Mainconcept 1.4.2 settings

[Blazey]

Hi,


I just bought the 1.4.2 version and I would like to know if anyone has a "magic formula" for the highest quality output with speed being unimportant. The reason I ask, is because after my own tests and reading everything in the forum here (esp. the encoder shootout), I can't get it's output to look even half way as good as TMPGEnc and I don't think I ever will!

If anyone could help out I'd really appreciate it. It's making me nuts!

My conversions are all captured AVI in Vegas and frame served to MainConcept. I don't use Vegas built in encoder because I like the noise filtering I can get when I frameserve to another encoder.

Thanks much in advance!

[reboot]

I have a guide on Mainconcept.
Link below.

[Blazey]

That is helpful. Thanks! Have you used the noise filters? Are they as good as TMPGEnc?

[reboot]

IMHO, better. Mainconcept puts out a smoother looking video anyhow, much less macroblocking, and I rarely find need for the noise filters.

[Blazey]

My laserdisc source is a bit grainy (I'm sure it's my player) so I really need the filters. It must be me because even if I follow your guide to the letter, I am not getting smooth video at all. It almost looks like an interlace problem whne viewed on the TV. TMPGEnc is perfect. It looks like I just blew $150 trying to find some speed in my encodes!

[reboot]

I doubt it. Why not email Mainconcept support or post here (with screenshots)?
Obviously a setting change is needed, and because you DIDN'T specify your source material, I assumed avi at a "standard" given fps and bitrate.
This is NOT the case with laserdisc's, so my settings probably don't apply to you at all.
The guide does say "avi to mpeg", and I'm sorry that I didn't cover every aspect of every different possible avi source file.
Is your source interlaced? Is it a "normal" fps? Are you using 2 pass? What filter's and why?

[Blazey]

I'm waiting on MC's reply to my email. OK, it's a Laserdisc, NTSC. I have to assume it's interlaced, because I wouldn't know how to tell if it isn't. It's a US release on a US machine. I'm capturing at 29.97, as again, I assumed the Laserdisc would be this framerate. I tried 2 pass. No better. The only filter I used was the Noise Filter at different settings.

[reboot]

I'll bet it's 23.976fps with pulldown.
May or may not be interlaced.

[Blazey]

So do you think I should I re-capture at 23.976 and encode with 3:2?

[reboot]

Check your source to find out.
How are you capturing? What codec (if any)? What bitrate, what aspect?
Too many variables to just blame MC.
Why not use MC to capture?

[Blazey]

Check your source to find out.
How are you capturing? What codec (if any)? What bitrate, what aspect?
Too many variables to just blame MC.
Why not use MC to capture?

Laserdisc S-Video Cable>ATI AIW>VEGAS AVI 4:3 (No compression codec)>Filters Applied:Black Restore>MC 2pass VBR 7000-6000 filter applied:noise filter

[reboot]

What aspect and size is the original? What aspect and size are you capturing in? Should be the same if at all possible.

[Blazey]

What aspect and size is the original? What aspect and size are you capturing in? Should be the same if at all possible.

4:3 for both questions

[reboot]

nononono, 720x480, 352x240, ??? SIZE!

[Blazey]

DUH! 720X480 in and out. After working with it all day, the best I can get is jerky motion, but it is clear. Scemes with little motion are perfect. This time I tried to capture with VDUB and MC's capture software. TMPGEnc's output is still good. I think it may be a setting in my capture software now.

[reboot]

at least we're getting somewhere...set motion precision up a notch or two.

[Blazey]

Been there already. I think it may be an interlace issue because the playback is perfect on the PC but jerky on the TV.

[mistycat]

These are my own personal settings for avi in Mainconcept. I have found Mainconcept to be equally as good as TMPGenc in quality but far faster and more forgiving as far as Audio although I still convert the Audio to wav first. I use the VideoHelp Bitrate Finder and then remove 6%. In MC, max bitrate to 9000, min to 1500 and avg to what I got removing 6% from the VHBF total. NR to 30 and NS to 1{change NS or NR by clicking on it}, enable 1/2 pel{think it is already} and User Quantization, Motion Search Mode to 11, Motion Search Areas to 2000 {both} and intra DC Precision to 2{10}. I have used both 192 and 224 for Audio Bitrate and noticed no difference. Search Method should now be at 11 and Search Range at 43. 10% can be added to the split file size. Now,as I said, these are my own settings and I don't have a Laserdisc. 2 pass VBR also.

[SatStorm]

I only use mainconcept 1.4.2 for realtime mpeg 2 captures with my bt8xx & nvidia cards.
I rarelly use it for avi 2 mpeg 2 encoding. It smooths a lot the video for my taste

[Blazey]

I've actually given up on the MC encoder. Chalk it up to experience. I went and bought PC 2.0 and I am very happy with the results. This is my official stance on encoders:

1 - Procoder 2.0 for clean sources with no noise
2 - TMPGEnc for sources that need help (old VHS, etc)

Results are very good and I am happy. Just out $149 for the MC. Sigh.

[lordsmurf]

MainConcept's own implementation of their engine is a really ultra-soft encoder. Adobe and Sony, even Ulead and Sonic, do not have such a softness issue as MC's homegrown apps.

MainConcept tech support also sucks. You should see their forums. Mostly complaints, very little in the way of fixes. Waste of money to buy MC stuff.

It's a decent engine in other apps, and MC 1.4.2 may be decent for live capture if you've got a card that cannot do MPEG any other way. However, powerful system is required.

[Blazey]

MainConcept's own implementation of their engine is a really ultra-soft encoder. Adobe and Sony, even Ulead and Sonic, do not have such a softness issue as MC's homegrown apps.

MainConcept tech support also sucks. You should see their forums. Mostly complaints, very little in the way of fixes. Waste of money to buy MC stuff.

It's a decent engine in other apps, and MC 1.4.2 may be decent for live capture if you've got a card that cannot do MPEG any other way. However, powerful system is required.

I am 100% in agreement here. The MC in Vegas 5 is actually very good for clean source material. Big improvement over the Vegas 4 encoder with the 2 pass and main/high level encoding now available.