Multiple questions about Windows Media options

[bernie.ott]

I use Windows Media format in Beyond TV 3.4 (build 1334) because I'm away from home a lot and regularly d/l tv shows. Windows Media seems to give me the best quality "download bang for the buck".

However, I cannot find any information on the various options when setting up a Windows Media quality.

I'll probably get "shot" for asking all these questions in 1 msg, but I think the information needs to be available in 1 quick-to-find post.

Specific questions:

1. What's the difference between an equivalent Audio parameter with and without the (A/V) option.
How do the following two compare?
48 kbps, 32 kHz, stereo (A/V) CBR
vs
48 kbps, 32 kHz, stereo CBR

2. Quality Scale - What is it? I usually set mine to 90.
Is that forcing more workload on my machine for any significant gain?
Does it make the picture softer or sharper?

3. Encoding Window - What is it? I usually set mine to 5000

4. Keyframe Interval - What is it? I usually set mine to 4

5. Deinterlace - I know what this is, and that for computer viewing I'd enable this.
However, if I'm planning on transcoding the output to a DVD for viewing on a TV, should this be enabled or disabled?

6. Inverse Telecine - What is it? I usually set mine to enabled.

7. Over the last week or two I've decided to record some TV shows and put them on DVD. Again, I normally use Windows Media format, which requires transcoding to MPEG2. I understand that this isn't the best thing to do because I'm using LOSSY (mwv) to convert to LOSSY (mpeg2).
From what I understand, it's not possible to select Windows Media or MPEG2 on a show-by-show basis (that would be great).
So, I'm stuck between recording my shows for download, using the smallest size (wmv) and wanting to put some on DVD (mpeg2).

Anybody else doing this? What is the best option?

Thanks

[shaikjawad]

Can someone please answer this post? I would sure like to know answers for a few of them myself...

thx

[hades]

Noone knows? They look like random settings to me too... And I would like to know too.

hades

[shaikjawad]

grrrr...

[DodgeV83]

"1. What's the difference between an equivalent Audio parameter with and without the (A/V) option.
How do the following two compare?
48 kbps, 32 kHz, stereo (A/V) CBR
vs
48 kbps, 32 kHz, stereo CBR

No idea

2. Quality Scale - What is it? I usually set mine to 90.
Is that forcing more workload on my machine for any significant gain?
Does it make the picture softer or sharper?

This tells the encoder weither to focus on smooth playback, or detailed picture. If set higher, when there is alot of movement on screen it will decrease the framerate to keep the picture unblocky (less frames means it can put more bits in each individual frame and keep the same bitrate). The LOWER this setting is, the more it will focus on keeping everything smooth, even if it means making everything blocky.

The higher this number, the longer it takes to encode, ESPECIALLY using WMV9!

I usually set mine to 95, that works for me.

3. Encoding Window - What is it? I usually set mine to 5000

This one ie self explanitory, but I don't know really hot it will effect the quality. I guess if its longer it gives the encoder more time to encode? I dunno.

4. Keyframe Interval - What is it? I usually set mine to 4

I dunno

5. Deinterlace - I know what this is, and that for computer viewing I'd enable this.
However, if I'm planning on transcoding the output to a DVD for viewing on a TV, should this be enabled or disabled?

I have been enabling mine, looks smoother, don't know if it makes a difference when transcoding to MPEG2 for DVDs (about to explain why you don't have to do that)

6. Inverse Telecine - What is it? I usually set mine to enabled.

I believe this is a more advanced DEINTERLACE.


7. Over the last week or two I've decided to record some TV shows and put them on DVD. Again, I normally use Windows Media format, which requires transcoding to MPEG2. I understand that this isn't the best thing to do because I'm using LOSSY (mwv) to convert to LOSSY (mpeg2).
From what I understand, it's not possible to select Windows Media or MPEG2 on a show-by-show basis (that would be great).
So, I'm stuck between recording my shows for download, using the smallest size (wmv) and wanting to put some on DVD (mpeg2).

Anybody else doing this? What is the best option?

You actaully can set it up to record some shows in MPEG2 and some shows in WMV. You can even tell it to record some shows at HIGHbitrate MPeg2 and some shows at LOWBitrate Mpeg2, the possibilities are endless. Go into the webadmin and look at the recording properties for each recording to change the recording quality. This can also be done in the viewscape under "setup recordings" or something. I record EVERYTHING in Mpeg2 then use Showsqueeze to WMV for the shows I want to make smaller.

Thanks"

Your welcome! For the answers I could not provide, it shouldn't take long to find the answer online.