To MPEG2 via DV AVI... quality loss?

NickHope wrote on 1/2/2005, 12:03 AM

I've encoded a MPEG2 using the Vegas Main Concept encoder at 2-pass VBR minimum 1000 kbps / average 4900 kbps / maximum 8000 kbps bitrate. But I've screwed up and I need to do it again at 4800 kbps because my motion menus etc. make it too big for a DVD-R.

The encode took 20 hours last time because of all the effects and tracks. I can't really afford that again, but I have got a 'best' quality PAL DV AVI file that I wrote from the same timeline when I was trying to get CCE to work.

My question is... if I drop that single AVI on the timeline and encode from that to save some time, will there be a slight quality drop against encoding straight from the the raw footage (DV AVI, .png watermark etc.), or does the encoding to MPEG2 transfer 'invisibly' via a 'best' AVI file anyway?

thanks!

Comments

apit34356 wrote on 1/2/2005, 1:18 AM

a fast non-vegas approach is to use a transcoder. Goto DVDRhelp@com , many free ulitilies that can do this, fast and clean.

vitalforce wrote on 1/2/2005, 1:38 AM

I use a cookie-cutter transcoder called "Recode 2" in Nero 6 which calculates an exact percentage by which to squeeze a VIDEO_TS folder onto the full capacity of a regular DVD disk. I can't tell the difference in quality and I'm talking about a DV feature film we just finished. Very fast transcoder.

NickHope wrote on 1/2/2005, 1:45 AM

Thanks for your reply. I tried the Cinemacraft encoder and Procoder and neither of them could complete the job. Hence I'm back with Vegas because it was the only way I could get the MPEG2 file out and I don't have the Main Concept standalone. I don't want to start messing about with mickey mouse free encoders as I have the 3 best ones at my disposal. This file has to be good especially as the average bit rate is low.

Can anyone answer the original question?

Spot|DSE wrote on 1/2/2005, 1:46 AM

Because you're going from 4:2:0 to 4:2:0, you won't notice any loss. If you've got a PAL DV avi, I'd work from that. You'll also notice a VERY fast render time, so long as you are rendering to PAL MPEG.