What home video format is best?

Question

I want to convert all home videos to the same format (and have a programme to do it). Which is the best format for high quality reproduction and/or flexibility (PC viewing and writing to DVD): .mov, .avi, .wmv, .mpg, mpg2/3/4?

Answer 1

Depends on how you plan to view them.
If you want to burn them to a DVD for viewing on a standard DVD player, you will want to go mpeg. Some DVD players will also play AVI, but not all.
If you plan to only view them on your PC, you can use avi, wmv or mpg. WMV will reduce the file size, but also the quality. So you have to balance size with quality.
MOV requires Quicktime or another viewer to watch. Not native to Windows PCs.
So there is no easy answer...

My personal preference is to use avi at a 320x240 size. My DVD player will do AVI files without having to convert them. The picture is decent, and I can get about 90 minutes of video onto a CD. File sizes are large, but not huge.

Answer 2

VHS maynot have been the best picture quality but it was the format that the world adopted. Beta is the best picture format and is used by professional television companies. However from a domestic point of view the VHS has to be the better option as it is more widely available, proven quality and at a price that is extremely good.

Answer 3

.avi then use Ulead dvd movie factory to convert and burn to dvd that will play in ANY dvd player its easy to use and you can create moving menus! definatly do not use mpg to much loss of quality in the compression.

Answer 4

They are all codecs, all work different, but it takes some research if you are willing to read. I give u some of these link I found

Answer 5

Oi vei! I remember when we had to decide between Beta and VHS.... and we were so glad to be rid of Super8....