[xjsb125]

Older .mov was garbage. Most .mov files now use h.264 compression, and look pretty nice depending on the camera that created the files. .Avi can have a variety of codecs, and depending on what is used on the video, can be lossless, or compressed to the max to look like garbage. Your worst of the worst options would be mpeg-1, and .wmv. Your DVD's are going to be standard definition mpeg-2. As far as being able to tell generations, that's a little harder to do. Especially if it's a bootleg off of a consumer camcorder. They weren't the highest of quality back then. But, if the video colors are washed out, and the video itself is lacking in image detail, that would probably indicate it's been dubbed at least a couple of times. Text on the video that has been generated by a VCR is also a good indicator it's been through the wringer a couple of times. If you can find the same bootleg out there you might try downloading it and comparing image quality. If you find one that has a better image, then you may have found an earlier generation of the video. Most sites are also going to require some lineage to the video, so that may help you figure out where your copy is on the family tree.