Degraded Mpeg2 After Encoding In Dvd Builder

[dyunker295]

I'm using DVD Builder from DVD Creator 6 with all the patches and want to create a DVD using MPEG2 files from my hardware encoded capture card (ATI Theater 550 Pro). The source file looks great but when I copy it onto DVD with DVD Builder it degrades the quality. I can see some macro pixels, color wash out and some general blurriness. I'm copying less than an hour of video onto it and I'm using the least amount of compression DVD Builder allows. The copy is OK but not nearly as crisp as the original hard encoded mpeg2.

 

My question is: Will upgrading to Easy Media 8 be an improvement or will I just be wasting my money because that's as good as it will get? I've tried some of the competitor trial version and they look worse to me.

[dyunker295]

After a month of research and futzing around with it. I came to the conclusion that is DVD builder for EC6 is just old outdated software and is only good for as a back when it was new. I after testing various dvd creating & burning software I found one that was only $35.00, was simple to use and gave me options for interlaced and progressive, scans out ads and burns a near commercial quality. The Theater 550 is great since I never have to worry about audio syncing, processor performance (like I ever have one), or a bad capture.

 

The only gripe I have here is that I don't see a Roxio demo version I could try before I buy and was hoping for feedback if EMC8 was worth it. Yes I agree with you HD capture with Blue would be better but I think we are years away before the price comes down on the capture card, the burner, the discs, the plasma screen and the cable service providers.

 

I'm happy with my set-up and I think it's as good as I can get it right now. Thnks for the input

[Beerman]

I'm using DVD Builder from DVD Creator 6 with all the patches and want to create a DVD using MPEG2 files from my hardware encoded capture card (ATI Theater 550 Pro). The source file looks great but when I copy it onto DVD with DVD Builder it degrades the quality. I can see some macro pixels, color wash out and some general blurriness. I'm copying less than an hour of video onto it and I'm using the least amount of compression DVD Builder allows. The copy is OK but not nearly as crisp as the original hard encoded mpeg2.

 

My question is: Will upgrading to Easy Media 8 be an improvement or will I just be wasting my money because that's as good as it will get? I've tried some of the competitor trial version and they look worse to me.

I've had good luck and bad luck with MyDVD 8 but it might just be your files. While I've heard good things about this card, it might be the bitrate you're recording at. I've had no problems like the one you're having when I was using DVD Builder 6 and my ATI 8500DV and it's avi files. When I used it's program to convert to mpeg2, that's when I had problems with final DVD quality.

[dyunker295]

The Theater 550 Chipset records the mpeg2 in DVD quality at video bit-rates 10,000,000 and audio at 384,000. I can see that DVD Builder then re-encodes during recording the video down to 8,000,000 and 153,600 audio. Is that necessary for play back on a standard player?

[james_hardin]

After a month of research and futzing around with it. I came to the conclusion that is DVD builder for EC6 is just old outdated software and is only good for as a back when it was new. I after testing various dvd creating & burning software I found one that was only $35.00, was simple to use and gave me options for interlaced and progressive, scans out ads and burns a near commercial quality. The Theater 550 is great since I never have to worry about audio syncing, processor performance (like I ever have one), or a bad capture.

 

The only gripe I have here is that I don't see a Roxio demo version I could try before I buy and was hoping for feedback if EMC8 was worth it. Yes I agree with you HD capture with Blue would be better but I think we are years away before the price comes down on the capture card, the burner, the discs, the plasma screen and the cable service providers.

 

I'm happy with my set-up and I think it's as good as I can get it right now. Thnks for the input

 

If you set the Compression in V6 to Low, it will equal anything all other software can produce…

 

You either had it set of High or Auto.

 

Auto is not too good. If the playtime is less than 65 minutes, it uses Low Compression. More than 65 minutes and it uses High Compression… Better to lock it into Low Compression and be sure of the outcome.

 

It would have been better to have posted your problem in the V6 area and you probably would have had an explanation within 24 hours.

[Beerman]

The Theater 550 Chipset records the mpeg2 in DVD quality at video bit-rates 10,000,000 and audio at 384,000. I can see that DVD Builder then re-encodes during recording the video down to 8,000,000 and 153,600 audio. Is that necessary for play back on a standard player?

I'm not sure what the highest bitrate is in DVD Builder 6 but in 8, it's 9000 so recording at 10 which is above standard and IMO won't be noticed on most tv's today is not needed. But, this still shouln't cause pixelation as far as I can tell. Try adjusting the bitrate down to 7500 and see if that works. Another thought that I know very little about is interlacing which you might want to read up on from ATI.

[ggrussell]

The Theater 550 Chipset records the mpeg2 in DVD quality at video bit-rates 10,000,000 and audio at 384,000.

 

I believe the way the 'standard' is written, it states that the Maximum bitrate for DVD playback is 10080kb/s, but that includes video AND audio combined. If you are correct in your statement above about the ATI chipset, then the output is NOT DVD compliant. Higher bitrates can still cause playback problems in some less expensive players because they don't have large enough buffers. This can cause suttering or pauses during playback. I've only being doing home DVDs for a few years and have decided the quality just really isn't there yet. I'm hoping better codecs will come out especially when they will have to compete with Blue Ray technology.