You were looking for a better encoder.

It's hard to answer to this question. Suggestions vary, and they have bias. I have no conclusion myself at this time. There is an element of subjective preference involved.

All we're looking for here is something noticeably better than what DVDStyler does, that's free. I think I can suggest HCEnc. However, this program is complicated to use.

I could do a quick test. If I see a significant difference, I will make a recommendation. Otherwise, I'm open to a 2nd opinion.

It would help to have a sample clip of your material. You can use MPEGStreamClip to cut a sample.

I can show you the difference, if any, and you can decide if it's worth learning the steps. I will start with an easy program, as this would give the most benefit to our time compared to results.

I was able to get a sample clip, but .mov files are not accepted. What now?

This screen shot is from the DVDStyler video properties page. The destination format is what I have been wondering about. I can choose progressive or interlaced and if interlaced is chosen, I can choose BFF or TFF.

Try again. I just now added the Quicktime/.mov file type to the forum's list of accepted files. ;)

Max attachment size is 16MB (make it 15.9MB max to be on the safe side).

Any time somebody finds a file type that is disallowed, open a new thread about it in the General Discussion forum, and we'll consider adding it. Something as important and common as Quicktime should have been added long ago, but nobody has asked for it, or mentioned it being unavailable, until now. So that's been rectified.

Here is the sample clip! Thank you so much. :)

This is an easy 5-step process, using only freeware. :cool:

Tools needed:

• VirtualDub 1.9 - version attached to this post
• Huffyuv codec - from this site
• Gspot 2.7 - from this site
• Avidemux - from the official site
• Quicktime 7 - from apple.com
• Simple DVD Creator - from this site
• ImgBurn - from the official site (use mirror 7)

Step 1:

Install Quicktime and that adds the required codecs to your system. (Note: When I install something, I uncheck a lot of boxes. I don't want emails, toolbars, automatic updates, icons in 3+ places, extra whatever, etc. I suggest others do the same.)

Step 2:

Open in VirtualDub. (Use the one I'm attaching to this post. This is our most current package, in use on every workstation here. Unzip/unarchive the RAR file to C:\Program Files (x86)\VirtualDub19\.) I guarantee this works, because I just did it. Then File > Save As and save an AVI.

Attachment 2799

You also need to install Huffyuv. Only after Huffyuv is installed should you start VirtualDub, and open the file. Go to Video > Compression and change to Huffyuv.

Tip: You can most easily right-click on the Command Prompt icon in your Start Menu, in order to run as administrator. Sometimes the CTRL+SHIFT trick doesn't work.

Attachment 2798


Step 3:

Open the AVI in Avidemux. (Install this, if you don't already have it. If using Windows Vista or Windows 7, there are special install instructions.) Select three things:

Part 1 -- MPEG-2 (mpeg2enc), configure it, select "DVD" from the drop-down, then change interlacing to BFF.

Attachment 2795


NOTE -- Why BFF? Because Gspot shows that your source .mov file is DV, and all DV video is bottom field first (BFF).

Attachment 2800


Part 2 --AC3 Aften audio, configure it, select 384kbps, because 128 is ridiculous low. At 128, it sounds more like a cell phone, and less like quality audio, for AC3 Dolby Digital.

Attachment 2794


Part 3 -- MPEG+PS (A/V), which is a multiplexed (muxed) MPEG-2 program stream.
File > Save > Save Video to create a new MPEG file for DVD-Video use.

Attachment 2796


Step 4:

Install Simple DVD Creator. (Note: When installing, skip the editor, skip the burning software, pick English.) Import the MPEG-2 video/audio create in Avidemux, under the "Title Properties" section. It'll import and demux automatically. Click the Author DVD button, and select the folder were you want to save your AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS DVD-Video folders.

This creates a menu-less discs. The video plays as soon as the DVD is inserted into a DVD player. (If you want a DVD with menus, then use Ulead DVD Workshop 2, or TMPGEnc Authoring Works.)

Attachment 2793


Step 5:

Burn the AUDIO_TS + VIDEO_TS in ImgBurn, using Build Mode.


