VCD, MPEG-1 CCE Basic Engine FASTER then CCE SP???

[dinkob]

Actually, SP as of 2.7 is faster, but comparing the older versions this is what you get (below).

CCE Basic 2.69.01.10
CCE SP Trial 2.67.00.27

In me recent project/research (yes I am still stuck in VCD age), I was comparing VCD encoding modes for CCE encoders, the reason being that CCE SP was always faster.

(note I am using Trial version on CCE SP which has that logo in it - I am not sure if time of encoding depends on the logo - if the encoder doesn't bother with that area).

In CCE Basic there are templates for VCD and MPEG-1. My source is 352x240.

If I select VCD my average speed is about 0.78 (EDIT: 2-Pass Mode Used)

If I select MPEG-1 (VCD but 48Khz Audio) my speed is 1.44

In CCE SP the same file with VCD template:

If I select VCD my average speed is about 1.17

If I select MPEG-1 (VCD but 48Khz Audio) my speed is about 1.29

(the reason for 48khz audio is for DVD MPEG-1)

Now in VCD template with CCE Basic I am just "guessing" that something else is being done to video file if VCD template is selected, as we can see the speed is more closer when the MPEG-1 template is selected. Would anyone know what is actually going on?


(I also noticed that occasionaly there is the "stairs" effect on edges on some files that have not been resized when CCE Basic VCD is used).

On another note; after encoding so many files with CCE Basic I just spotted the offset line checkbox that is by default set to 1 (so it is in SP).

Why would they do that when the acutal picture size is more exact when offset line is set to just 0 (in other words picture is not shrunk as it is with offset line set to 1)?

Finally is there anything else that I am missing when encoding to MPEG-1 VCD (offset line, luminace scale (always set to 16-255)).

Jeez it's definitely great (if not greatest) VCD quality but they complicated some minor things with this fantastic encoder. (well menu user interface is great but other stuff (sequence, half-vertical resolution and other menu boxes) is just beginning to annoy me (yah, them minor tweaks).

B.T.W the resize feature in CCE Basic isn't that hi-quality? Would it be better to resize with VirtualDub?

[adam]

CCE has an option called "quick compression" which sacrifices some quality for speed. The VCD template probably has this enabled by default, and if so, that would explain the speed difference.

The offset line is for setting the field order for interlaced sources. CCE always outputs top field first material. If your source is tff, this option should be set to 0, and it will just leave it alone. If your source is bottom field first, you should set the offset line to 1. This will crop the first scan line effectively changing the field order to top field first. If you are making VCDs I'd just leave this at 0.

As for the luminence scale, it entirely depends on your source.

As for the other settings, the CCE manual explains them pretty well in my opinion.

You can try out some of the available resize filters in Virtualdub or Avisynth and you might get better results. You will certainly have more control over the resizing. But you simply can't expect to much from a VCD. The resolution is so low that aliasing (stair-stepping) is often unavoidable in certain scenes.

[Abond]

(EDIT: 2-Pass Mode Used)

This may have sense only if you are making VBR. Standart VCD are CBR 1150 kbps, so one pass CBR is enough, as the second pass will change nothing.