Optimal setting to create DVD from HD MTS files

EWD wrote on 6/16/2015, 4:56 AM

I am recording my footage in the highest possible quality. When I edit in Video ProX6 I have been looking at the bit rate of the original footage and trying to match that level at a constant bit rate. I am using Memorex DVD+R DL discs and when I go to view playback I get a fuzzy picture, even on my title screen which is an HQ PNG render, should be sharp as a tack.

Even if I encode to disc at the maximum bitrate and play the disc the quality sucks in comparison to my originals. Very fuzzy. I realize there is gonna be some downgrade, but I guess I just would like to know what other people do to get a better looking final DVD.

Comments

asoeli wrote on 6/16/2015, 6:53 AM

DVD quality means 720x576 pixels (PAL), so a reduction in quality is normal. You must burn in Blu-Ray quality to save your HD-footage, and the disc must be played on a BR-player. You can burn a BR-quality on a DVD, but only around 25 min. of film.

emmrecs wrote on 6/16/2015, 8:46 AM

Andreas (asoeli) is entirely correct. But perhaps a little more explanation is necessary.

DVDs can only ever, by reason of the DVD format specification, be burned in Standard Definition. It is a very common misconception that DVDs can be "High Definition"; they can't!

Since you are recording HD (mts format) the only way in which the exported files will play back in full HD (i.e. anything remotely like the quality of the original recording) is if you choose to export to Blu-ray or to burn to DVD as AVCHD; the only limitation of the latter format is that, as Andreas says, the maximum playing time you can burn to any one disc is about 25 - 30 minutes. Also, for both Blu-ray (BD) and AVCHD DVD you need a Blu-ray player to be able to view them.

I also notice you have tried some experimenting with bit rate in the output: in my experience there are two things you have to balance here and consider carefully; 1 the higher the bit rate, the less material you can burn to each disc, and 2 not all DVD players seem happy/able to cope with reading/playing those higher bit rates.

Jeff

yvon-robert wrote on 6/16/2015, 9:37 AM

Hi,

You can change parameter for image quality to push to high level 15 by default is 9 and try to push the bit ratre a little. Sometimes player don't like this creating pixlated or stop during play.

Regards,

johnebaker wrote on 6/16/2015, 12:33 PM

. . . . burn to DVD as AVCHD . . . .

Minor addition to Jeff's answer - you can burn BD to DVD disc as well.

In both cases you are limited to a movie length of 20 - 30 mins.

John EB

Scenestealer wrote on 6/17/2015, 5:12 PM

I am recording my footage in the highest possible quality.

Are you recording in 1080 50p? Unfortunately there will always be problems in MEP / VPX and other editors when converting to a lower resolution / frame rate due to scaling errors and the loss of lines and spatial information ie. going from HD to SD, 50 frames to 25 frames and progressive to interlaced. The professional forums are littered with discussions about this. It is always best to shoot in the format that is closest to the format of what the final output will be.

.....even on my title screen which is an HQ PNG render, should be sharp as a tack.

Also be aware that the Magix Title editor is dependant on the Project resolution setting (Movie Setting). If your HD files output is going to be SD then switch the project settings to SD before adding titles and exporting, to avoid scaling artifacts

I would use VBR rather than CBR.

Some more in depth discussion here:

http://www.magix.info/us/can-mep2013-create-a-progressive-dvd-that-will-play.forum.980363.html

http://www.magix.info/uk/dvd-size-relative-to-mp4.forum.981010.html?sort=newest&page=2

Cheers