MPEG-1 in FCPHD: Better than Toast Legacy or ffmpegx?

[terryj]

Just a quick general question:
I haven't upgraded to FCPHD ( 4.5) yet,
because I would need to go Panther first
( I'm on jag 2.8)
Before I do, can anyody tell me if the
MPEG-1 export option in FCPHD is
better than or comparable to
Toast Legacy ( Toast Video CD Plug-in)
or ffmpegx in the ability to make MPEG-1?

( yes, I still make VCDs, that's why i need mpeg-1)

[sdm]

I've used 'export using compressor' from FCPHD and made a vcd compatible mpeg1.
I then used 'export with quicktime conversion' and chose 'toast videoCD' with the same FCP sequence to make another vcd compatilbe mpeg1.

compressor's mpeg 1 was faster (maybe 2/3 as long)
it also appeared sharper on screen in quicktime.

I burned them both to one VCD using toast 6.
(toast accepts compressors mpeg after checking through it)

when viewing using a set-top dvd player, the video encoded with compressor looked like sh!t. It really looked over-sharpened, so objects had a halo effect.

Now, the set-top player I tried it on at work isn't very good. It would have been interesting to try it on my home player. But I threw the vcd away.

I hope this helps, and I'm also interested in anyone else's results too.

[deadsierra]

Are you sure that toast was only checking it over?

[chikanakan]

I tried compressor also, and I thought the quality was pretty bad. It seems like they do a blur filter or something on the video. It may have been the video I used, but I was unimpressed. The same video in Toast look much better. I didn't try ffmpeg.

[sdm]

Are you sure that toast was only checking it over?

well, I assume so, because the video was 8 minutes but toast only looked at it for about 45secs (not enough time to re-encode)

Anyone agree?

[chikanakan]

If it only took 45 seconds, Toast just scanned the file to make sure it was valid. Maybe it muxed the tracks if they were separate. You can tell if it got re-encoded by looking in the Roxio Converted Items folder. If there is a video file then it is re-encoding it, but if there is no video file it is just scanning it.