question on video bit rate choice

about to convert 32 movies from dvd to .wmv, i want to
choose the right video bitrate. output file size matters.
the .avi capture file, from which the dvd files were
created, is no longer available.

the .avi capture file had a bitrate of 1200kbps. is there
any point in increasing that bitrate while converting the
dvd files to a .wmv file?

--david

 

Do small section tests and compare to find what you like of course, but I
use 2pass VBR @ anywhere from 750k to 1200 depending on source when I am
trying for a decent picture with wmv9.

However wmv9 has been surpassed greatly by mpeg4 variants in quality and
compression.
You may want to look into a program that converts to that for max quality
with min. file size before doing all that work with an older and inferior
codec. Unless of course wmv's are specifically needed.

DVDFab Platinum is a great program to rip dvds to various mpeg4 codecs, divx
or xvid with great results and ease.
It's not free but I like that it is all under one roof, solid and supported.

 

after posting the initial article i realized there should be
a description of the overall objective. i pulled the message
and posted another, but you were too quick on the draw. :=)

testing a variety of players and file formats to produce a
stable system that will deliver composite video to a private
tv cable system resulted in the choice of .wmv and windows
media player. i've avoided both for years. at this point in
the race i'm wary of changing horses. but i'll see if wmp10
or wmp11 will play an mpeg4 file without crashing. and i'll
try 2 pass vbr. thanks for the suggestions.

one thing i'm not certain about, absent testing, is whether
the conversion, which creates a progressive frame, will work
with composite-video output. i'll have to test to find out
whether the ati radeon video card gets upset when wmp plays
a progressive-scan file.