MPEG2 vs. MPEG4(AVI)

[nortexoid]

as u could probably guess, i wanna rip DVDs...(backing up my own DVDs of course )

anyway, using flask, it encodes my 1 giant vob files (ripped using vobdec x) into an mpg files (mpeg2)...i haven't actually got around to doing the whoel thing yet, but he quality looked good...didn't hear audio yet...takes forever...

i also was gonna use mpeg2avi...but then i'd have to do the audio and video separately, whereas w/ flask, i don't....

this is my question: which format gives better compression ratio at comparable quality settings...i want to fit an entire DVD onto a CD...

are they similar?...can i fit an entire mpeg2 video on a CD?...if so, i'd rather use it since it's slightly easier.

thx in advance.

 

[nortexoid]

BUMP!....

substitute 'H' for the first letter...and that's what i'm gonna do to your leg if u don't reply.

 

[TravisBickle]

you must be kidding right? have you seen the guide over at tomshardware.com? nonono, you can't fit mpeg2 films on a CD...somebody tell him...you can't even squeeze all mpeg4 movies on one cd.

 

[nortexoid]

sh1t...i didn't think mpeg2 woudl fit...

anyway, mpeg4 DOES fit according to tom...that's where i got the damn idea in the first place...encoding each 30 min video file in mpeg4 yielded a 150mb file...2h movie = 600mb minus audio...how much more does audio add?...cds carry 700mb.

audio adds 100mb?..i could see that...i could always lower the quality to 96 vs. 128+

 

[konichiwa]

Why are you reading Tom's Hardware for DVD ripping info? LMAO!

Flexion
Doom9
DVD Digest
DivX-Digest (MPEG 4 hack)
VCD Help (mpeg1/2)

MPEG1 is the same as VCD (Video CD). You can usually fit a 2hour movie onto two CDs with MPEG1 (about 72 minues on a CD). The quality is above VHS if encoded well, but below DVD. MPEG2 is also called SVCD (Super VCD) and you can usually fit a 2hour movie on 3 CDs with MPEG2. The quality is just lower than DVD. You can play MPEG1 and MPEG2 movies on most DVD players (check vcdhelp.com for a list).

MPEG4 is developed by microsoft and there have been many hacks to the codec that provide for greater compression and greater quality. The two most prevalent ones are DivX and the Shadow Movie Realm (SmR), or nAVI codec. These MPEG4 movies can only be played on a computer, and most movies are between 250megs and 400megs. Feel free to email/PM me with any questions.

 

[nortexoid]

excel-lent.

thanks...u're getting emailed as i speak.

 

[austonia]

thanks for that post it was very helpful. i am interested in ripping my dvd collection to disc too I never thought VCD was better than VHS tho, for the pixelating effects are too noticable..

 

[loogie]

Be prepared to leave your computer alone for some time, as the encoding of the movie into mpeg4 can take a while, depending on your processor speed.

 

[nortexoid]

to encode the 4 30min video files, it took less than 1h for each...

to do audio, it would take an additional couple hours.

then u have to merge them etc...

that it, unless i get flask to do mpeg4 (merging sucks)

 

[CQuinn]

konichiwa,

close, but losing style points for misinformation.

ALL the MPEG standards are created by the http://www.cselt.it/mpeg/

"Established in 1988, the group that produced MPEG-1, the standard on which
such products as Video CD and MP3 are based, MPEG-2 the standard on which
such products as Digital Television set top boxes and DVD are based and
MPEG-4, the standard for multimedia for the web and mobility"

The Media player 7 codec developed by Microsoft was based on an unfinished
version of the MPEG-4 standard. The DivX hack was based on a beta version
of the MS codec. Many of the other MPEG-4 codecs floating around have
been either renames of DivX, or other attempts at hacking the MS codecs.

So far the development of independent codecs for MPEG4 encoding are only
just coming out of the planning stages. And it has not yet been confirmed
that these are truly separate from the Windows code.

 

[monotone]

The best codec for DVD => CD is DivX. Install it and select AVI output in FlashMPEG, and offcourse DivX codec for the AVI. You will need a pretty fast computer to play back the files without skipping (500+ mhz?), and the can't be played in a DVD player like mpeg2 files can.

 

[austonia]

which DivX program do you use, i saw several when i was snooping around those sites published above. Why do you say its the best? Image quality? how big is the movie file, thats pretty important too. thank ya

 

[monotone]

I use FlaskMPEG to convert the vob file to avi (DivX). I usually make it sub-700mb so it fits on a cdr. And the image quality is the best for that size IMO. The file-size and options of FlaskMPEG can be a bit tricky, i suggest going Here to educate yourself, and to download the tools you need.

 

[nortexoid]

you can always split the file before 700mb, incase the movie is DAMN long and you ahve to put it on 2 cds...

anyway...i've pretty much figured it all out, except one thing...i noticed different rippers rip the vob files differently....some allow proper non-aspect ratio adjustment when the window is enlarged, where other maintain that stupid square looking ratio (which can be overcome by fullscreen, but still)...

flask is probably the easiest, and the AMD athlon optimizations give me about another 1 fps when encoding...

 

[konichiwa]

Personally I think that the nAVI format-encoded movies actually look better at the same filesize. Obviously that is purely subjective, but it's just my opinion. AFAIK, if you use the Angel Potion set of codecs you can actually encode to nAVI.

Purportedly, SmR has asked AngelPotion to remove that feature from their package but they haven't. Not really much they (SmR) can do about it either, considering their codec is a hacked version of MPEG4.

EDIT

Fixed Link