Sorry I didn't know that I should so specific.

bitrate - max:8Mb/s arg:6Mb/s min:4Mb/s

resolution - 720x480 (16x9 NTSC 29.9)

authoring program: MyDVD v3.5

pixelization - I think it's all over the place but I can see it clear on the black subjects

subject matter - Outdoor

other encoders - MyDVD buildin encoder looks much better

burning - DVD

using Vegas 3.0a

The MainConcept encoder should give pretty good results in most circumstances. I have too however noticed a veiled blockiness with difficult footage such as at swimming pools with the water. I got better results using the well respected TMPGEnc.
TMPGEnc is slow but gives the best results I have seen unless you are willing to spend a few thousand dollars.
You can get a free download of it here
http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_main.html

There is a TMPGEnc plus that you can buy for about $50 that basically has more templates and multiprocessor support just follow links from the link above.

I personally use the free one and then use Rui's guide for settings
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0165394101/TMPGEnc_Template.html
If you use these make sure that the Motion search precision is set to "Motion estimate search (fast)". It will cut rendering time without affecting quality.

You have to way it up. In simple footage the MainConcept one should give good enough quality (but remember the quality of input footage will have a large effect)
You then get speed of endering direct to MPEG-2 from timeline

With TMPGEnc you have to first render to .avi then run it through TMPGEnc but I do this, because for me it's quality that counts.

Whatever case your MainConcept encode should be superior to the MyDVD so I'm a little puzzled there.
Is it just pixelated or are there other problems, like picture jumping ?
What is your source footage, DV ?

Thanks for your help vonhosen.
The source is good it’s outdoor DV from SONY PC-115 captured using Adaptec FireWire.
You’ve mentioned a swimming pool with a water and I’ve tried to render a clip using VV3a MPEG-2 encoder (default settings) with such footage. It looks terrible the blockiness all over the water.
Also I’d like to mention that it doesn’t look so bad on 21” computer monitor even with full screen, by some reason.
Maybe it some how related to 16x9 progressive on HDTV?

IchoosePlus,

Quality MPEG encoding is an evolving art and a "work in progress." I agree with vonhosen about using a standalone MPEG encoder like TMPGEnc, which itself has had many improvement cycles. For comparisons of various MPEG encoders, see:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/comparison.htm#mpeg2

http://www.tecoltd.com/enctest/enctest.htm

-- seeker --

Here is another more uptodate review of MPEG encoders.
http://tangentsoft.net/video/mpeg/reviews/

Is the DVD authoring app is re-encoding the MPEGs? During the burn phase it might (should) tell you.

Try cranking up the bit rate: use 9.8 (Max), 8 (Avg) and 1 (Min) - all Mbits/sec

If you're making a home movie for DVD then presumably the footage doesn't exceed 30 mins and you'll have plenty of space. (If it does exceed 30 minutes and you ever invite me round for a drink, I shall suddenly discover that I will be watching TV that night!) <g>

Seriously, the MC (Vegas) encoder does give very good results. It's only at low bit rates that blockiness creeps in and then I reckon it's a pinch worse than its competitors. So if your bitrate is high and you still have problems, it's likely to be something else... Does MyDVD re-encode it, for instance?

-Pete

No it does not reencode. (MyDVD by Sonic)

I was beginning to wonder about MyDVD re-encoding because I can't believe it is better than the MC encoder. I've never used MyDVD but from what I've heard it is a load and forget version of DVDit with less customability & aimed strictly at novice home users.
If your encode is that much worse than MC encoder it is just possible that it is re-encoding an already compressed file giving you what you would expect.

You say your footage is of outdoors. Is grass one of the problems ?
It's as much of a pain as water to encode.
How long is the movie you are trying to encode ?
You could try using less compression by altering the GOP structure to encode more "I" (less compressed) frames.
Just a thought

More precise tests not involving MyDVD.
I am watching it on 21 computer monitor.

Source:
Very complicated clip with a lot of motions, zoom of grape leafs in high wind, a man in slightly reflective black jacket etc…
AVI: 16x9 NTSC 797MB 3:40

MC VV3a: Max 8Mb, Avg 3Mb, Min 2Mb
MPG Rtime/size: 40:25/89.7MB
Result: Terrible, blockiness allover the place.

TMPGEnc v.2.54: Max 8Mb, Avg 3Mb, Min 2Mb
MPG Rtime/size: 39:41/94.3MB
Result: Not a perfect picture but with very little blockiness.

MC VV3a: Max 9.8Mb, Avg 8Mb, Min 1Mb
MPG Rtime/size: 40:32/223MB
Result: Unacceptable, still some blockiness with file size 223MB for ~4min clip.

Try changing GOP structure on GOP tab of TMPGEnc to I = 4 ,P = 1,B = 1,header = 1,
It will mean less compression (more I frames)

My final tests.

TMPGEnc v.2.54: Max 8Mb, Avg 3Mb, Min 2Mb (I = 4 ,P = 1,B = 1,header = 1)
MPG Rtime/size: 36:04/105MB
Result: Not a lot of improvements.

TMPGEnc v.2.54: Max 8Mb, Avg 6Mb, Min 2Mb
MPG Rtime/size: 41:22/165MB
Result: PERFECT PICTURE!

Conclusion:
Forget MC VV3a it has very poor quality.
For me it means switching back to Premiere 6.
The only reason I played with VV3 was buildin MPEG encoder.

Sorry,
I am taking it back.
I have wrong results.

MC VV3a: Max 8Mb, Avg 6Mb, Min 2Mb
MPG Rtime/size: 41:22/165MB
Result: PERFECT PICTURE!

So VV3.0a has ended up giving you the perfect picture ??
You have ended up where you started but it is all much better.
Have you changed anything else to get it to that ?
If so you have found what I'm always having to do & that is tinker to get what gives you best settings for particular footage.
Even if MC encoder isn't working I wouldn't throw VV3.0a out, it's a fine editor with good interface, stick with it & you may even find it better than premiere.

Could you kindly verify that the [dramatic] improvements you now see are as a result of our good friend vonhosen's advice; that is, his recommendations were the only changes you made? No possibility that your earlier results were erroneous?

I'm delighted, of course, but by themselves they wouldn't really give you such a shot in the arm. You hadn't been tinkering with them earlier, had you? <g>

This is more evidence, of course, that the Tuners' Manual is overdue ;-)

-Pete

Get yourself a copy of the free bitrate viewer at
http://www.tecoltd.com/bitratev.htm.
This will give you a blow-by-blow view of the bitrate of your clip.
You can check to make sure the bitrate is increasing at the complicated bits.
It will tell you if you have something wrong with your settings and/or if the encoder is malfunctioning.
You could also try increasing the average and min bitrates. For example, set the bitrate at a constant high value.

Sorry, I'm getting confused myself!

I see the GOP changes were intended for Tmpgenc. Am I right in thinking you have not changed Vegas's defaults (in terms of I-frames, etc.) and that all you did was increase the bitrates to 8/6/2 ?

Sorry again

-Pete

Speaking of bitrate viewing, I've just noticed that the new Toshiba SD-2800 DVD player has an option to show a constant readout of the bitrate on screen. I don't know of any other players with this feature, but there might be others. It's very helpful.