Video bitrate: is higher or lower better?

Question

I am converting mp4s to DVD (mpeg), and I have options to lower the video bitrate. What I want is what will create the highest quality video. What option is best? I have options for 8000, 5000, or 2000 (the default is 8000)?

Answer 1

Bitrate is the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per each unit of time.  The higher the bitrate you have, the better quality your video will be.

Answer 2

The higher the bitrate (or higher the bandwidth), the better the video quality. If the bitrate falls to below the minimum required for true video, the system will not be able to display the images at the normal rate to have smooth, jitter-free video. It instead sends the complete images at a slower rate. This causes a flickering effect, or a kind of stop-motion effect, where the video movement is choppy instead of smooth.

Answer 3

Higher is better quality (and larger size)