been trying to use this programe to make svcd could some one tell me what the setting should be? I think my bitrate is to high but i do not know how to change them. dose any one know of a good websight that tells you a step by step procedure on how to make svcd or xvcd. thanks guys.

-- todd (lepus@webcombo.net), June 25, 2000

Answers

Not sure what program your using but if it is bbMPEG's AVI2MPEG2 then dont bother to change very much at all, in short:

SVCD burning:

1)Make sure the resolution is 480 x 480 for NTSC or 480 x 576 PAL

2)Select "convert output resolution by" = FIXED

3)in the settings window after selecting encode:

VIDEO STREAM SETTINGS: ensure SVCD is used. tick AUTO CBR (donot use VBR).

ADVANCED VIDEO SETTINGS: choose Motion estimation -> Pel movement and; set horizontal and vertical to 9 instesd of the default 3

Then encode your file and burn in Nero 5 to a SVCD format.

XVCD:

Similar except frame sizes are usually 704 x 480 NTSC and 704 x 576 PAL

Set FIXED and choose VideoCD in the setting window.

set the video data rate at 2500kb/s instead of the default 1150kb/s CBR. You might like to reset the Pel movement in the same way as for SVCD.

Encode and be happy!

http://aussie01.freeservers.com

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), June 26, 2000.

Ross

Another clear and helpful answer - thanks.

I have been using Pyro with Ulead VideoStudio and the MainConcept Codec to create 720 x 576 avi. I tried creating both Frames, and FieldA outputs to test interlacing. From there I have been playing with Premiere and bbMPEG, and AVI2MPG2 and bbMPEG. I have set the pel=9 for vertical and horizontal. Both produced mpeg-2 that I burnt to SVCD using I-author etc. Premiere produced no audible sound in the mp2 file only hiss, so I multiplexed the sound generated by AVI2MPG2.

All SVCDs play with good quality in my Pioneer 302 player, much better than VCD ! The only unusual visual artificates are with zooms, then you see some breakup, especially when shot is far away from, say, leaves on a tree. I think mpeg may never be perfect ! This is definitely acceptable however.

I also tried creating Ligos MPEG2 file direct from Ulead, at 14500 and I-frames only. I then used FlaskMPEG with bbMPEG. FlaskMPEG reported that the Ligos file was progressive (expected) and encoded successfully. The resulting SVCD video (same source as above) is unacceptably jerky on pans, but otherwise okay. I've also seen this with FlaskMPEG and Pansonic-encoded VCD. May be a problem with FlaskMPEG and progressive files.

Anyhow time to go. If an alien came to earth and saw this post, he'd leave with some odd ideas about human communication!

Brgds, Guy

-- guy nicholson (guynicholson@yahoo.com), June 26, 2000.

Your right about the communication bit - good one.

This whole business of SVCD is so frustrating that no one has really yet given full support for it, they are making promises but are not delivering. I still believe it is only worth while if one can make use of the interlaced facility otherwise XVCD wins hands down.

In some tests based on a 525 on the weekend and using the same source material the assistant in the shop rated my DV base stuff from what she saw as XVCD, sVCD and then SVCD and thats interesting that someone knowing nothing of the problems in making the stuff offered that comment on what she saw on a flat screen Sony. The only reason I am sticking with the intermediate all I's inter file is that it allows longer video track times than is permitted by a 2G input limit to Panasonic, so even if I use the MC type 2 or type 1 DV codec my file can only be 9 minutes max where as the selectable MPEG2 extends that with acceptable quality to over 30 minutes. I would love to not use the inter file and get better quality as a result. In any event I wish my Panasonic 2.3 would accept the DV type 1 file like others report (it sees mine as a 0.303fps file).

I have some NTSC DV vision in the pipeline as I want to "see" what the differences are that seem to creep into the NTSC arena. Differences that I have never seen in PAL video even from the analogue source material. I do not find any difference with PAL v's NTSC stills from Premiere or MSP6.

Thanks for the update.

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), June 26, 2000.

Guy I forgot to add, that with MFlask the newer Premiere Plugin for LSX does report "interlaced" but I still cannot get Nero to accept an LSX file as compliant, and no DVD player yet has actually played a LSX file that I have produced from either Premier or MSP6 - some concept!

-- Ross McL (rmclennan@esc.net.au), June 26, 2000.