H.264: mencoder vs. x264

[kaz219]

For what I tried, the "constant quality" option of mencoder for H.264 is not really reliable. The size of the final file is unpredictable, ranging from simple to triple, for the same quality settings, with different videos but with the same length.

So I put it aside, and want to know, among the other options of mencoder and x264, which one are relevant? Which one can help to make a choice between x264 and mencoder?

Who is faster : with all options, with no options? With some options (only "relevant" ones, please explain the choice)?

regards,
kaz

[Case]

For what I tried, the "constant quality" option of mencoder for H.264 is not really reliable. The size of the final file is unpredictable, ranging from simple to triple, for the same quality settings, with different videos but with the same length.

That's how constant quality works. The (variable) bitrate depends only on the complexity of the scenes, and that determines the size of the final file. If you want a specific file size, then you'll need variable quality (Qmin not equal to Qmax), and preferably 2-pass encoding.

[kaz219]

Thank you for this precision. I just don't believe that the two video has a complexity that is that much different. I mean, did you looked at the sizes I wrote? How is it possible that the size is tripled?? The two videos are quite similar, so I think something doesn't really work in this constant quality setting.

Furthermore, the quality difference between the 800MB video and the 2,4GB one is obvious. That's what convinced me, that something really doesn't work there.

But I agree, I made the test only once. It is not really reliable. I'm going to further investigate it.

Nobody has any clues about the actual topic of this thread? Comparison between mencoder and x264, with the H.264 codec?

[Mildew]

Nobody has any clues about the actual topic of this thread? Comparison between mencoder and x264, with the H.264 codec?

Yeah, I'm curious about that, too. Anyone know?

[major]

They both use x264 to encode, so the difference is only in decoding, filtering, and pre-processing.