Best settings/workflow for encoding lossless AVI to Final Delivery

[Zer0Shift]

After reading a lot of super helpful threads on how to capture VHS correctly, now I'm trying to figure out the best method of encoding the captured .avi file into the highest quality DVD, Blu-ray and video file to put on a USB stick to watch on a computer.

What software do you guys use to encode into MPEG-2 for DVD/BD and MP4 for USB/PC? What's your process/settings?

In other threads, lordsmurf and sanlyn mentioned:

- For DVD, MPEG-2 @ 6mpbs target and 9mbps max.
- For BD, MPEG-2 @ 15mbps.

I'm able to create DVD's and BD's pretty well, but I'm curious how other's encode their .avi files into an .mp4. Every time I try to encode to a .mp4 using a h.264 codec, the overall quality is close to the original VHS capture, however, there is significant change in the colors and it appears 'washed out'.

However, when I use virtualdub to create a .mp4 file using x264, the colors/quality look nearly identical to the original VHS, but the encoding time takes quite a bit of time. For me, it's nearly 1:1, it'll take 2 hours to convert 2 hours of .avi footage into .mp4 file.

I'm very curious how others on this forum encode their lossless .avi files into a final delivery on DVD, BD and USB.

Thanks!

[Hushpower]

Quote:

For me, it's nearly 1:1, it'll take 2 hours to convert 2 hours of .avi footage into .mp4 file.

Lucky you! My MP4 encodes take 3:1.

[lollo2]

Quote:

I'm very curious how others on this forum encode their lossless .avi files

I don't do it very often, but generally I use a FFmpeg command line because I want the control of every single parameter, and sometime a GUI is confusing or not clear about the different choices. The disadvantage is that you have to study and understand every option.

Quote:

there is significant change in the colors and it appears 'washed out'.

It may be related to a bad choice of input levels, output levels, input space color, color matrix conversions, or any combination of them; a customized command line or a deep understanding of the choices of whatever GUI you use, will give you the full control of what's going on

Quote:

but the encoding time takes quite a bit of time

I cannot help, because my encodings include heavy avisynth processing, where sometimes their speed is < 1 frame per second, so I ignore the speed related to the encoding part only

[Hushpower]

I use Movie Edit Pro for all my encodes (MPEG 2, h264, h265 and back to LAGS). I sometimes use VideoRedo for encoding too. Happy with the results but I do have to keep the video bitrate up; h264 minimum 3000kbps.