What is the best codec for re-encoding HD video?

[Track]

I'm using XviD4PSP (the only program that maintains the color space of my videos).

I'm also encoding to .MKV, using H.264 with a CBR of 20-22.

I used to encode to .AVI, using MPEG4 with a bit-rate of 5,000-7,500Kbps.

This is really most of what I know.

Is there anything else I should know? Are there better codecs out there?

I want to lower the file-size of my files (because they're captured uncompressed), but maintain as much quality as possible, because a lot of them are home videos and they're very important to me.

Thank You!

[jman98]

If you really want to live on the bleeding edge, you could look into H.265. You'll need a really beefy PC to do the encodes though. And no guarantees that present standalone devices can play back the files. That's the only thing right now that's better than H.264, which is currently state of the art. Again, H.265 is bleeding edge but it may offer slightly better quality than H.264 at slightly smaller bit rates (this will give you smaller files). H.264 is really excellent so the gains from using H.265 will not be enormous.

We've had another thread in the past few days on H.265 if you want to search for it.

[Track]

If you really want to live on the bleeding edge, you could look into H.265. You'll need a really beefy PC to do the encodes though. And no guarantees that present standalone devices can play back the files. That's the only thing right now that's better than H.264, which is currently state of the art. Again, H.265 is bleeding edge but it may offer slightly better quality than H.264 at slightly smaller bit rates (this will give you smaller files). H.264 is really excellent so the gains from using H.265 will not be enormous.

We've had another thread in the past few days on H.265 if you want to search for it.

Well, I have an i7-2600k @ 5.1Ghz. That should be enough. I'll look into it.

But, if I stay with h.264, am I using the right settings? Is there anything else I need to change?

[Hoser Rob]

h.265 may be better in theory. But the software support is terrible now and it's not going to get better for a while. I haven't seen too many of the serious video geeks here make the jump yet.

I'm afraid your constant rate factor settings and bit rate are just scratching the surface of h.264. One of the main reasons that h.264 is better than xvid or divx is that there are a lot more video settings. They aren't simple, and h.265 will be worse. I don't know whether a crf of 20-22 is OK without knowing the source.

The handbrake, avidemux, and mplayer sites all have good docs on h.264 encoding parameters.

[jman98]

Here's a recent thread that shows big CPU usage in a somewhat slower i7 when encoding with H.265.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/355511-H265-HEVC-samples

[Track]

h.265 may be better in theory. But the software support is terrible now and it's not going to get better for a while. I haven't seen too many of the serious video geeks here make the jump yet.

I'm afraid your constant rate factor settings and bit rate are just scratching the surface of h.264. One of the main reasons that h.264 is better than xvid or divx is that there are a lot more video settings. They aren't simple, and h.265 will be worse. I don't know whether a crf of 20-22 is OK without knowing the source.

The handbrake, avidemux, and mplayer sites all have good docs on h.264 encoding parameters.

Yes, I know. But they're seriously a lot of reading and I need this done soon. I'll read them all eventually, but are there maybe a few things that are the most important?

Here's a recent thread that shows big CPU usage in a somewhat slower i7 when encoding with H.265.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/355511-H265-HEVC-samples

I don't understand. My CPU usage is always 100% when encoding.. that's what makes it go faster.

Is that 40% for DECODING, as in watching the video? That would be ridiculous.

[_Al_]

Encode your videos with CRF 18, set device, default settings, make sure that vbv-bufsize and vbv-maxrate are not bigger than 30000 so there is some bitrate limits for your video otherwise encoder might set 50000 for some scenes without remorse.

The only thing you can do yourself is to use gently some denoise filter for noisy videos in editing software or elsewhere. Do not look for any miraculous settings. You can go lower with CRF if you want realy superb picture than 18 so gradients look better (less banding) or go higher with aq-strenght 1.5.

[jman98]

I'm just passing on the link. I didn't pay enough attention to whether it was encoding or decoding so I could be wrong in saying it was encoding. My bad. Just passing on info to you. Not trying to encourage you either way.

[Track]

Encode your videos with CRF 18, set device, default settings, make sure that vbv-bufsize and vbv-maxrate are not bigger than 30000 so there is some bitrate limits for your video otherwise encoder might set 50000 for some scenes without remorse.

The only thing you can do yourself is to use gently some denoise filter for noisy videos in editing software or elsewhere. Do not look for any miraculous settings. You can go lower with CRF if you want realy superb picture than 18 so gradients look better (less banding) or go higher with aq-strenght 1.5.

Are you sure CRF 18 is necessary? It adds quite a bit to file size and CRF 20 is already quite large. I've been using CRF 22 for videos taken with a P&S.

[_Al_]

I cannot tell you if it is necessary for you, it is necessary for me and what I encode. You have your video and your eyes, believe what you can see yourself.
Go with CRF 22 and for troublesome scenes you can use zones, where you crank bitrate higher, for example from frame 5000 to 6000 set double bit rate --zones 5000,6000,b=2 . I kind of think that this is the weapon that super encodings might be done that way too, using different bitrate for different scenes, I do not bother because of that CFR=18. And you have to encode more than once. First time you check the video, second time you fix it with zones.

[Track]

How would I know which "zone" needs fixing..?

I tried CFR 18.. the difference is not huge from CFR 20. Should I go CFR 16?

[_Al_]

Only your eyes will tell you, there is no formula for correct number, my video could be different than yours. You can use different numbers for SD , rather lower than HD etc... and what somebody said here this could differ from release to release perhaps (x264) ...

[Track]

Only your eyes will tell you, there is no formula for correct number, my video could be different than yours. You can use different numbers for SD , rather lower than HD etc... and what somebody said here this could differ from release to release perhaps (x264) ...

What's the difference between x.264 and h.264?

[usually_quiet]

Only your eyes will tell you, there is no formula for correct number, my video could be different than yours. You can use different numbers for SD , rather lower than HD etc... and what somebody said here this could differ from release to release perhaps (x264) ...

What's the difference between x.264 and h.264?

x264 is the name of a very good and free h.264 encoder

[_Al_]

yes, I was talking about x264 encoder all the time, sorry

[jman98]

What's the difference between x.264 and h.264?

You're new here so I guess it's OK that you asked, but if you had bothered to go to Google and entered
difference between x.264 and h.264
the very first match returned a very good answer to your question. You'll learn more and be a smarter person if you learn to dig out answers for yourself when possible.

[Track]

What's the difference between x.264 and h.264?

You're new here so I guess it's OK that you asked, but if you had bothered to go to Google and entered
difference between x.264 and h.264
the very first match returned a very good answer to your question. You'll learn more and be a smarter person if you learn to dig out answers for yourself when possible.

You're totally right. In fact, I'm usually the one giving such advice.

I only realized that after I wrote it, and I guess I'm kind of tired (long day), because I didn't take the time to delete it.