avi or mpeg2

tasos wrote on 7/9/2004, 3:03 PM
Hi everybody

I and I really want to know why people talk about mpeg2?! Do I have to make my video into mpeg2 and then DVD to have a better quality?

I tried to get info from the vegas and also Architect manuals but had no luck.

So Please if some body answer these two questions:

1. After i load my PC with my mini dv data and edit, do i have to create mpeg2 in order of getting the best quality in burning? Or AVI is the same?
2. Vegas has an option of render desribed as "best" which take ages to render and creates HUGE files. Do i have to go withis option?

I will appreciate your knowledge.
Sincerely
tasos

Comments

clearvu wrote on 7/9/2004, 3:11 PM
The DVD standard is MPEG2. Therefore, you HAVE to render your AVI files to MPEG2.

If you are going to create DVD's using DVDA, render the files in Vegas using the "save type as - MPEG-2" and choose the DVD Architect NTSC video stream" (OR PAL) Template.

Afterwards you will need to render the audio portion as well.
tasos wrote on 7/9/2004, 3:19 PM
Thnaks clearvu

So this means that mpeg2 has better quality than AVI. Right? Sorry that I am still confused, its because I always thought the Avi conversion is done by the dvd software-therefore Avi file was fine to start with.

Thanks
scottshackrock wrote on 7/9/2004, 3:38 PM
eh...not really.

it's just that the AVI is compressed differently than the MPG. and AVI is window's standard, and Vegas' as well - so AVI's are much easier to work with for big projects in Vegas (smoooooth and faster overall editing!)..ha.
bStro wrote on 7/9/2004, 4:19 PM
So this means that mpeg2 has better quality than AVI. Right?

No. Generally, MPEG2 is worse quality than AVI (though this depends on how much compression is used in either case). But the final format that ends up on a DVD is MPEG2, so you have to get to convert to that sooner or later if you're going to put your footage on a DVD.

I always thought the Avi conversion is done by the dvd software

You can bring an AVI into your DVD sofware if you want, but understand that Vegas will probably do the AVI -> MPEG2 conversion faster than DVDA will. There are two other advantages, as well, to doing your conversion in Vegas:

1. You have more control over the settings you use. In DVDA, you can change the bitrate, and not much else. Vegas also gives the option of variable bitrate, which is "smarter" than constant bit rate; DVDA does not give you this option. VBR can reduce your file size without harming your video's quality.

2. If you decide to use your video on another DVD later, with different content or different menus, you already have your MPEG2 file(s) from the first time you made it if you convert it in Vegas. If you let DVDA convert your AVI to MPEG2, it does not save that MPEG2 anywhere. You'd have to let it do the conversionit again.

Rob
tasos wrote on 7/9/2004, 6:59 PM
Thank you, now I got it,

Thanks everybody