Hello! I've made dozens of DVD, but I now have a client that is very demanding and wants a really high quality DVD. By doing a small research in the forums I see that most people recommend DVD authoring software instead of standaline dvd recorders to make high quality DVDs.

I have used both, mostly Adobe Encore (by exporting QT ref or uncompressed QT from avid) and Pioneer standalone dvd recorders (via firewire directly from mojo or DV deck) and from my experience it seems that the standalone dvd recorders have much better results as far as image quality is concerned. The most common problem I have noticed in Adobe Encore is in dissolves which in most cases don't seem to be as smooth as they actually were.

I'd really like to hear opinions on that as well as settings that people use to make high quality DVDs in dvd authoring software or recommendations on standalone DVD recorders. Just to note that my current project is a 25i one, shot on 16:9.Thanks!

Yiannis

Hi Yiannis,

I use both. I have a Sony Harddisk/DVD-recorder. I run an SDI line from my Avid to an AJA D10CE converter, which spits out RGBS. To get that into a European SCART input, you need a cable that not only connects the RGBS to the appropriate pins but you also have to feed it a DC current on a trigger input pin (I don't recall which exactly, and how much voltage).

I've also used TMPEGEnc 2.5 to encode in software, it was recommended to me on the Avid-L years ago. I find it has an excellent encoder. It's not that good for creating menus and stuff (it's rather simple).

 A hw recorder does a good job also when connected by firewire. Authoring with a recorder is almost impossible with most recorders. For a good encoder have a look at Cinemacreft encoder. Is is cheap and does a very good job. Also you could have a look at Sorenson Squeeze. Version 5 is ok. For authoring have a look at DVDlab Pro. Tons of options!

jknikman:

For authoring have a look at DVDlab Pro. Tons of options!

vamvax:

i hear you man - every software/hardware encoder i see produces results that suck.  i want to see something that will burn a DVD the quality of a Warner Brothers movie...why would clients expect anything less?  they spend extra cash to shoot HD or RED and then they get a DVD isn't even up to standard def quality.

I've even used like an $8K pioneer deck connected to a tape deck over SDI - so no signal degradation.  the results are horrible. 

jasperfdo:

they spend extra cash to shoot HD or RED and then they get a DVD isn't even up to standard def quality.

 yep, that makes hardware coding possible and authoring in DVD lab

AndrewAction:

jasperfdo:

they spend extra cash to shoot HD or RED and then they get a DVD isn't even up to standard def quality.

Have to disagree. HD to SD DVD via ProCoder 3 results in far superior to DVD's to those from Digi Beta edited 1:1

 

 You certainly can get good results that way. You also might go the blue ray disk way.
The quality you are hinting at is derived from very very expensive hardware encoding of small fragments of the original material. All these fragments are encoded with settings needed or that fragment to get the optimal result.

Just bumped up against that today - a very beautiful short film brought to very nice DVD quality indeed via Sorenson and DVDlabPro; all save around 45" of very very fine and fast-moving detail that gives the game away. Seems that it would need very expensive high-end work to improve that 'fragment'.

Just proves you can't have absolutely everything for tuppence, not that there aren't some fantastic options around. Very relieved to only need the DVD recorder option for editorial meetings now

AndrewAction:

Have to disagree. HD to SD DVD via ProCoder 3 results in far superior to DVD's to those from Digi Beta edited 1:1

 

Hey Andrew - so Procoder 3 can be used to create a DVD that is the quality of any normal movie?  Cause if it will I'm totally buying it.  My DVD burning experience always result in stuff that just doesn't look as good as 'real' movies.

jasperfdo:

so Procoder 3 can be used to create a DVD that is the quality of any normal movie?

Obviously anything SD DVD is a little dissappointing after watching HDCAM all day on a decent screen.

It's also worth noting that most Hollywood feature DVDs are created from 24p/23.976 frame rate media, not 30i and therefore require less compression to fit onto a DL DVD-9.

jd

vamvax:

"....The most common problem I have noticed in Adobe Encore is in dissolves which in most cases don't seem to be as smooth as they actually were."

I've noticed the same.  What's the deal?