Demistify the codecs world

[kikidee]

For few years, I have done some basic video manipulation as an "amateur".

I've used tools like Adobe Premiere 6.0, TMPGEnc, Adobe Encore 1.0 to capture videos and transform JPG.

But, since then, I still have the same issue; what is the best codec pack to use? Lately, I have downloaded a codec pack (don't remember the name) that included a uge amount of codec but that also bust off my system. Luckly, I was able to do a restore of my system because I have WinXp.

So, mainly what I do is to take my JPG picture and manipulate them with Abobe Premiere Pro 1.5 to add rolling title, transition and music. My problem is when I do the rending of the video. If I choose an AVI compression, it take a lot of time and the quality is ordinary. If I choose DV AVI, it is fast but when I play my .avi with Media Player, the film jumps. The best compression I found was MPEG-4, provided with Quicktime codec, but I did not burn it on a DVD yet and I am not sure that the DVD will be able to read it.

I would like to know what would be the appropriate codec pack for my needs without loosing quality. Maybe I don't use the good tool for what I do but I am becomming used to Adobe Premiere and I also think it's a powerfull tool. Adobe Encore 1.0 did the job but was too basic regarding special effect like rolling title.

Here is a description of my system:

P4, 2.4GHz
Memory: 640 M
HD: 40 G
OS: WinXP Familial SP2
Video Card: Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics (chipset 845GL)

Thanks for any suggestion! 8)

[redwudz]

Most people here have found out the hard way not to install the entire codec pack. Just install the codecs you need as you need them.

AVIcodec or Gspot will tell you what you need when you scan the files. If you install all of the codecs in a codec pack the odds are very good that you will get conflicts, as you have found out.

[Gurm]

Codec packs = your system DEATH.

[Nelson37]

AVOID ALL CODEC PACKS!!!

To answer your question, it is necessary to understand what your goal is. If you wish to put video on DVD for more than one person, then MPEG-2 or possibly MPEG-1 is your ONLY answer. A VERY LIMITED number of DVD players can play DivX or a few other codecs.

You should also be aware that what you see is NOT necessarily what you get. The Huffy AVI compression codec, for example, is good at compression without quality loss but is NOT designed for playback, and often appears to hesitate or skip. No such errors will be present in the MPEG-2 encoded final product. Your DV AVI results most probably result from problems with the playback software used, not the video.

Short answer - use the codec which least affects your video until ready for final output - this would be either no compression or Huffy. Then, render to final product using either MPG - for disk player output - or something else if going for Net distribution or PC playback - XVID would be my choice here.

[kikidee]

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestion !

My main goal is to produce video for my personal purpose; travel and special event souvenirs. The only thing I do is burn a DVD and watch it with the family and friends in my DVD players at home.

I did the test with AVIcodec and it shows me that I should use MPEG-1 compression.

As I can understand, I think I will have to do the rending of my video using AVI compression in Adobe Premiere Pro and then, use TMPEGEnc to compress the AVI in MPG and then burn the MPG on the DVD. I am right?

I was thinking that maybe there was a way to do the rending in Adode Premire Pro directly in MPEG format and skip the TMPEGEnc step.

I am familiar with TMPEGEnc because before I had a DVD burner, I did some VCD using this tool.

Is there any place with a good documentation on codec, what should be avoid and what should be use?

Suggestion are still welcome!

Thank you!

[Nelson37]

"AVI compression" includes perhaps dozens of possible codecs. It's like saying "I have a truck". Semi, pickup, Tonka, what?

Probably the best AVI codec, besides none at all (uncompressed AVI) would be Huffy. Most others are designed for final output, ie heavy compression, ie exactly what you DO NOT want for intermediate processing such as editing.

Use lossy compression only once for best results. Huffy is lossless, virtually anything else is not.

In what manner did the "AviCodec test" indicate that MPEG-1 was desirable? It should be telling you what has already been done to the file, not what should be done subsequently.

[kikidee]

Nelson,

thanks a lot for your help. I've installed Huffy codec; what an a-m-a-z-i-n-g codec. It does exactly what I want, the compresion is done fastly and the quality is incredible!

About the AVICodec test, I did not express myself properly. In fact, it tells me what codec are installed on my system and/or what codec should I use for a specific file. Sorry.

But... I still have an issue. When my Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 project will be done, I will burn it on a DVD using Adobe Encore 1.0 because I already have a projet on Adobe Encore 1.0 that include JPG picture with subtitle and audio. I will include my .avi file previously build with Premiere Pro 1.5 and then, add a menu with button that will point to different chapters linking to the .avi, jpg, etc.

When I include the .avi file, it works well; when I try to build the DVD (Make folder) it does not work giving me the error "Unknow error" and the operation abort. So I am not able to put my .avi file on the DVD using Adobe Encore 1.0.

I have already put an .avi on VCD format (using TMPGEnc) and play it in my DVD player. But now that I have a DVD burner, I don't need anymore to use VCD format.

Suggestion always welcome!