[retired]

Originally Posted by harpsichord

I've also seen videos with bitrates of 4000 that look and sound far superior to video with bitrates of 8000 -

I think you're comparing apples & oranges. Tv broadcasts these days are around 4mbs. A proper capture & author of that stream is going to be at the same bit rate and look far superior to even a perfect VHS capture of a master tape.

With old VHS, here's an apples to apples comparison using the same source tape:
standalone capture at 2.6mbs
http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/...ad.php?t=55561
proper capture/render at 8.2mbs
http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/...634#post942634

Standard Def Audience shot footage to miniDV...if the capture is done correctly, is horrendously degraded when rendered at 8mbs VS 4mbs