a media file with the following attributes according to G-spot: 452mb, 45:23 length media file VIDEO = MPEG-1 352x240 1.47:1 29.97 FPS AUDIO = MPEG-1 Layer 2 44.1kHz, 224kb/s I would like to eoncode this into an MPEG-2 file to use in a dvd, and my question is about the most useful settings for encoding in TMPGEnc or MainConcept encoders. I am also open to suggestion of you feel that another encoder is preferable. VIDEO: The goal is quality, not speed. I can turn this 452mb file into 4GB worth of DVD if I want to, but should I? I want the higher resolution of MPEG-2 (704x480) but will encoding at 8000kb/s VBR improve the viewing experience or am I just wasting data? AUDIO: Needs to be upsampled to 48kHz. My instinct is to leave it at 224kb/s since making it into a .wav file will not add quality but just eat up space. DEMUX? Is it best to demux and reencode both streams separately to avoid synch problems? Sorry for so many questions. This is sort of a special pet project and I only have limited video experience. Thank you for any advice you can offer.
I did a post of my encoding rates and ratios on a thread called DVD-9 Authoring. Most of your question is: am I wasting data? I would say no. If you want to put 45min on a DVD-r then you can really go all out on quality, but since the source is a low quality, low bitrate anyway you are really only getting a better 'snapshot' of it. You will need to be at 720x480 for DVD. You will need to be at 48khz. Sync issues? You shouldn't have any. Unless it's already out of sync, having the 2 different files is because authoring applications need the demuxed 2part aud/vid files to assemble the DVD (mux) so might as well go for 6mb/s VBR+WAV. You won't be running out of space. Use a sample menu first, then customize. Make .img file for future reference and reburning. You can do it.
