[MEncoder-users] Encoding to DVD: to deinterlace or not?

[Michael Rozdoba]

James Hastings-Trew wrote:

> I'm of the opinion that interlaced video should go the way of the dodo 
> bird - it has outlived its welcome.

Perhaps in relation to deciding what source format to adopt, I'd agree, 
but if we're talking about archival formats for existing material surely 
that makes it a slightly different question?

Personally I prefer whatever involves the least damage to the 
information content in the data. That said, in reality one needs to take 
into account playback. In that respect, I'd be swayed a little by the 
likely display device. If this might well be CRT I'd be even more 
inclined to keep it interlaced. That said, even if all display devices 
are progressive, unless they have lousy handling of interlaced material 
I'd still probably keep it interlaced unless other factors pushed me to 
deinterlace.

One route I wouldn't take is to deinterlace xx fps interlaced content 
with fast motion to xx fps progressive, unless I deliberately want to 
introduce blurring.

In the past when I've had to deinterlace because my encoding format 
didn't support interlacing, for live events especially sporting or 
concerts, I've deinterlaced to a doubled framerate.

-- 
Michael Rozdoba