Transcoder Review - Time for a new one!

[Methanoid]

The last detailed review I saw of transcoders was so long ago I cannot remember

Since then,

DVDShrink has added AEC with v3.2
DVD2One has Selective compression with v1.5
Nero Recode has similar upgrades
CloneDVD has had tweaks

How come we have not seen any comparisons to tell us which one now works "best"?

Perhaps 2 disk encodes using

Shrink with Deep Analysis
Shrink with AEC also
DVD2One with Normal Mode
DVD2One with Selective (Medium)
Recode, Clone etc

And some pics to compare the results as well as narrative?

I did see something that was clearly faked to make one of the far eastern transcoders look great.

What we need is an independent and full comparison!

IMHO only.... unless anyone else agrees?

[jimmalenko]

I tend to agree ... I'm just too lazy to do it myself

I might add that IMO LOTR-ROTK would be the best datum to use - plenty of length, plenty of motion, and is certainly regarded as "the standard test" when it comes to transcoding.

As an extension, maybe there could be re-encodes included also ?

One massive project, but I like the concept.

[RickTheRed]

ditto,
This is a huuuuuuggggge task.
Btw, frame captures are not a good way to compare transcoding engines. IMHO,small excerpt is the only way.
Who has all those engines?

[jimmalenko]

Btw, frame captures are not a good way to compare transcoding engines. IMHO,small excerpt is the only way.

Good call, although we're limited to 2MB samples here (unless Baldrick would open up some more bandwidth ) or someone donates some off-site hosting space.

Who has all those engines?

Therein lies problem 2:

DVDShrink is free
DVD2One has a 14 day trial, with output limited to 30 minutes of video. Compression ratio is based on the full length of the movie, not on the 30 minutes that will be processed. Evaluation period limited to 14 days.
Nero Recode has a fully-functional free trial (30 days I think ?)
CloneDVD has a fully-functional free trial (30 days I think ?)

Then there's the multitude of MPEG Encoders out there, and you'd almost need someone with a copy of all of them.

Biiiiig job !

[ddlooping]

Do you mean something like that?

http://www.dvdshrink.info/temp/beta/comparative_tests_maxsharp.html

http://www.dvdshrink.info/temp/beta/comparative_tests_smooth.html

http://www.dvdshrink.info/temp/beta/comparative_tests.html

[Methanoid]

Yes, but I was somewhat surprised to find anyone using DVDRb would use 2 pass CCE.... I know improvements get marginal on extra passes but I'd have done at least 4...

[Methanoid]

Oh BTW, I do think Shrink is awesome and in fact happened to Shrink LOTR ROTK myself yesterday.

I'd like to see the batch facility in Shrink (like the AutoShrink tool but built in) and perhaps better replacement of titles like DVDRemake and perhaps even button edit.... but hey... I know.. its a free tool...

He could charge for Shrink and make money as long as it wasnt a silly charge.. I bought MenuEdit but not DVDRemake as the prices are expensive for the tool. Shrink could charge $15 and people WOULD pay!

[ddlooping]

I have CCE Basic which only allows for 2 passes.

Talking about batch-facility, do you know MultiShrink?
http://www.dvdshrink.info/chetwood/index.php

[Methanoid]

Yes, I meant MultiShrink... its neat.. I'd like some sort of batch facility BUILT into Shrink (if he has time and inclination of course).

[thehotrod]

But what about comparisons of Shrink with Nero Recode?