I have AVI files which I want to convert into MPEG files using TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress. The AVI files are 349mb-350mb each. Their dimension varies slightly but all are around the same size... some are 448x336 in dimension, some are 464x352, some are 416x320 etc. Their video bitrate vary slightly too but all are just under 1000kbps.

When I reach the format tab, I can select the video size but I only have 4 options:

- 720x576
- 704x576
- 352x576
- 352x288

I can select a size that's larger than the original but I would probably have pixelation since the video has been enlarged. I could select a size that's smaller than the original AVIs but then I would have reduced quality. I want to select a size that is around the same dimension of the original AVI files but none of the 4 options are suitable.

What do I do in this situation? Any advice?

You can try convert them with Super Converter

http://www.erightsoft.com/S5E01.html

When you drag the avi file, it will detect what size is more adecuate for the MPEG video.

Is it not possible to do it in TMPGEnc? A really excellent peice of kit and it can't automatically detect and set what size the video is? I find that hard to believe.

I tried to download that Super Converter but wow that site is hard to navigate... I can't find a download link, I keep clicking different pages and I just reach a dead end. Do you have a direct link?

Super won't allow direct links to the download. It is at the bottom of the third page by the way.

But you don't really need it since you have TMPGenc. The reason you have only a limited number of sizes is that your are encoding mpeg2 to PAL dvd specifications. Those are the only sizes allowed in dvd video....though NTSC sizes are slightly different.

Since you are importing those into TMPGenc Author to make dvds, I suggest sticking to those resolutions, else you'll wind up encoding the video twice, losing both quality and a lot of time.

I was about to post back here but you beat me to it lol. Which of the 4 settings would you recommend I use? Which is closest to the dimensions of my AVI files?

You have a good encoder, a little slow, but very nice quality. With a good source you can use any of the four resolutions. Half size will allow you to put more videos on one disk, that much is certain.

I rarely use the smaller sizes, but then I don't mind putting two tv episodes on each dvd either. You should probably experiment and compare results between the 720 x 576 and the 352 x 288 and see for yourself which one you prefer on your tv.

I'd be a little extra careful with TMPGenc Author and make sure it is going to output the same resolution as your input if you use one of the smaller resolutions.

The video files are between 900-1000 bitrate so I can imagine I could fit a fair amount of 45 minute video clips on 1 DVD disc. A question though... if the video bitrate for one AVI is 950kbps and I tell TMPGenc to use a 1000kbps average bitrate, what would happen? Would artifacts appear in the video?

Same with audio, if the audio bitrate for the AVI is 128kbps and I tell TMPGenc to use a bitrate of 160kbps... what would happen to the audio? Any distortions?

You really don't want to see the quality drop that much. You'll need to use a much higher bitrate than 1000kbps when going to mpeg2. It is just not suited to such low bitrates, certainly not like xvid or divx. I normally encode to 6000kbps, but since you are trying to fit more onto your dvds, you can probably drop it down near 3000 and see if you like the results.

Are you using vbr or cbr encoding? I almost always use variable bitrate encoding, so you might set the average at 3000kbps, low at 1500 and high somewhere near 5000. This way you get better quality on action sequences, and don't waste space on slow scenes.

If your source is 128kbps on audio, there is no advantage going to 160kbps. You're just spinning your wheels and taking more room. I'd leave it alone.

Well it's on CBR at the moment. You say go near 3000-5000 on bitrate but I am very confused now because when I play the original AVI's, the video bitrate for them doesn't go over 1000kbps. Why encode at a bitrate higher than the original? Isn't that just wasting room?

There is some controversy over minimum bitrate standards for dvd video. Many people seem to think it is around 2000kbps, but I haven't actually seen it in an official standard. There is a maximum setting, but that doesn't concern you here.

Essentially mpeg2 video simply doesn't work very well at extremely low bitrates, though there are some encoders that are better than others at the low end of the spectrum. Procoder has a rep for this.

Your dvd players may not play back the video well if you set things too low. And you are liable to get jerky, stuttering video.

If you want to test things, I'd go to vbr encoding and use the settings I said before. The video will have an average rate somewhere near 3000kbps, and will have enough headroom with a max of 5000 to get good quality on the action sequences.

Make a test at these settings. Then lower the settings if you like and start making comparisons. None of this would be acceptable to me, but you need to judge these for yourself.

So bitrate affects the speed or framerate of video during fast action sequences? I understand if I had a high quality video and I set it to 1000kbps bitrate, that would be rather dumb of me because I would lose a lot of quality but in my case, the quality is only at 1000kbps anyway. I fail to see the benefits of setting it higher than 1000. It's not magically going to gain more quality than the original recording is it?

But ok, I will take your word for it.

Why do you need to create two thread with the same questions?

With video files the bitrate & resolution always counts more than the length of the video/file.

Buy the originals.

The 2 threads ask different questions, it's just another member noticed this thread is related loosely to my other thread, so when I replied, this thread mutated slightly.

Thanks everyone for the help!