Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? at DVinfo.net

Norris Combs · May 1st, 2013, 12:43 AM

I'm trying to render a home movie, putting it on a BD. The source footage is 1920 x 1080i. Using Vegas Pro 12, I see 2 templates that can work for my purpose: Main Concept AVC, and Main Concept MPEG-2. Which of these will have better video quality? I always do 2-pass render.
Thanks,

Juris Lielpeteris · May 1st, 2013, 02:24 AM

Vegas Pro 12 MPEG-2 Blu-Ray encoder still work incorrectly:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/what-hap...oding-bug.html

Norris Combs · May 2nd, 2013, 02:17 PM

I rendered a 15-minute project, to Main Concept AVC, and also to Main Concept MPEG-2. Then used DVD Architect to finish. I watched both, and was not able to see a difference in picture quality. Size is the same. Is there supposed to be a difference?

Juris Lielpeteris · May 3rd, 2013, 12:16 AM

The difference is in the color coding matrices used by encoder. AVC coder does not change the orginal color while the MPEG-2 coder causes levels and gamut shift. Green becomes darker, red becomes brighter, but visually most changes margenta and cyan. Faces of people does not change, and the the easiest way to see difference in nature is in the sunset landscapes.

Norris Combs · May 3rd, 2013, 01:19 PM

Thank you Juris,
I guess for me then it doesn't matter which I use. Do you have a personal preference?

Juris Lielpeteris · May 3rd, 2013, 11:05 PM

Using high bitrates (up to 2 hrs video on 25 GB BD) I like MPEG-2 because it looks litle sharper.
With an average data rate (about 2.5 hrs video) my selection depends on the nature of the image.
If the bitrate is even lower (more than 3 hrs video), then I always choose to AVC encoding because MPEG-2 visually becomes too noisy.

May 1st, 2013, 12:43 AM	#1
Norris Combs Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: OC, CA Posts: 344	Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? I'm trying to render a home movie, putting it on a BD. The source footage is 1920 x 1080i. Using Vegas Pro 12, I see 2 templates that can work for my purpose: Main Concept AVC, and Main Concept MPEG-2. Which of these will have better video quality? I always do 2-pass render. Thanks,

May 1st, 2013, 02:24 AM	#2
Juris Lielpeteris Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Riga, Latvija, EU Posts: 292	Re: Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? Vegas Pro 12 MPEG-2 Blu-Ray encoder still work incorrectly: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/what-hap...oding-bug.html

May 2nd, 2013, 02:17 PM	#3
Norris Combs Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: OC, CA Posts: 344	Re: Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? I rendered a 15-minute project, to Main Concept AVC, and also to Main Concept MPEG-2. Then used DVD Architect to finish. I watched both, and was not able to see a difference in picture quality. Size is the same. Is there supposed to be a difference?

May 3rd, 2013, 12:16 AM	#4
Juris Lielpeteris Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Riga, Latvija, EU Posts: 292	Re: Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? The difference is in the color coding matrices used by encoder. AVC coder does not change the orginal color while the MPEG-2 coder causes levels and gamut shift. Green becomes darker, red becomes brighter, but visually most changes margenta and cyan. Faces of people does not change, and the the easiest way to see difference in nature is in the sunset landscapes.

May 3rd, 2013, 01:19 PM	#5
Norris Combs Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: OC, CA Posts: 344	Re: Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? Thank you Juris, I guess for me then it doesn't matter which I use. Do you have a personal preference?

May 3rd, 2013, 11:05 PM	#6
Juris Lielpeteris Major Player Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Riga, Latvija, EU Posts: 292	Re: Render for Bluray: mp4 or mpeg-2? Using high bitrates (up to 2 hrs video on 25 GB BD) I like MPEG-2 because it looks litle sharper. With an average data rate (about 2.5 hrs video) my selection depends on the nature of the image. If the bitrate is even lower (more than 3 hrs video), then I always choose to AVC encoding because MPEG-2 visually becomes too noisy.