Does file size or bitrate mean quality

[Guest]

I have a Hi8 analog video camera that connects to my computer via a USB 2.0
port (firewire is not an option). I'm guessing that with MM2 the best quality
I can capture with is "Best Play back for my computer" at 720x480 (DV-AVI is
grayed out without a firewire connection). The WMV file that is created for 1
minute of video is 16 meg and the bitrate is 2076 Kps. My other option is to
use my Pinnacle Studio 9 software. It lets me cpature in DV-AVI and MPEG too.
The same 1 minute of video when captured in DV-AVI is 255 meg but only a 1576
Kps bitrate. When I capture to some of the mpeg formats the file sizes range
from 30 meg to 90 meg but I cannot determine what the bitrate is.

My question is two-fold: What determines quality of the captured video - the
size or the bitrate and where can I go to determine what the bitrate is for
mpeg files? Clicking on "properties" does't show it.

Please note: I have read many posts on this forum and it seems as though the
format of "captured" video and the format of "rendered" or "saved" video get
intertwined. I will always "render" my final movie to DV-AVI.

 

[Wojo]

Hi Jeff,
Well the best option for you since DV-AVI capturing isn't possible without
firewire is to capture as a High Quality NTSC video. As far as quality of
the video it is determined by the bitrate not the filesize since the
difference there could just as easily be the video size it is saving at.
(800x600 would be a larger file than 640x480)