DVD authoring programs and their MPEG2 encoders?

[Valnar]

Does anyone have a quick list of the various DVD authoring programs and which company's MPEG2 encoder they use?

I'm trying to find a decent DVD authoring program and it's encoder is important to me.... once I decide whether I like Main Concept, TMPGEnc, CCE or others better.

Examples are like the Ulead products, Nero, etc.

Has their been any third party comparisons of the common MPEG2 encoders?

[manono]

I'm trying to find a decent DVD authoring program and it's encoder is important to me....

Why? Authoring programs author and encoders encode. While sometimes an authoring program will include an encoder, it's certainly not a requirement. Many, if not most, will encode using one encoder and then author using an authoring program. If you like CCE, for example, then go ahead and use it for encoding and then author with an authoring program you like. As far as I know, there's no authoring program associated with CCE anyway.

[redwudz]

It sounds like you are asking about all-in-one converter programs. These aren't authoring programs, though they also do this. They can edit, author and encode most times. The problem is they don't give you much control over the final output. I find it much better to use separate editing, encoding and authoring programs. But you can see a few all-in-ones here: https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/all-in-one-dvd-converters

FAVC uses HC or Quenc
The Film Machine can use CCE or Procoder
Nero probably uses it's own encoder
TMPGEnc uses TMPGEnc encoder
DVD2SVCD uses Cinema Craft Encoder or TMPGEnc or Procoder or QuEnc encoder

For the higher end all-in-one converter programs, you would probably have to check their websites. Or other may be able to tell you what encoders they use. Most often, they will probably use a encoder that they have created.

[guns1inger]

DVD Architect - Mainconcept
Encore - Mainconcept
DVD Workshop - Mainconcept

However I agree with Manono - the encoder in an authoring tool should be secondary to all other authoring functions. I use an authoring tool that has no built-in encoder because I always encoder my elements separately. An authoring tool should, first and foremost, be for authoring.

[Valnar]

I've narrowed my authoring selection down TMPGEnc DVD Author, but I might indeed use FAVC (HCEnc) first for it's encoder. I haven't decided yet. I need to do a couple test runs first.

I've read a lot about Main Concept, and little of it good. Thanks everyone.

[manono]

...but I might indeed use FAVC (HCEnc) first for it's encoder.

If you decide you like HCEnc as your encoder (a very good choice), then use HCEnc as a standalone encoder. You won't need FAVC at all. FAVC outputs very rudimentary menus. I assume that the menu creation abilities of TMPGEnc DVD Author is one reason you'll be using it. If all you want is the best muxing engine and menus aren't important to you, then Muxman is the way to go for authoring.

[Valnar]

Well... I've read that both HCEnc and TMPGEnc are pretty good encoders. The only problem is TMPGEnc is very slow. If the quality is equal, I don't mind waiting a bit.

If needed, the idea was to use FAVC just to leave the temp files intact after HCEnc, since it will also do my AC3 encoding too, then author with TMPGEnc. My menu needs are very rudimentary (if at all), but I would like to choose my chapter points to coincide with events. This FAVC does not do. (These are Hi-8 camcorder family moments.)

I'd prefer to use an all-in-one, but it depends on the quality.

For those who are reading, is there any disadvantage to using TMPGEnc for everything *except* speed?

Also, some of my older 8mm (even before Hi-8) tapes run 2 hours. They are even less sharp and probably closer to VHS. I may decide to use 1/2D resolution to get all 2 hours on one 4.36GB DVD. I know FAVC/HCEnc is good at that.

[vhelp]

Hi Valnar, here are my comments on this subject..

MPEG Encoding

If there is any chance that anyone will be viewing these on larger (widescreen) sets you may want to consider encoding CBR high bitrate. The larger these screens get, the more pronounsed are the left-over mpeg artifacts. And you can be sure that there will be, though you may not see them on smaller sets. And don't forget that different brands offer different Image Processing quality levels in their equipment. And, you know how it goes when we come into contact with better technowlegy. We can't help ourselves. We just gotta try it. Anyway.

I know at this time HCenc does not support CBR encoding yet, though you can simulate it very closely by matching the min/max as such, as I've done it with very good results though I was testing this to compare TMPGenc CBR, to see which of the two did better (held the most detail or the original source) and I was satisfied that they both held the same level of quality, less you scrutnise with a magnifire. So, it boils down to speed--HCenc 2-pass vs. TMPGenc 1-pass CBR. In this case, they are close in speed, though I was testing with hcenc v019 at the time. It all depends on your preference.

. . .

AVC (H264) Encoding

Then there is also AVC to consider. This newest format seems to give better quality at lower bitrates. I'm still researching the right combination of encoding parameters and presents, etc., (I've coded up some GUI tools for testing various command-line tools) so I can't really give any suggestions on your vhs/hi-8 source at this time. But maybe someone else can. I hear MeGUI has an arson of (already debugged) presets in its GUI.

I think that you will have lots of fun exploring and experimenting in this area, once you realize there is potential here, too. And, (for computer display purposes) I've found that on some hi-8 footage, they seem to deinterlace better than other interlaced sources I've played around with, using avisynth of course. So you have some room to play around with in terms of content presentation and whatnot.

. . .

Authoring

I use an authoring tool that has no built-in encoder because I always encoder my elements separately.

Thats a good idea.. encoding your own elements separately--I never thought of that. I have to remember that one.

-vhelp 4974

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