max bitrate to use for DVD encoding

[ferni]

What would be the maximum bitrate you should use when encoding to mpeg4 (divx) from a DVD ? ie when does it become overkill?

Not worried about size (tho i'd like to keep the file below 4gig so fat32 partitions can handle it)

My guess is around 2500kbit ?

edit: forgot to mention no resizing - just cropping away top and bottom black borders - so generally 700 x 300 (or so)

[JensG.]

You have to watch the resulting avi and decide if it is good enough or not. It always depends on the source. There won't be many films to reach 4 GB even at highest quality. If you want only one encoding step, do not use a maximum bitrate, but a constant quality.

[OvERaCiD23]

1-pass quality based, Q=2 (or I guess Q=1 for 5.0.5, although I'm still a bit weary of the new releases). This will assure consistent quality. If you search the forums, you'll find information about high bitrates and quality based encoding.

IMO, you'd be better off doing simple 2 CD rips at 704xYYY and keeping the original AC3 track. If you're going to make DivX files larger than 2 CDs, why not just back them up to DVD (assuming you'd want to purchase a DVD recorder)? My entire collection of movies (over 200 now) is comprised of 2 CD rips with AC3 tracks, and I see no reason for anything more. 1 CD rips look okay, 2 CD rips look incredible. 4 GB for a backup? Sounds like a waste of space to me, but I understand where you're coming from, wanting the highest quality (I was like that in the beginning, but it's just not practical if you want to do lots of movies).

[ferni]

I don't like the idea of 2cds since its annoying to change cd's half way through a movie - i dont even use cd's i just buy more hard drive space. I used to burn them all to cd, and i used to make all my rips 1cd - once again quality vs the annoying factor of having to change CD's half way through a movie...

I am actually about to buy a DVD burner, waiting for the Pioneer A06 to be released (i want + and - ... dont wanna pick the wrong one) or might just get the sony that does both... but yeah just waiting...

But if i backup a DVD9 to DVD5 using dvd2one or dvdshrink or whatever, will that be better quality than a 2500kbit mpeg4(divx?) etc...

i guess what im trying to get at

DVD compressed kept in mpeg2 (DVD) format burnt to a DVD or

DVD compressed to mpeg4 (divx) format burnt to a DVD (hopefully to be played on a mpeg4 supported dvd player soon)

which would be better quality?

I've had a look at the quality when compressing a DVD with dvdshrink or whatever and its still pretty good, hardly noticable... if at all..

but i do notice a good quality mpeg4 avi looks better on my laptop via TV out rather than a DVD my laptop with TV out... some reason the quality messes up? something to do with colourspace? i dunno

[OvERaCiD23]

Originally posted by ferni
but i do notice a good quality mpeg4 avi looks better on my laptop via TV out rather than a DVD my laptop with TV out... some reason the quality messes up? something to do with colourspace? i dunno [/B]

For DVDs you have to play around with the settings a bit more with the player. I watched a DVD (The Recruit) via my laptop the other day, and it took me about 5 minutes to get the settings right through PowerDVD (brighness, contrast, audio, etc). Quite a bit annoying, when I could have watched my DivX version in about 20 seconds as opposed to 5 minutes for the DVD.

Originally posted by ferni
I don't like the idea of 2cds since its annoying to change cd's half way through a movie - i dont even use cd's i just buy more hard drive space. I used to burn them all to cd, and i used to make all my rips 1cd - once again quality vs the annoying factor of having to change CD's half way through a movie...[/B]

Re-mux the two parts together on your HD, and no CD changing is necessary. Takes about 3 minutes, but that's just enough time to grab a drink or whatnot before the movie anyways. I've never watched a movie directly from the CD.

If I had a desktop, I might do the same thing with the HDs. However, I can't have 4-5 FireWire drives laying around, so I'll stick to CDs (besides, why change after 2 years :eek: ).