[mythtv-users] Transcoding MPEG2 HD Recording to MPEG2 SD

[John Finlay]

moodyjunk at frontiernet.net wrote:
> I want to take a standard MPEG2 HD recording (from my HD5500) and transcode it down to a version that my PVR350 will play on a standard analog TV.  I can successfully use mythtranscode to generate MPEG4 but that overtaxes uses my low powered (800 MHz) CPU (PVR350 only handles MPEG2).  I see the MPEG2 -> MPEG2 transcode, but that seems to only remove segments (commercials) leaving the recording in between untouched (lossless).  I want an MPEG2 -> MPEG2 lossy transcode.
>
> With the forced march to digital source and all the PVR350's out there I can't believe I'm the only one wanting to do this for backup/workshop viewing.  Any ideas?
>
>   
I use a command line like:

ffmpeg -i orig.mpg -target ntsc-dvd -sameq -acodec copy -async 1 
transcoded.mpg

to transcode to a video file after I do a lossless transcode in mythtv 
to remove commercials. Seems to knock the size down from 4.5G to 2.6G 
per hour on a 720p recording.

John