What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

"DG" wrote in message
...
What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

MPEG-2 is a broad "standard". DV AVI uses MPEG-2 but without incremental
frames. DVD camcorders also use MPEG-2 but to the DVD Video Specification.

Now most people using a Dv camera will end up producing a DVd -video MPEG2
at the end to create a DVD. For the best quality they will use twin pass
transcoding, and for the most part that will be better than direct MPEG2
capture which obviously can't do twin pass.

"DG" wrote in message
...
What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Are you thinking of a DVD camera, or capture to MPEG-2 using analogue
inputs, USB or firewire?

In either case, you're looking at 13GB per hour for DV, anything from 2 to
4GB per hour for MPEG.

If you're editing any thing other than jump cuts, then DV wins hands down.
When you make changes to a frame's content, it needs to be recompressed.
MPEG-2 is already dramatically compressed so you'll only degrade the quality
further (although if the source material is at a high bitrate, such
degradation might not be noticeable).

DV requires very little by way of PC resources to capture, using firewire.
As capture is time-critical (i.e. the tape deck won't wait for the PC to
become un-busy) this may be advantageous if you use a sub-GHz PC. However,
depending on the model and method of MPEG capture (USB or copy straight from
the DVD-VR disc) you may find the MPEG capture even easier.

Basically - if you're not planning to do anything beyond a handful of jump
cuts, consider MPEG-2, otherwise consider DV.

In message , John Russell
writes

"DG" wrote in message
...
What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

MPEG-2 is a broad "standard". DV AVI uses MPEG-2 but without incremental
frames.

I would disagree with that. AVI is simply a container. If a file is
described as DV AVI, then it is an AVI file containing DV. You could
have an AVI containing MPEG-2, in which it would be described as MPEG-2
AVI . A very common type of AVI (used extensively in distributing
pirated movies) is DivX/MP3 AVI - just subscribe to
alt.binaries.movies.divx to illustrate.. You also see MPEG-4 AVIs in the
pirated movie groups.

Provided that you have something like the ACE codec pack installed,
AVI2DVD will convert *any* AVI file to separate MPEG-2 video and AC3
audio streams (files). AVI2DVD also (if so configured) will create an
ISO file containing the BUP/IFO/VOB DVD file structure.

DVD camcorders also use MPEG-2 but to the DVD Video Specification.

Only half the story. DVD camcorders use MPEG-2 video with interleaved
AC3 audio (these are VOB files). Because of the way that the AC3 audio
is interleaved with the MPEG-2 video, splitting out the audio presents
problems, but the AVI2DVD program mentioned above does split out the
MPEG-2 (using a filename extension of M2P) and AC3 audio streams leaving
them in a temp folder.

Now most people using a Dv camera will end up producing a DVd -video MPEG2
at the end to create a DVD. For the best quality they will use twin pass
transcoding, and for the most part that will be better than direct MPEG2
capture which obviously can't do twin pass.

I cannot see that. Because VOB files are MPEG-2, there is no
"transcoding" as you put it. If the MPEG-2 isn't "transcoded" (again as
you use the term) then there will be no deterioration in quality from
the original MPEG-2.
--
Tony Morgan

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 11:06:27 +0100, "DG" wrote:

What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

DV : can edit to the nearest 1/25th second accurately
Mpeg-2 : can edit to nearest I-frame

dv : for editing
mpeg-2 : for keeping uneditted on a physically smaller media that may
be played back on a domestic dvd-player

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , John Russell
writes

"DG" wrote in message
...
What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings
are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

MPEG-2 is a broad "standard". DV AVI uses MPEG-2 but without incremental
frames.

I would disagree with that. AVI is simply a container. If a file is
described as DV AVI, then it is an AVI file containing DV. You could have
an AVI containing MPEG-2, in which it would be described as MPEG-2 AVI . A
very common type of AVI (used extensively in distributing pirated movies)
is DivX/MP3 AVI - just subscribe to alt.binaries.movies.divx to
illustrate.. You also see MPEG-4 AVIs in the pirated movie groups.

Provided that you have something like the ACE codec pack installed,
AVI2DVD will convert *any* AVI file to separate MPEG-2 video and AC3 audio
streams (files). AVI2DVD also (if so configured) will create an ISO file
containing the BUP/IFO/VOB DVD file structure.

DVD camcorders also use MPEG-2 but to the DVD Video Specification.

Only half the story. DVD camcorders use MPEG-2 video with interleaved AC3
audio (these are VOB files). Because of the way that the AC3 audio is
interleaved with the MPEG-2 video, splitting out the audio presents
problems, but the AVI2DVD program mentioned above does split out the
MPEG-2 (using a filename extension of M2P) and AC3 audio streams leaving
them in a temp folder.

Now most people using a Dv camera will end up producing a DVd -video MPEG2
at the end to create a DVD. For the best quality they will use twin pass
transcoding, and for the most part that will be better than direct MPEG2
capture which obviously can't do twin pass.

I cannot see that. Because VOB files are MPEG-2, there is no "transcoding"
as you put it. If the MPEG-2 isn't "transcoded" (again as you use the
term) then there will be no deterioration in quality from the original
MPEG-2.
--
Tony Morgan

Please ignore this post!

In message , Tony Morgan
writes
In message , John Russell
writes
Snipped...

I should perhaps have added that if you run GSpot, and you load an AVI,
it will tell you just what the AVI container contains.
All AVI files have a 4CC identifier in the file header which identifies
the type of data that the file contains. GSpot not only identifies the
type of data, but lists all the compatible codecs on your system that
will support that data.

--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

Thanks all for your contributions.

DV made more sense to me. I was just wondering whether I had missed
something with new camcorders, both tape and DVD, coming to market with
MPeg-2 recording.

I will stick with what I have, format wise.

So, next question has to be which camcorder. So much choice.

Thanks again.

DG.

"Gary MacKenzie" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 11:06:27 +0100, "DG" wrote:

What are the benefits of AVI DV over MPEG-2, if any?

I am looking for a new camcorder and see that MPEG-2 format recordings are
creeping in. Is there any particular reason?

How about editing? Are there any practical differences in the two?

Thanks.

DG

DV : can edit to the nearest 1/25th second accurately
Mpeg-2 : can edit to nearest I-frame

dv : for editing
mpeg-2 : for keeping uneditted on a physically smaller media that may
be played back on a domestic dvd-player