[pdxflint]

Hi,
I have a movie that is going to be entered into a TV competition. The request for the format that it is to be delivered in reads as: DVD or VCD - with one of the following moving image file formats: .mpg, .avi or apple quicktime (where possible please save these as data files)

I have tried to go through the Share/Quicktime/Expert Settings/.avi settings a couple of times trialing different settings and the results weren't very clear. They have converted - but very grainy w/pixels. Obviously, it needs to be clear on a TV screen. Any suggestions to use under expert settings to improve the quality to the level that I need?

Also a quick question about the 'data files' request - is a simple conversion to a Quicktime movie (.mov/.dv) considered a data file?

Thanks

[loki74]

I admittedly dont know a whole lot about iMove, but I am fairly certain that DVDs use MPEG 4 for video and generally use ac3 (aka Dolby) for audio (although obviously, other formats are used). The ideal situation would be to use Compressor and DVD Studio Pro, but... I guess it's really gonna depend on what formats your burning software will accept.

I would try see if you export to a mov that uses MPEG video compression.

[k_munic]

Originally Posted by Kai1

Hi,
I have a movie that is going to be entered into a TV competition. The request for the format that it is to be delivered in reads as: DVD or VCD - with one of the following moving image file formats: .mpg, .avi or apple quicktime (where possible please save these as data files)
...

that is by far one of the strangest specs of a TV competition I've ever heard of:
* VCD? wow, that is worse than VHS... what kind of competition is this...? TV? Broadcast from VCD???
* DVD - that is a disk format, not a data- nor a video format...
* in case they want a videoDVD, simply create one and use iDVD.- a videoDVD uses mepg2 as compressor, that is "muxxed" and written in the specific file formats complying to the Red Book Standards...
* .mpeg? what mpeg? just to mention a few flavors: 1/2/3 (<<audio only)/4/h263/h264/...
* .avi ?? HAHAH LOL... that is NO format, that is a container!! can contain many,many, I mean MANY codecs, from stills to music to video, as sorenson, dv or mpeg, or whatever....
* Apple Quicktime - same as above: no format, just a container; read here, what a "Quicktime.mov" can contain: (read on the right side) http://www.apple.com/quicktime/pro/specs.html

a) create a videoDVD by simply using iDVD.... shorter projects (<60min) have almost max. quality of videoDVD standards (8kB/sec bitrate)
b) in case, your project is <20minutes, you can use the Disk Utility to create a data-DVD in PC format and store your project (export as QT Full Quality) as ".dv" << best quality
c) for creating VCD you need 3rd party tools as Toast
d) I wouldn't use any other compressor/codecs, e.g. mp4 or h264... lossy
e) avi with Mac? a pain in the ***, forget it....

[Uncle Skeleton]

Originally Posted by loki74

but I am fairly certain that DVDs use MPEG 4 for video

No. MPEG 2.