What is a good video quality to convert to?

What video format should I convert my .flv videos to make it look like better quality?

• So I download a few .flv videos off popular streaming sites like Youtube etc. I want them to be in a DVD. But first off, which video format should I convert my flv before I convert it ...show more

• Answer:

  1. You can't reencode a video to a better quality than the source video itself (i.e. the flv file). Reencoding = loss of quality 2. When talking about DVD, you don't have that many choice, a standard DVD may only contain video in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 format in a preset resolution and preset bitrate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-Video ). Most players would still be able to play non-standard videos though. 3. For sound, only PCM, AC-3, DTS, and MP2 is officially supported. And each only in certain bitrates. 4. YouTube flv video is Constant Bitrate (CBR: the bitrate stays the same throughout movie), that's why it is distorted in high-action scenes. The best option for first-generation encoding is usually Variable Bitrate (VBR, the quality stays the same throughout movie, higher bitrate used for high-action scenes, lower bitrate for static scenes), I'm not sure whether second-generation encoding from a CBR format would be better off using CBR or VBR. 5. The optimal settings highly depends on the source video. Generally, scenes that have lots of movements would require higher bitrate. Generally, you won't get anything but wasted space if you used higher resolution, but in second-generation encoding, you might be able to minimize the damage done by the second reencoding by increasing resolution (with the price of size) 6. MPEG-2 > MPEG-1