Mpeg Mode 3 pass (turbo)

Source video

The first video was filmed in 2.35:1 scope, therefore the DVD video contains horizontal black bars. Because of that, the video compress better and requires a lower video bit rate. The second video instead has a higher video bit rate requirement.

DVD (720x576)

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
0:1:2
0/1/2
7500
(4678)-4675/(3894)-3888/(3636)-3633
(1h31m)-2h54m/(1h25m)-2h54m/(1h31m)-2h49m
(47.44)-47.44/(47.12)-47.16/(46.94)-46.96
very fast
0:2:2 0/1/2
7500 (4614)-4596/(3857)-3812/(3607)-3562
(2h3m)-3h38m/(2h31m)-4h3m/(2h16m)-4h13m
(47.62)-47.60/(47.29)-47.26/(47.09)-47.03
fast, turbo
0:3:2 0/1/2
7500 (3673)-4118/(3178)-3424/(3010)-3200
(4h15m)-5h42m/(3h55m)-5h41m/(3h58m)-5h51m
(47.21)-48.04/(46.84)-47.29/(46.63)-46.92
high compression, turbo
0:4:2 0/1/2
7500 (4678)-4633/(4001)-3844/(3789)-3590
(5h23m)-6h28m/(6h24m)-8h0m/(6h56m)-8h19m
(47.78)-47.70/(47.15)-47.16/(47.09)-46.85
high PSNR, turbo

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
0:1:2
0/1/2
9000
(4791)-4748-4854/(4173)-4129/(3859)-3809
(1h23m)-2h33m-3h21m/(1h20m)-2h38m/(1h23m)-2h37m
(47.07)-46.97-47.19/(46.40)-46.30/(46.25)-46.21
very fast
0:2:2 0/1/2
9000 (4749)-4696/(4141)-4064/(3833)-3745
(1h43m)-3h11m/(1h59m)-3h42m/(2h2m)-3h54m
(47.13)-47.01/(46.50)-46.33/(46.37)-46.22
fast, turbo
0:3:2 0/1/2
9000 (4010)-4289/(3549)-3788/(3308)-3484
(4h9m)-5h23m/(3h58m)-5h31m/(4h19m)-5h42m
(46.36)-46.82/(45.76)-46.17/(45.60)-46.06
high compression, turbo
0:4:2 0/1/2
9000 (4747)-4711/(4225)-4080/(3970)-3760
(5h15m)-6h3m/(6h53m)-7h51m/(7h14m)-8h25m
(47.32)-47.19/(46.58)-46.30/(46.40)-46.07
high PSNR, turbo

When the video bit rate is high (like for dvd), you can assume that:
-encode n:1:1 is very fast
-encode n:2:1 is fast and has a good PSNR
-encode n:3:1 compress better and may have a good PSNR too
-encode n:4:1 has good PSNR
For m = 1, 2 and 4, 2 pass encoding produces a smaller file and a lower PSNR than 1 pass encoding.
For m = 3, 2 pass encoding produces a bigger file and a higher PSNR than 1 pass encoding.

SVCD (480x576)

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2
2500 (2149)-2152/(1913)-1915/(1818)-1819
(1h13m)-2h21m/(1h15m)-2h23m/(1h20m)-2h14m
(45.46)-45.36/(45.43)-45.33/(45.28)-45.23
faster
4:2:2 0/1/2 2500 (2137)-2139/(1912)-1901/(1822)-1808
(1h46m)-2h49m/(1h40m)-3h9m/(1h44m)-3h21m
(45.56)-45.45/(45.53)-45.36/(45.39)-45.25
fast, turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 2500 (1840)-1969/(1690)-1775/(1625)-1692
(2h37m)-3h51m/(2h32m)-3h58m/(2h31m)-4h5m
(45.67)-45.66/(45.56)-45.46/(45.41)-45.31
better compression and PSNR, turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 2500 (2128)-2146/(1936)-1911/(1859)-1818
(3h26m)-4h38m/(4h35m)-5h29m/(4h18m)-5h49m
(45.50)-45.46/(45.01)-45.16/(44.99)-44.97
do not use

