DVD original quality better than MakeMPV copy

[Montag451]

I used MakeMKV to rip 5 of my old 480p DVDs using the default MakeMKV settings. I did not transcode them with Handbrake or other software. When I play the digitized copies on my LG C4 4K TV the movies are of significantly lower quality than playing the movies on the DVD directly from my Panasonic Blu-ray player (DP-UB820-K). I am using a Jellyfin media server and Ethernet (1gb) to play the copies. There is no stuttering or lag going on. I can’t figure out why the copies are so much worse. MakeMKV is saving them at about 6000-6200 bitrate. I am using and old internal DVD RW to read the DVD for conversion. Is this the problem? Should I buy a Blu-ray player to rip even the older DVDs? Maybe Jellyfin is reducing the quality or maybe the Panasonic just upscales to 4K much better than my LG TV.

[Woodstock]

The MKV is a copy of what is on the disk. It isn't transcoded or anything similar.

Playing a DVD involves other software, which may change the video. If you play the MKV file through that software, at the same resolution, do you get the same quality?

[SmarmyGRC]

Looks like Jellyfin has transcode settings, did you confirm you aren't transcoding?

https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/server/transcoding/

[Montag451]

I played them with VLC player on the PC monitor and they still looked worse than when playing the dvd itself with Panasonic

[Montag451]

I know MakeMKV makes a 1-1 copy. What I am not clear on is whether some DVD players provide a lower quality input to the software than others resulting in a lower quality movie.

[Montag451]

Smarmygrc, you were right. Jellyfin was transcoding the movies when it wasn’t necessary. I turned that off and now the videos are much better. Thank you!

[SmarmyGRC]

Smarmygrc, you were right. Jellyfin was transcoding the movies when it wasn’t necessary. I turned that off and now the videos are much better. Thank you!

Glad that helped!