Notes:

I just installed all of this software for the first time on a new computer. It worked perfectly. :)

The transfer service did a great job on your films, based on the short sample clip that was attached. Who was it, by chance?

Will give this a try as soon as I can find the time. Thanks for the step by step! The more I play around with various aspects of all of this, the more I understand it. It is slowly getting clearer. I have previously downloaded everything except Avidemux!

The 8mm film transfer was done by GotMemories onto DVD and they put the .mov files on a flashdrive. I think they would have done them in .avi format also, but since my relatives have macs, it was done in .mov.

The file looks good. There is no problem like the variable framerate as I mentioned. It seems like a good transfer. I'm somewhat disapointed with the DV codec, because the color resolution is poor.

There's some dirt and noise you could clean up. This will help with the encoding, more so than changing encoders. Noise is not tolerated well by mpeg, and will lead to noticeable blockiness. I had a very noisy clip once I was trying to show, and couldn't put into mpeg at all (figuratively speaking).

While I'm often critical of DV for overly compressing the colorspace, 8mm film tends to have marginal quality color to begin with. It's often much worse than VHS, due to the camera, the quality of the film stock, the quality of the film processing, the storage conditions through the decades, and the age of the film. Most consumer video film ages quite poorly, for all of those factors.

Increase the bitrate. If it has to exceed max DVD-Video specs of 9.8Mbps, then opt for Blu-ray instead, which lifts the maximum 720x480 MPEG-2 specs to 15Mbps (max MP@ML profile), and that max a pretty big different. I've been transferring old high school and college videos to BD-R this year, as part of our larger Blu-ray media guides testing. You can store MPEG-2 beyond 15Mbps, too, up to 50Mbps for 422@ML profile. (The free Matrox codecs give you 422@ML encoding, though it wraps in an AVI instead of an MPEG program or transport stream.)

Too many folks are hard on MPEG, when their complaint is really against DVD-Video constrained MPEG-2 specs. :2cents:

-- merged --

You can mix kpmedia's encoding method with jmac's authoring method (if you want menus). That's another option. :thumb:

Though I'd suggest DVDWS2 is better than DVDStyle, if you have a copy of it. That's my personal preference.

:thumb::thumb:

After having read info from all and trying a few experiments, I am beginning to get the hang of all this. All of the instructions provided have been very beneficial and I have gained much insight. Having access to instructions for the same steps, written from different points of view has contributed a great deal to my capacity to comprehend what I am doing. I can understand what I am doing and why, and know what some of the options are, rather than just following a specified set of steps without a clue of what is actually being accomplished. Thank you for all of the assistance! I am sure I will have many, many more questions, but I now know where to find reliable information. I just wanted you, staff and members, to know how much help you have been.

When I originally found your site, I had just realized that copying a DVD was not quite like copying a CD.:eek:

I’m so glad I found that information, and so much more, at this site.:)

You're welcome!

Some people start with video projects and end with a new hobby. It's a good hobby because there's no end to what you can learn, and the results, being very visible, can easily be appreciated by anyone. At some point, you're able to help others, which is rewarding.

Anyhow, I've discovered a problem with their 8mm conversion. I'm working on a fix. It's not major, but I haven't seen how visible it is. I'll upload a comparison when it's ready.

What I enjoy is when advanced users are able to help one another.
We've done a pretty good job at bringing advanced and knowledgeable users to digitalFAQ.com in the past decade. :2cents:

I just wanted to say thanks to you all once again. I obtained about 25 .mov files from the transfer of old silent 8mm silent movies to digital and was not sure I would ever be able to figure out how to make dvd's for various relatives that were interested in different parts. Thanks to all of the excellent help received, I was successful and am pleased with the results! I was able to make several different dvds, with menus, containing the files pertaining to "each branch of the family tree" and save the final versions to burn more dvd's if needed. Thanks a million to all who gave advice, instructions, etc. I couldn't have done it without you!

Next step is to try transferring some of my 8mm and Hi8 video tapes. So back to the other thread...
It will take quite a while for me to go through our video tapes, but I know where to turn for the help I need and feel confident I can count on the digitalfaq services for the most precious videos that I want done professionally!