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2
2500 (2127)-2127/(2040)-2037/(1973)-1971
(1h21m)-2h5m/(1h15m)-2h9m/(1h16m)-2h13m
(43.18)-43.16/(42.92)-42.87/(42.58)-42.57
faster
4:2:2 0/1/2 2500 (2124)-2123/(2038)-2028/(1970)-1959
(1h24m)-2h26m/(1h33m)-2h54m/(1h44m)-3h6m
(43.22)-43.21/(43.03)-42.92/(42.72)-42.65
fast, turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 2500 (1976)-2052/(1881)-1953/(1812)-1878
(2h36m)-3h41m/(2h44m)-3h58m/(2h47m)-4h7m
(43.64)-43.59/(43.58)-43.40/(43.34)-43.18
better compression and PSNR, turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 2500 (2116)-2125/(2045)-2032/(1985)-1964
(3h7m)-4h19m/(4h7m)-5h27m/(4h25m)-5h53m
(43.26)-43.22/(42.74)-42.79/(42.43)-42.40
do not use

In case of SVCD the standard vbr (2500) is close to the average vbr required to compress the video. As you can see:
-encode n:1:1 is still faster
-encode n:2:1 is fast
-encode n:3:1 compress better AND has a higher PSNR
-encode n:4:1 does not show any advantage
For m = 1, 2 and 4, 2 pass encoding produces a smaller file than 1 pass encoding.
For m = 3, 2 pass encoding produces a bigger file than 1 pass encoding.
In all the cases 2 pass encoding produces a lower PSNR than 1 pass encoding.

VCD (352x288)

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 1320/1320/1320 (0h42m)-1h31m/(0h43m)-1h30m/(0h52m)-1h27m
(44.93)-44.74/(45.17)-43.96/(44.90)-43.71

4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 1320/1320/1320 (0h48m)-1h40m/(0h52m)-1h48m/(0h53m)-1h52m
(45.00)-44.78/(45.24)-44.01/(44.98)-43.65
turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 1320/1320/1320 (1h16m)-2h3m/(1h16m)-2h10m/(1h16m)-2h11m
(44.98)-44.13/(45.23)-43.78/(45.01)-43.55
turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 1320/1320/1320 (1h27m)-2h12m/(1h52m)-2h34m/(1h55m)-2h43m
(45.06)-43.34/(45.09)-43.20/(44.82)-42.68
turbo

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 1127/1127/1127 (0h40m)-1h23m/(0h40m)-1h22m/(0h40m)-1h21m
(43.15)-42.37/(43.46)-40.97/(43.21)-40.61

4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 1127/1127/1127 (0h48m)-1h27m/(0h48m)-1h37m/(0h50m)-1h41m
(43.19)-42.62/(43.53)-41.00/(43.31)-40.66
turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 1127/1127/1127 (1h16m)-1h58m/(1h33m)-2h5m/(2h5m)-2h9m
(43.26)-42.46/(43.46)-40.97/(43.29)-40.74
turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 1127/1127/1127 (2h7m)-2h4m/(2h46m)-2h28m/(2h49m)-2h36m
(43.23)-42.46/(43.36)-40.65/(43.11)-39.84
turbo

VCD has constant video bit rate. The file size will be always the same, it doesn't matter which option you use.
-encode n:2:1 and -encode n:3:1 give the better PSNR and there is no big difference between them.
In all the cases 2 pass encoding produces a lower PSNR than 1 pass encoding.

VCD (352x288) variable bit rate

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 (999)-997/(911)-908/(876)-874
(0h43m)-1h26m/(0h44m)-1h20m/(0h45m)-1h18m
(44.93)-44.94/(44.82)-44.75/(44.55)-44.47

4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 (995)-994/(914)-908/(881)-875
(0h50m)-1h36m/(0h51m)-1h43m/(0h50m)-1h47m
(45.00)-45.02/(44.90)-44.76/(44.64)-44.47
turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 (902)-947/(841)-871/(815)-840
(1h11m)-2h0m/(1h10m)-2h4m/(1h11m)-2h5m
(45.06)-45.18/(44.91)-45.01/(44.58)-44.69
turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 (989)-995/(918)-910/(891)-877
(1h25m)-2h13m/(1h42m)-2h36m/(1h49m)-2h42m
(45.03)-45.09/(44.72)-44.63/(44.46)-44.23
turbo

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 (1032)-1024/(967)-954/(934)-925
(1h5m)-1h18m/(1h5m)-1h19m/(1h6m)-1h19m
(43.08)-43.02/(42.96)-42.69/(42.52)-42.19

4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 (1030)-1023/(969)-954/(936)-922
(1h14m)-1h25m/(1h14m)-1h35m/(1h21m)-1h38m
(43.12)-43.06/(43.04)-42.74/(42.65)-42.27
turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 (949)-980/(891)-915/(859)-881
(1h16m)-1h56m/(1h18m)-2h2m/(1h20m)-2h8m
(43.28)-43.36/(43.21)-43.17/(42.91)-42.84
turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 (1027)-1024/(969)-956/(940)-925
(1h26m)-2h4m/(1h47m)-2h29m/(1h55m)-2h41m
(43.16)-43.09/(42.81)-42.65/(42.42)-42.04
turbo

In case your hardware player can play VCD with variable video bit rate add the option -mpeg1vbr.
-encode n:3:1 compress better AND has a higher PSNR
-encode n:2:1 is faster
For m = 1, 2 and 4, 2 pass encoding produces a smaller file and a lower PSNR than 1 pass encoding.
For m = 3, 2 pass encoding produces a bigger file than 1 pass encoding and the PSNR is usually higher.

