MPEG Tips

1. Acquire your image in the highest quality format possible. In order of superiority they are: D-1, Digital Beta, Beta SP, M-2, Mini-DV, DVCAM, Digital 8mm, Hi-8, SVHS, 8mm and VHS. Anything less than Beta SP or M-2 will not encode well due to video noise in the signal.

2. Avoid low light levels because your acquisition device may add video noise.

3. Avoid fast pans such as a race car against a speedway grandstand full of spectators. Lower quality encoders will cause the background to become blocky when encoded.

4. In post, do not add video noise as an effect. The noise will look great, but your encode won't.

5. Avoid complicated transitions if possible.

6. Avoid wire-frame animations. Also, the minimum pixel line size should be 2. Test your animations for encoding because you may encounter stair-stepping and other problems that will need to adjusted in the final product.

7. Do not scroll or roll credits or keyed information. Instead, use a series of still images. Also, avoid dissolving the still images.

8. Edit digitally if possible to keep the video noise at minimal levels.

9. Render your completed production to Beta SP, 2-channel stereo if possible.

MPEG Encoding

If you plan on doing your own encoding, purchase the best encoder you can afford. Remember, image is everything and if your image has artifacts, blockiness and noise, it will reflect upon the quality of your message. If you cannont afford a high-quality encoder, outsource your encoding using McDougall Digital. Contact me for details.

MPEG-1

The practical limits of MPEG-1 are 352 x 240 pixels at 1.152 Mbps to 3.0 Mbps. For CDROM wide distribution, use the Video CD bit rate of 1.152 Mbps video, 224k Stereo Audio at a 44,100 sample rate. The resultant MPEG-1 files will play at 30 fps on a Pentium 120 minimum. The Video CD bit rate allows approximately one hour to be placed on a CDROM. Higher bit rates will yield better image quality, but less time on a CDROM and slow playback on older slower machines. Also, MPEG files are fully scaleable, even to full screen on a newer faster machine.

Software MPEG-1 encoding from an .avi file can yield high quality MPEG-1 files if the .avi is captured uncompressed. Also, render the .avi out at the end of editing at 352 x 240 as uncompressed as possible. Digital formats can be software encoded or rendered back out the to digital tape format and encoded on a real time encoder.

MPEG-2

MPEG-2 is 720 x 480 and from 4.0 Mbps to 15.O Mbps. A practical working bit rate is 5.0 Mbps, 224K Stereo at a 44,100 sample rate. Raise your bit rate to 6.0 Mbps if your files have a lot of motion, animations or detailed transitions. MPEG-2 encoding to DVD specifications is a whole other subject, probably best left to McDougall Digital or a service bureau.