Workflow Dilemma

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Michael,
MPG1 is a 320×240 pixels format and you can not get much from it. If you go to re-edit the files I would recommend you to de-mux them and export to QT but to a better codec than DV (DV50 or 8b Unc) and in PAL. Them do the transcoding to NTSC with Nattress Standar Conversion.
Cheers,
rafael

[Jason Lyons]

Depending on the overall asthetic of the doc, a simple solution may be to use a camera and shoot computer monitor and make sure to capture the audio cleanly. Personally, this allows for more creativity and allows you to quickly and easily conform to NTSC.

hope this helps

j

[Rennie Klymyk]

Mpeg1 was the 1st mpeg format and was designed to achieve a 352×240@1,5mb/s data rate(25fps). It does however support resolutions up to 4095×4095. Mpeg 2,4, 21 etc. are all improvements to this forerunner and are much more sophisticated and complex. It is used primariliy for video cd. It is the most compatible mpeg format and should play in most dvd players. It is typically vhs quality. Try playing in a dvd player and dubbing to your dv deck with the video out connections. You may find that your dvd player decodes it and plays it out as video better than a program like steamclip will convert it. Keep in mind when trans-coding files Mpeg 1 is PROGRESSIVE ONLY. You may find a pal dvd player does the best job. Decoders in dvd players are not all equall. Some lean toward dvix, others video cd etc. You could go to a retailer and try it in different players. (you may recall when dvd-r and dvd+r discs came out and burners became affordable, not all dvd players on the market would play them)

Although I don’t recall ever making a video cd, my MediaPress Pro system can produce Mpeg1 files with almost as much control as mpeg2 files. Bit rate, VBR bitrate; GOP pattern, size, structure are all variable and formats in 1:1; 4:3 and 16:9 are available. There were tons of movies distributed in this format throughout Asia around the turn of the century.