Trancoding, help?

[Dman3d]

We are looking more closely at DvD quality and I need some advice/guidance.

I am using Adobe Encore 1.5 to make DvD's but the quality is lacking.
I was reading a post here on the forum that was slightly older and got
me started looking around for more info.

So far as I understand it most "built-in" transcoders are not always the
best. Two stand alone products in particular that seem to get decent
reviews are TPMG (I think thats right) and Cinema Craft.

Does anyone have experience with these transcoders/encoders or advice
about software or hardware solutions?

The short of it is we render our frames, look great on PC but once they
make it to DvD (depending on which TV and DvD player) the quality is
not the same. Usally make an uncompressed AVI then add as asset in
Encore make the DvD per usual. Been using the highest setting in Encore
set to be progressive.

We also have a Toaster, but I do not have much experience with it. Need
to consult some co-workers further. They are telling me they are doing
essentially the same thing with it, and compared to each other the results
are equally not so good.

[Da_elf]

i use tmpgenc all the time. it works cool and ive already got my presets done for how i like things

[Dman3d]

Thanks Da_Elf, is there a specific flavor of it, like the xpress version?
do you use the DvD authoring package too or just the encoder?

[Paul Oblomov]

Hm. Carbon coder - the best

[Dman3d]

Oye that bugger is $5k, will check it out. Thanks

[Da_elf]

for dvd content i use something called dvd lab