I'm playing with TMPGenc to convert some video from my DV camcorder and put it on a DVD. I have VideoStudio 7 also, but TMPGenc gives me some options for widescreen video that VS7 doesn't have.

Whenever I convert the DV-Type2 files to MPEG (using TMPGEnc) and burn them to the DVD, the motion is very jittery. I feel like it is probably some kind of interlacing problem, so I need some help. I'm using NTSC settings (720x480) and auto VBR with a max of 8000. The video was shot in my camcorder's wide mode that squeezes the 16:9 frame into a 4:3 frame. Therefore, I've set the TMPGEnc output to be 16:9 display and the input I also said was 16:9. I find that if I try to say the input is anything but that, it doesn't unsqueeze the resulting video.

I've read conflicting things on the net about the field order of the DV stuff. It seems like I've heard that DV-Type2 is always bottom field first. But then I'll read elsewhere that it is always top field first. I've tried both ways, but I lean towards believing that it is bottom field first.

In TMPGenc, whichever way I tell it the source video is, the resulting MPG file is always backwards (according to VS). If I tell TMPGEnc that the source video is bottom field first, the MPG comes out field order A and vice-versa. I'm totally confused and still left with the jitters in the movement on TMPGEnc encoded video.

Does conversion of the field order cause problems? Even forgetting TMPGEnc for a moment, if in VS I tell it to render the opposite way ( Field order A -> Field order B or vice-versa ), does that cause problems, or does the software do an okay job of converting it?

Should I always strive to keep the field order the same throughout the process? If it starts as field order B, then I should keep it field order B all the way to the DVD?

Any help would be appreciated,
Bruce

[David]

Is it gittery when played back on the computer or just on the set-top box. If the latter, then you may be reaching the limit of your set top player. I've had this problem with MiniDVDs (ie recorded on a CD- ROM).

[JefUK]

Ulead usually acquire video with Type 1 DV-AVI's. They also seem to use Field A whereas others use Field B for the same field arangement. So I think that VS is diplaying an apparent field reversal when they are not. This is normal for VS.

If you have tried reversing the input field order in TMPGEnc and it still gives jerky video then I dont think field order is the cause of your problem.

As in David's post it could be a data rate problem. If you are playing it on a software player on the PC this could be the problem, especially if there are other applications running. Does the problem still show on a stand alone hardware DVD player?

Another potential problem is audio bitrate. In TMPGEnc try changing the audio bitrate from the default of 384k to 224k. 384k MPG audio can cause decoding problems on many DVD players.

You sholuld also eliminate the possibilty of the 16:9 aspect ratio causing the problem. Try some video shot in true 4:3 to see if this is jerky. Many camcorders just record 16:9 as a letterboxed 16:9 image in a 4:3 frame, in which case you need to treat the video to be encoded as 4:3 and let the display do the picture manipulation to 16:9.