I have search the net about my question. I found much info but non really can answer my question about VCD quality.

I made a VCD from my own digital video clip. The captured AVI looks good. Then I tried to use several different softwares to get the AVI converted MPEG one and burnt the disk.

The quality of the picture is mixed - when there is little motion in the clip, the quality looks ok - close to VHS quality. But When there is motion in the clip, image seems to fall apart. The image became shaky at the edges and some times blurred.

I noticed the similar problem with VCD videos produced by average production house.

On the other hand, I bought some original feature film VCDs here in HOng Kong - the quality of the picture is good. It is as good as any best quality VHS. And I saw some VCDs produced by some good advertising companies - the picture quality were also pretty good.

My question is: What are the tricks to make quality picture VCDs. Does it require a hardware encoder? Can we use a good software encoder to produce equally good quality VCD? Is it the setting? What makes the difference?

Does any one really know?

Appreciate your advises.

-- fred (snwfred@pacific.net.hk), August 06, 2003

Answers

VCD uses very low bit rates and this makes it prone to blockiness like you see in your homemade VCDs. Professional tools like hardware encoders can help. It is possible to reduce the blocks quite a bit by encoding with TMPGenc (http://www.tmpgenc.net) and using the Noise Reduction option at its maximum values. You may also want to use Sharpen Edge. I have to warn you that using Noise Reduction makes TMPGenc VERY slow and it may take days for your video to encode. That is not an exaggeration. However, it does produce very good results. If you want to use TMPGenc for this kind of encoding, it's generally best to leave your PC alone for a few days or if you have a 2nd PC you can use to encode and leave alone, all the better.

-- Root (root@yahoo.moc), August 06, 2003.

There are versions of VCD, VCD and Super VCD (called SVCD). Super VCD is the newer version and supports variable bit rates (that is, when there is more motion, etc.. the codec allows for higer bit rates than during low motion scences).

I am still trying to find a good quality way of producing SVCD, but I'm sure theres a program out there. At the moment I render a lot of Animations from 3D Studio Max, and also captured footage from a Digital Video Camera, into DivX... I'm currently looking for an easy way to convert these DivX's into VCD's so I can show ppl with a DVD player, without having to buy a DVD burner... If anyone can help, it would be apprecitated.

-- Michael Kubler (dquixter@yahoo.com.au), August 08, 2003.

I happened to have tried TMPGenc this week and found it produces better result than some of the encoders that came with low cost commercial video packages. It does take a long time to encode. I have not tried all its features. I think I will explore more about this software.

Re SVCD - I am not really thinking about it. The reason being most of the DVD or VCD players can not play SVCD which I believe was invented by a company in China. From what I understand it also uses EMPG II encoding but can burn on a CD-R. It takes about 4 discs for a full feature movie. This means each disc can contain about only half an hour of clips. This may work for storing family video clips but the greater problem is it can not be played on most of DVD and VCD players.

-- fred (snwfred@pacific.net.hk), August 08, 2003.