CCE Encoding vs New Generation Backup Tools

[TeeeRex]

Hi,

I've been using CCE for re-encoding DVD9's to fit onto DVD5's for some time now with no problems and with excellent quality. However, my question is this :

Is the quality of one of the new 'backup' tools (DVD Xcopy, DVD Shrink etc) comparable or equal to a CCE encode (2-3 pass VBR) ?

My theory is that it can't be as good as it takes a fraction of the time - but this is just a theory !?

Has anybody done any analysis on comparing the two methods ? (PS - search has been done but didn't come up with a definate answer...)

Cheers,

TeeeRex

[TeeeRex]

Shouldn't really answer my own post but there is a good thread on Doom9 about this. It looks like CCE is still the best, then InstantCopy (because it re-encodes) and then DVD95 and lastly DVD2One (both transcoders only).

I'll stick with CCE then - I'm after maximum quality - not fussed that it takes hours to do it - I'm asleep at the time ......

[Satanico Pandemonium]

Yes, CCE is still the best....BUT:
If you want to keep menus and all bonus stuff, it will take you ages to make all snapshots, overlays, background music, chapters...connections...and then reauthor it in Maestro (T2 anyone?) .

[SaSi]

There is a case where tools like DVD2One beat any alternative hands down. If the movie with soundtrack is below 4.36Gb then DVD2One (that's what I've tried) is the fastest and best solution that demultiplexes, and re-authors the DVD. It takes something like 4 minutes on my PC and gives a ready VIDEO_TS directory to burn.

As it doesn't re-encode such movies, there is no room for discussion on quality.

The second type of DVDs on which I find DVD2One a perfect tool for are the ones requiring moderate re-encoding of the video. If the videp stream needs to go from 5.0~5.5 Gb down to 4.1Gb, I find DVD2One doing a good job. By that, I mean that I don't find any visible problems with the video stream.

Having said that, I would never use DVD2One (or any other tool) to fit a 4 episode 8.5Gb disk on a single DVDR.

Final point.

DVD2One is fast not because it does a messy job. It doesn't decode, re-estimate and encode. It takes a video stream (structured and all) and removes some of the bitrate elements. And it does this in assembly. This means that if the original movie was encoded with a very good encoder (e.g. CCE at 3 pass VBR), then DVD2One will do an equally good job in reducing the bitrate. If, however, the original movie was encoded in 7MBPS CBR, then DVD2One will do a bad job (regardless of speed).

[TeeeRex]

SaSi,

Thanks for your comments - Agree that they all have their uses - I'm old school and still prefer stripping streams with the rippers and authoring in IfoEdit if there is a chance it will fit into 4.3Gb.

[ZippyUK]

I've posted a guide for high quality backup using InstantCopy, quality may be slightly lower than CCE but it's a simple 3 step process.

1) DVD Decrypter File Mode Rip

2) DVDToolbox strip main movie and desired audi&subs

3) IC7 Transcode and burn.

My test movie was 115 mins (7GB) , total conversion time 160 mins, with audio & subs included and synced correctly.

NOTE If you want higher quality you can increase the ammount of video that is scanned at the beginning using the registry keys or IC7 Hidden Settings Editor - should be able to get it to rival CCE then - and IC7 is a very cheap.

Neil

http://www.encodinginfo.org.uk/guides/hqbackup.php

[Faustus]

TeeeRex Speaks the truth, still nothing to be CCE, but IC7 comes closer then anyone else.