Your thoughts on VHS->DVD conversion (1 Viewer)

[John_Berger]

I have a number of VHS tapes (cartoons, TV shows, etc.) that I want to convert to DVD.

Obviously MPEG-2 would be the best choice since it's DVD -- or would it?

Considering that VHS resolution, based on numerous sites on the Internet that I've seen, is around 320x240, which just happens to be the same resolution as MPEG-1, what is the benefit of MPEG-2 in this case? There will obviously be no resolution increase, so it seems to be a waste of DVD-R space when a very-high MPEG-1 datastream can provide about twice as much video time as a low-bitrate MPEG-2 DVD.

Capturing would be through an AV->DV bridge, so the capture would still be 720x480, but it would be a 720x480 capture of a 320x240 signal.

Again, this is more a philosophical question more than anything else, now that the cost of DVD-Rs is hovering at $1 or below, but I'd still like to hear others' views on this.

 

[John_Berger]

How many hours did you get out of a DVD-R using VBR? I always use CBR because I make each cartoon a chapter and DVDit PE is reported to have chapter location problems with VBR files. I don't know if that's been fixed in the 2.5.2 or 2.5.4 releases.

 

[Ken Chan]

320x240, which just happens to be the same resolution as MPEG-1

352x240 is the common MPEG-1 resolution (for NTSC) but MPEG-1 can go as high as 4095x4095.

//Ken

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

352x480 MPEG2 is the way to go, if your software is up to the task. You may have to capture at 720x480 and then downconvert it.

The MPEG encoder included with Adobe Premiere 6.5 has no problem with 352x480, although it is not one of the default presets. I don't know if Sonic DVDit can handle it, but I use Sonic Scenarist and I know Scenarist will work with it. (After figuring out how Scenarist works, I wouldn't go back to DVDit for even the most simple project.)

 

[John_Berger]

352x240 is the common MPEG-1 resolution (for NTSC)

I just keep forgetting that it's not 4:3.

 

[John_Berger]

I use Sonic Scenarist and I know Scenarist will work with it.

Um ... Scenarist isn't exactly in the price range of an average Joe (John?) like me.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

I keep forgetting that not everyone has access to the kind of toys that I do.