Quality of MPEG2?

2 replies [Last post]
Des
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Joined: Apr 7 1999

What quality of analogue, be it VHS, SVHS or higher do you need to have before the MPEG2 codec begins to show its inherent quality limitation?
I hope this question makes sense.
Des

Sony Z1 / A1E / PD100 - Avid Liquid 7.1 - 2.66GHZ Core 2 Duo / ATI 950 Pro / 2 x Iiyama 17" flat screens
Storage: 1 x 80GB / 2 x 400GB / Offline Firewire 1 x 2TB and 3 x 400GB

DVdoctor
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Joined: Apr 1 1999

This question I think you are looking for is a bit different:

Mpeg2 is capable of superb quality that is related to the data rate not the input. If you take a VHS tape and end code it with Mpeg 2 at 10:1 compression you will have excellent quality.

Also with Mpeg 2 you have a system where the encoding task is more complex than the decoding task so the actually quality of the encoder is important.

For example Sony BetaSX uses Mpeg2 at 10x and is full broadcast capable. 10X compression in M-jpeg would be closer to VHS quality.
John Ferrick

Des
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Joined: Apr 7 1999

So if I edited something digital and compared it to that same file also saved to MPEG2 would I see a difference?
Des

Sony Z1 / A1E / PD100 - Avid Liquid 7.1 - 2.66GHZ Core 2 Duo / ATI 950 Pro / 2 x Iiyama 17" flat screens
Storage: 1 x 80GB / 2 x 400GB / Offline Firewire 1 x 2TB and 3 x 400GB