Apple Compressor 3 - Manual (Page 182)

DVD, VCD, and CD-ROM
MPEG-1 is the video compression format used for video CD (VCD) titles and is compatible
for use on DVD titles since all DVD players contain the hardware required for MPEG-1
playback. MPEG-1 is commonly used in videos distributed on CD-ROM. Its low bit rate
and small file sizes are useful when you must fit multiple hours of video onto a DVD and
do not require the broadcast quality of MPEG-2 encoding. A DVD can contain a mix of
MPEG-2 and MPEG-1 video.
On the Web
Since MPEG-1 was one of the first widely adopted compression standards, it has an
advantage of being compatible with most media players. This makes MPEG-1 attractive
for use on the web when you need maximum compatibility with relatively high quality.
Audio-Only
You can use MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio compression as an alternative to Dolby Digital
Professional or DTS compression. While there is no Apple setting for MPEG-1 audio-only
files in this release of Compressor, you can easily create a setting yourself. See
Configuring
the MPEG-1 File Format for DVD Use for details.
MPEG-1 Specifications
Compressor supports all the MPEG-1 specifications for frame sizes, frame rates, video
encoding, and audio encoding.
MPEG-1 Frame Sizes and Frame Rates
Compressor can produce full frame rate video (25 fps and 29.97 fps for DVD and 23.976 fps,
25 fps, and 29.97 fps for the web) with SIF resolutions dependent on the use.
• Web: 320 x 240
• NTSC: 352 x 240
• PAL: 352 x 288
While the NTSC and PAL resolutions are roughly half the full resolution of MPEG-2 video,
when played on a DVD player they automatically expand to fill the entire screen.
MPEG-1 File Format Specifications
MPEG-1 video encoding uses a process very similar to that used in MPEG2
encoding—many of the same terms and settings apply. In Compressor, the encoding
settings are set as follows.
• Encoding mode: One pass
• GOP structure: Open
• GOP pattern: BBIBBP
182 Chapter 17 Creating MPEG-1 Output Files