Where Do I Find Encore's Automatic Transcode Settings?

Question

I am putting the finishing touches on a 1.75hr, NTSC 4:3, 5.1 (AC3), 2 lead-in AVIs, one Main Menu + 3 Scene Selection Menus (non-animated) and one Play All Playlist Project and have done several +RW burns to check things out. Everything fits nicely on 4.3GB +RW.
Now my questions: everything has been set to DVD-5, and Encore to Automatic. I have looked for the Transcode settings, but cannot find them. I have read through the manual, F1 and Jeff Bellunes Encore Focal Guide, but cannot find what I am looking for now. The Audio and Video quality are good, but I do not mind going to a DVD-9 (DL), if I can increase either. Where do I look to find what Encore chose? If I want to do DL at max. quality and bitrate of 7, do I need to set the Transcode settings of each Video Asset? This project will only play on set-top DVD players, and most are fairly recent models, that all handle DL.
As is, it works OK, but I am wondering how to tell if I can go higher quality at some point, if DL is a viable option. I dont want to just waste a DL, if what I already have is as good as it gets.
I know that the answer has stared me in the eye on many occasions, but I just cannot find, what I think I am looking for.
TIA,
Hunt

Answer 1

Bill.
Try running a sort of "manual Bit-Budget" to see what the numbers say.
DVD5 = 37,600 Megabits.
DVD9 = 68,000 Megabits.
Ideally, we subtract an overhead of 4% to allow for variables.
This gives us the following values:
DVD5 = 36,000
DVD9 = 65,000.
Let us first subtract the Audio.
1.75 hours at 0.448Mb/sec = 2,882.4 Megabits
(0.448 (The data rate of DD 5.1) * 60 (seconds) *105 (minutes) )
This leaves us with (36000 - 3000) = 33,000 Megabits.
I do not know the running tome of the lead-in AVI clips, but let us assume 5 minutes in total.
This gives us 33,000 megabits to fit 110 Minutes of Video.
So.
110 minutes = 6,600 seconds.
33,000 / 6600 = 5 Megabits/second available for film.
This is under 6, so will be a VBR encode with an average bitrate of 5Mb/sec.
For DVD9.
Same Audio.
Same sums except the total megabits for video is larger, so we have
65,000 - 3000 = 62,000.
62,000 / 6600 = 9.3939 Mbits/second for the video is available.
Now, the highest possible allowed rate for DVD-Video - 10.08 for all combined.
For Audio & Video combined it is taken as 9.8 Mbits/second.
On a pressed, or replicated disc this is fine.
On written media we need to be more careful, so we set a peak video bitrate of 7Mb/sec - which although will not fill a DVD9, will present the highest possible compromise between playability on maximum number of players & highest quality.
You may experiment & go as high as 8Mb/sec, but I would generaly not recommend this to written media, DL especially.
There is a chance players will choke due to the higher error rate from the reduced reflectivity available with written media & DL media in particular.
It does give you almost a 50% increase in bitrate on your video.
Minimal is 40% gain in bits.
This will certainly make your film look better.
I think it is worthwhile going to DVD9.