SVCD (352x288)

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 (1066)-1065/(968)-965/(929)-926
(0h46m)-1h29m/(0h45m)-1h31m/(0h44m)-1h25m
(44.83)-44.85/(44.85)-44.80/(44.66)-44.61
-svcd 2
4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 (1062)-1061/(969)-964/(932)-925
(0h51m)-1h39m/(0h54m)-1h53m/(0h54m)-1h50m
(44.91)-44.94/(44.94)-44.82/(44.76)-44.62
-svcd 2, turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 (963)-1006/(901)-925/(874)-891
(1h19m)-2h3m/(1h15m)-2h7m/(1h15m)-2h7m
(45.11)-45.20/(45.06)-45.14/(44.76)-44.83
-svcd 2, turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 (1055)-1065/(977)-969/(945)-931
(1h32m)-2h18m/(1h50m)-2h43m/(1h57m)-2h47m
(44.94)-45.03/(44.77)-44.69/(44.56)-44.40
-svcd 2, turbo

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
4:1:2 0/1/2 1152 (1082)-1081/(1029)-1027/(994)-992
(0h42m)-1h19m/(0h42m)-1h21m/(0h42m)-1h23m
(42.90)-42.91/(43.01)-42.96/(42.76)-42.72
-svcd 2
4:2:2 0/1/2 1152 (1080)-1079/(1029)-1024/(994)-988
(0h46m)-1h27m/(0h50m)-1h37m/(0h52m)-1h49m
(42.95)-42.97/(43.10)-43.03/(42.89)-42.81
-svcd 2, turbo
4:3:2 0/1/2 1152 (1005)-1041/(960)-990/(929)-954
(1h20m)-2h0m/(1h16m)-2h3m/(1h15m)-2h4m
(43.47)-43.51/(43.65)-43.65/(43.48)-43.47
-svcd 2, turbo
4:4:2 0/1/2 1152 (1077)-1080/(1032)-1027/(999)-991
(1h26m)-2h8m/(1h48m)-2h34m/(1h58m)-2h43m
(43.00)-43.01/(42.89)-42.94/(42.67)-42.62
-svcd 2, turbo

Instead of a VCD you can create a SVCD with VCD resolution.
It is very similar to a VCD with variable video bit rate, but mpeg2 should give better quality.
As before, 2 pass produces worst results, except for m=3 where gives a higher PSNR.

DVD (720x576)

Video 1
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
0:1:2
0/1/2
7500
4119/3429/3203
2h44m/2h40m/2h42m
46.99/46.73/46.43
-usesbr 4118/3424/3200
0:2:2 0/1/2
7500 4120/3430/3203
3h30m/3h59m/4h7m
47.18/46.91/46.59
-usesbr 4118/3424/3200
0:3:2 0/1/2
7500 4118/3424/3200 5h42m/5h41m/5h51m 48.04/47.29/46.92  
0:4:2 0/1/2
7500 4132/3443/3216
6h13m/7h48m/8h8m
47.24/46.79/46.40
-usesbr 4118/3424/3200

Video 2
-encode
B frames
-vbr
size (MB)
job time PSNR note
0:1:2
0/1/2
9000
4283/3785/3478
2h28m/2h29m/2h29m
46.37/45.75/45.60
-usesbr 4289/3788/3484
0:2:2 0/1/2
9000 4283/3785/3478
3h5m/3h38m/3h50m
46.46/45.88/45.73
-usesbr 4289/3788/3484
0:3:2 0/1/2
9000 4289/3788/3484 5h23m/5h31m/5h42m 46.82/46.17/46.06
0:4:2 0/1/2
9000 4284/3788/3481
5h56m/7h40m/8h16m
46.60/45.86/45.62
-usesbr 4289/3788/3484

If you need to reduce the size of the mpeg video always use -encode n:3:i or B frames.
The usage of -usesbr (and therefore a lower vbr) always has a bad impact on the PSNR.
With 2 PASS encoding, the final file size is the one specified with -usesbr.