DV to DVD/Divx-question

[Zusan]

Hi,

after reading posts and guides in this forum and from other sources I would like to check if I understood everything right:
I want to capture the DV-input from my camcorder-tapes as they are without any video-editing and put them onto DVD. For this I downloaded and installed the panasonic-codec, which contained just the dll and an inf-file. After doing so I was able to capture from my camcorder using VirtualDub and encode using whatever codec I have installed. Right? Ok.
Because quality is more important to me than filesize, I thought encoding with Divx or Xvid with the highest possible quality might be the best solution. Here are my questions:
1. Can I do something wrong with the pana-codec-installation and is the quality always the same when capturing the data from the camcorder? Or is it possible that I already loose quality, when I use the wrong settings here?
2. Is it better not to encode using mpeg4 (divx, xvid) because I have to deinterlace, which gives a worse result when viewing with a TV? Somewhere I read, that creating video-DVDs (mpeg2?) with interlaced clips is better for viewing on TV because it looks smoother.

Hope my questions are not too stupid or already answered elsewhere.

Regards,

Zusan

[nicco]

. Can I do something wrong with the pana-codec-installation and is the quality always the same when capturing the data from the camcorder? Or is it possible that I already loose quality, when I use the wrong settings here?

The installation of panasonic-DV codec (VfW) is not so complicated (there are only two files as yio said), and it hasn't any settings.
When you capture from your camcoder in DV-format the quality is always the same, I don't understand what you mean with "when I use the wrong settings here".
You can have some differences if you use different DV-decoder, look here: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33526

Is it better not to encode using mpeg4 (divx, xvid) because I have to deinterlace, which gives a worse result when viewing with a TV? Somewhere I read, that creating video-DVDs (mpeg2?) with interlaced clips is better for viewing on TV because it looks smoother.

The latest version of divx and xvid (MPEG-4) support interlace encoding.
Deinterlacing always produce some degradation (but I can tell you that if you make some experience with good avisynth deinterlacing filters the degradation is really very hard to notice), so you should deinterlace if you plain to watch your movies mainly on PC, becouse PC-monitors are progressive, otherwise you should keep it interlaced.
But remember that if you keep your movie interlaced when you whatch it on PC it will looks horrible, while if you deinterlace it and you'll watch it on TV it will look not bad.

MPEG-2 (which is used in DVD) is a different kind of video compression, it produces a better quality than MPEG-4, but a MUCH bigger file. But it hardly depends on your encoding-ability, becouse you can get MP4 videos which have nothing to envy to MP2 ones!

[Zusan]

Thank you very much for your quick and detailed answer.

Originally posted by nicco
When you capture from your camcoder in DV-format the quality is always the same, I don't understand what you mean with "when I use the wrong settings here".


I was a little bit unprecise. I meant the settings in VirtualDub, when capturing the data with this tool from the camcorder (e.g. fps).

About your statements concerning the interlace-topic I would summarize that MPEG2 (=MP2?) will only have a little better quality with much bigger files, when Iam able to find the right encoding-settings for MP4? Is that what you mean with encode-ability?
Any hints on that or would just refer to the appropriate guides and faqs (I didnt read them all)?

Regards,

Zusan

[nicco]

I was a little bit unprecise. I meant the settings in VirtualDub, when capturing the data with this tool from the camcorder (e.g. fps).
I don't know about capturing with Vdub,becouse I use Premiere, but when you capture from DV you have to set the STANDARD DV settings:
PAL
720x576
25fps
Bottom field first
DV-PAL pixel aspect ratio(if you can set it)

NTSC
720x480
25fps
Bottom field first
DV-NTSC pixel aspect ratio(if you can set it)

I would summarize that MPEG2 (=MP2?) will only have a little better quality with much bigger files, when Iam able to find the right encoding-settings for MP4? Is that what you mean with encode-ability?

It's not so simple, I just wanted to tell you that with a bit of experience you can achieve MP4 files with a VERY VERY good quality and
a smaller filesize than a "standard" MP2 encoding.
But there isn't a law, it depends on your taste, what you prefer and what's simpler for you.
You can find tons of discussions about the codec to use.
Of course if your final target is your stand-alone DVD (only) player you have to choose MP2


Any hints on that or would just refer to the appropriate guides and faqs (I didnt read them all)?
Read the "sticky" of DV forum, they are many of these information there, and use search for more and more...;)

[bb]

Please do not use "MP2" in this context. What you are talking about is MPEG-2, which is a video format, whereas MP2 - also known as MPEG-1 Layer II - is an audio format.

@Zusan:

I'd choose the target format with respect to the target player. If you want to show the video to friends, you'll probably wish to create a video DVD, which can be played in a standalone. In this case you have to go the MPEG-2 way.

If you want to play on PCs only, or you can make sure that an MPEG-4 (DivX) capable player is available, you may choose either DivX or XviD combined with MP3 audio in an AVI file. There are a few settings you'd have to avoid to be standalone compatible - please refer to the corresponding forums. You may go for MPEG-4 AVC in an MP4 container, too, but I guess it's not a bad idea to wait a little longer until this new format have settled.

bb

[theReal]

it produces a better quality than MPEG-4, but a MUCH bigger fileI wouldn't say that MPEG2 is better than MPEG4 - it's more or less the other way round. The only thing why MPEG2 is better is because its bitrate is usually much higher than that of MPEG4.If you choose the same bitrate for both then MPEG4 should be better quality than MPEG2!

However, MPEG2 is DVD video standard and it's the most compatible way. If you have a Video DVD you can play it everywhere, on every standalone or computer.

[nicco]

wouldn't say that MPEG2 is better than MPEG4 - it's more or less the other way round. The only thing why MPEG2 is better is because its bitrate is usually much higher than that of MPEG4.If you choose the same bitrate for both then MPEG4 should be better quality than MPEG2!

Of course, but usually you don't use such a high bitrate for a MPEG4 video file!!
I didn't write that MPEG2 is better than MPEG4, but just that MPEG2 "usually" produces a better quality (becouse of course its bitrate is usually higher than a standard MPEG4 file):
But there isn't a law, it depends on your taste, what you prefer and what's simpler for you.

[theReal]

I didn't write that MPEG2 is better than MPEG4, but just that MPEG2 "usually" produces a better quality (becouse of course its bitrate is usually higher than a standard MPEG4 file):I already thought that you know this - just for someone who doesn't have a clue it may have read like MPEG2 was always better. So before any newbie understood this wrong, I wanted to make it clear. :)