[mythtv-users] Question on recording sizes and DVD burning

[John Pilkington]

On 22/01/14 10:59, Henk D. Schoneveld wrote:
> You can do even better, encode-speed/size-wise, if you use anamorphic settings. The human eye is more sensitive to vertical then horizontal resolution. By using non-square dots, wider, you need less horizontal dots to encode. The original DVD/TV format uses that. 704 dots are displayed at a width of 1024, at least in Europe. I think is the US 720 is displayed at 854. https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/AnamorphicGuide
> Knowing that this works well, one can change the settings in HandBrake or ffmpeg accordingly.
> I encode 1080p stuff to 880x720 which will display at 1280x720 and encoding en size decreases with (1280-880)/1280 = 31.25%
>
> Henk
>

Again, this sounds like transcoding for compact archiving.  I think a 
typical new MythArchive user wants a standard-format DVD for 
gf/grandchildren to play in a commercial DVD player.

I burn DVDs from DVB-T with no transcoding; several channels use 
544*576, which isn't officially DVD compatible but I have never had any 
problems with it.  My main standalone DVD player produces 1080i via HDMI 
to a 1920*1080 display.  Is it worth trying 880*720 on a DVD?

John P