Best MPEG-2 encoding for 3 hours on a DVD?

[cwright]

Ok, I just finished a 4-day event that needs to be authored to DVD. Each day was about 2.5 – 3 hours long, and it will be a 4 disc set (one DVD per day).

Now I need to get this done fairly quickly, and it is taking forever to do 2-pass encodes of 3 hour videos. Do you think it would make much of a difference if I just stick with a 1-pass encode?

I'm encoding at 2.5 to 3mbps VBR Mpeg-2 and 192kbps Ac3 audio, using Compressor 2. What do you think? Should I stick with one-pass encoding?

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

What's the video quality like when you compress it that much? I hate going below 6 with my compression. (However, I have a crap program for encoding. I'm currently editing on a PC with Avid DV Xpress. It doesnt have a very good export option.)

Note: Converting my editing over to Mac by years end. WOOO HOOOO!!!!

 

[cwright]

Well I haven't played it (the mpeg-2 file, not DV) on a TV yet because the first video is still encoding. But I opened up the incomplete file in VLC and played it full screen at 1920x1200 on my monitor and it was surprisingly acceptable.

There was a little more compression artifacts than the usual 5-6 mbps I encode at, but I think on a TV it won't make too much of a difference.

I'll let you know how it turns out when it's done if you're interested.

 

[stoid]

If you can, I would take a 10-15 second clip of the most intense (most motion) area of the video and test compress that with different settings and compare the output. That way you won't have to wait overnight to see if the compression is acceptable.

 

[cwright]

I'll do that next time, but my first video will be done in about an hour or two, so I'll just wait it out for now.

But there isnt too much motion on these, so I'm not too concerned about it. It's a worship service so there are couple songs but most of it is just one guy preaching so it's a pretty static shot.

Does anyone know just how much the 2-pass encoding helps? I know it generally helps the picture quality, but is it really worth doubling your encoding time?

Also, I'd been looking into the Lacie FastCoder. I think my G5 (dual 2.0) encodes pretty close to real time (at least at one-pass), but having a hardware encoder might make it easier to work on other projects while encoding since it would take a load off the processors.

But then again if I ever upgraded to HD it would be pretty much useless... so I don't know. Has anyone ever used the FastCoder before?

 

[live4ever]

I'd buy some dual-layer media so that you don't have to use such a low bitrate.

Otherwise try encoding at 1/2 D1 resolution (352x480).

 

[cwright]

Hmm, I never thought about encoding at half-D1 resolution, but it probably wouldn't look any better than 720x480 Mpeg-2 at 3mbs, would it?

Also, Dual Layer discs are an option, but they're so expensive. And there's a potential of selling around 100 copies, so selling dual layer discs would really hurt my profit margin. Not to mention the extra time it takes to burn them.
Plus, I thought dual layer discs were still questionable when it comes to reliability and playback? Are they really a good choice?

 

[G5Unit]

Dont want to thread crap or anything but I have a little over 5 hours of footage. It's all at 352 by 240. Anyway to make it fit on a sigle layer DVD? It's almost 2 gigs of stuff but I want to view it on my tv.