ConvertXtoDVD Encoder Quality

[SCDVD]

ConvertXtoDVD looks like a useful utility but I'm wondering how good its MPEG encoder is. Does anyone have an opinion on this? The utility of it looks good but only if the encoder produces good results.

[delius]

one of the better programs good quality and fast

[Seeker47]

ConvertXtoDVD looks like a useful utility but I'm wondering how good its MPEG encoder is. Does anyone have an opinion on this? The utility of it looks good but only if the encoder produces good results.

My experience with it so far (made about 50 DVDs) is that the most significant variable seems to be the quality of the source videos. That is to say, if you have really good looking sources -- resolution, bitrate, how well it was shot -- then you can get very good looking results out of it. Crappy clips will look rather crappy. Anything in-between is prone to vary -- but don't load up with gigantic meg.-count or total running times on the sources, or the results will suffer for it. I must admit that I haven't put any time in on the ConvertX User forums, so there may be a number of things I could tweak in the settings to improve matters if I knew to do them. I'm still trying to get a feel for what quantity of sources (and per file type) is apt to yield the optimum results, but seem to have a very rough, untutored grasp of it. Overall I've been quite pleased with this program.

[Soopafresh]

It's OK. It's based on ffmpeg if I recall. Above a certain bit rate, it's really difficult to tell one brand encoder from another.

[ricardouk]

Have a go with AVS2DVD, free, can create proper animated menus, users can also create menus and share them, uses HCHenc, supports a lot of formats, etc etc better than convertxtodvd

Screenshot/program GUI not up to date on videohelps product page for AVS2DVD

[guns1inger]

It's OK. It's based on ffmpeg if I recall. Above a certain bit rate, it's really difficult to tell one brand encoder from another.

I believe the original version was based on ffmpeg, but version 2 onwards used it's own encoder. It may still use ffmpeg for decoding some formats though.

As was pointed out, if the quality of the source is high, and you don't try to squeeze too much onto a disc (2 hours or less is optimum) then the quality is pretty good. If the quality is only average - your standard 700/350 MB download then you can go to 3 hours without losing too much quality, as it wasn't great to begin with.

However, ConvertXtoDVD does a single pass encode, so it does not distribute the data as well as a good two pass encoder. It has no facility to do any filtering - sharpening, deblocking etc. It isn't the best when bitrate starts to get low.

[Seeker47]

However, ConvertXtoDVD does a single pass encode, so it does not distribute the data as well as a good two pass encoder. It has no facility to do any filtering - sharpening, deblocking etc. It isn't the best when bitrate starts to get low.

And what fills that gap ? AVS2DVD ?

[davidcw]

However, ConvertXtoDVD It isn't the best when bitrate starts to get low.

That's what I found also.
davidcw

[ricardouk]

And what fills that gap ? AVS2DVD ?

In my opinion yes, more options and like someone said already 2 pass encoding so we can squeze that extra quality when we deal with video between 2 hours and 3 hours long.

FAVC is also good but only creates simplistic/static menus.

[PuzZLeR]

Just saw this post now.

I have ConvertXtoDvD.

The encoder is surprisingly good and has good speed. It's not as good as something like CCE, but it's a good enough comparison among the not-so-picky.

IMO, the best use for ConvertXtoDvD is, for example, when you have source, such as DivX, H.264, etc. that you wish to show to your friend at his house. You need it on DvD, but you don't want to spend alot of time on tweaks or encoding. The result is not something you care to archive, but you still want it to be enjoyable enough to watch (quality-wise).

All you want is a fast, and hassle-free encode and watchable DvD to bring to your friend's house. This is where ConvertXtoDvD earns its value points.

[ricardouk]

IMO, the best use for ConvertXtoDvD is, for example, when you have source, such as DivX, H.264, etc. that you wish to show to your friend at his house. You need it on DvD, but you don't want to spend alot of time on tweaks or encoding. The result is not something you care to archive, but you still want it to be enjoyable enough to watch (quality-wise).

All you want is a fast, and hassle-free encode and watchable DvD to bring to your friend's house. This where ConvertXtoDvD earns its value points.

you can select AVS2DVD and others like FAVC to convert the videos in 1 pass like convertxtodvd, it will be fast and watchable aswell.

[_MrC_]

you can select AVS2DVD and others like FAVC to convert the videos in 1 pass like convertxtodvd, it will be fast and watchable aswell.

I would add that AVStoDVD and FAVC are 100% free (open source), while convertxtodvd not...



Bye

[guns1inger]

From what format to what format ?
What is the source quality and resolution ?
Do you need to perform any filtering or repairs to the video ?
Do you need to resize the video ?
Do you need other features, such as authoring ?

Your question is like asking what is the best chair ? Without context, it is a meaningless, unanswerable question.

[ranosb]

ConvertXtoDvd Two pass enabled...

Just download this and run, will put and enable two pass encoding, which does make a difference on HD sources like MKV...

http://rapidshare.com/files/229995270/ConvertXtoDvd_enc_twopass_enabled.reg

[glenpinn]

ConvertXtoDVD isnt very good at all, compared to TMPGEnc xpress 4.0 for example, which btw has an editing, filtering and cropping tool onboard and imports/outputs so many different file formats.

its encoding quality compared to ConvertXtoDVD is way better, and especially at 2 pass mpeg2 output.

author using TMPGEnc dvd author or whatever tool you prefer.

cheers

[SandyB]

ConvertXtoDVD isnt very good at all, compared to TMPGEnc xpress 4.0 for example, which btw has an editing, filtering and cropping tool onboard and imports/outputs so many different file formats.

its encoding quality compared to ConvertXtoDVD is way better, and especially at 2 pass mpeg2 output.

author using TMPGEnc dvd author or whatever tool you prefer.

cheers

This is the Setting:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VSO\ConvertXToDVD\3.0\s ettings]
"enc_twopass"="TRUE"

[ChrissyBoy]

I believe the original version was based on ffmpeg, but version 2 onwards used it's own encoder. It may still use ffmpeg for decoding some formats though.

Nope - v3 still uses ffmpeg libraries for encoding.

[Seeker47]

ConvertXtoDVD isnt very good at all, compared to TMPGEnc xpress 4.0 for example, which btw has an editing, filtering and cropping tool onboard and imports/outputs so many different file formats.

its encoding quality compared to ConvertXtoDVD is way better, and especially at 2 pass mpeg2 output.

author using TMPGEnc dvd author or whatever tool you prefer.

cheers

Kind of an apples & oranges comparison, no ? The analogy that springs to mind is that the use for a point & shoot camera is rather different than for a fancy SLR. Spending the time and the hands-on user control of lighting and other factors is much more likely to accompany the latter.