H.264 settings in MainConcept Reference

[nharikrishna]

I am looking for H.264 encoding settings in MainConcept Reference.

I capture standard definition movies (typically of 2 Hours 15 minutes duration) from Satellite box via S-Video using Canopus ADVC-110 in DV-AVI format, then cut out commercials using VirtualDub. Majority of my movies lack quick action sequences, many are black & white movies. Only small number of them are full color with frequent action scenes.

What would be the best H.264 encoding settings in MainConcept Reference for the optimum file size? I have been doing DVD-Video, but looking forward to going H.264 way for efficient encoding at smaller file sizes. I am fine for 1 or 2 GB per movie.
I am confused with many options MC provides in terms of profiles, broadcast vs Pro versions, audio choice (only AAC??). Also, should I go for MP4 or MKV? (MC doesn't seem to offer MKV).

I plan to store all these movies on a HDD, connect it to a media player and watch on TV.

Regards

[enim]

What would be the best H.264 encoding settings in MainConcept Reference for the optimum file size?

Did you refer manual? Did you contact MainConcept?
Only MainConcept can provide the best H.264 encoding settings.
Rest, you can do is Trial and Error.

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[theewizard]

no experience with 'main concept'
but as a format i prefer mp4 over mkv

in the past i have enountered considerable problems with 'other peoples' mkv files
almost never have a problem with mp4 files

it seems 'too me' , the mkv standards? are too broad, you can put almost any codec, any frame rate any audio any resolution together, what will play on one PC does not always play on another , or decode properly

[_Al_]

you do not encode to mkv or mp4 but to H.264 , you can change container from mp4 to mkv and the other way without re-compression, mp4 or mkv are just carriers for video and audio that is in it

mkv is ignored despite it is superior to mp4, firmwares for players do not support mkv, like Sony boxes, mostly there is H.264 and some sort of audio in it, mp4 will have most probably H.264 and audio also, but likely AAC

also there is more chance that you get H.264 within mkv encoded to some kind of extreme limits such as lots of reference frames, 10 bit (those two encoded by anime fans), header stripping enabled for mkv (mostly not intentionally) , or original audio tracks from BD or DVD if you are talking about rips that could give some sort of trouble during playback...

[deadrats]

try these settings:

next to P/Q set the number to 15
2 pass
click on the little wrench on the right hand side of the section where you set the resolution
in the advanced settings tag enable scene detection
set the I frame interval to twice the frame rate
set the Min I frame distance to the frame rate
enable all the B frame settings
macroblock search block size to 16x16
subpixel search depth i usually prefer full pixel
reference frames i usually pick 1
motion vector search range try a high number like 128
weighted prediction for P
no fast multi-reference frame search or sub-block search
no fast Intra or Inter decisions
no simplified RD optimization
check the box next to Hadamard transform
under adaptive quantization move all the sliders (brightness, contrast, complexity) all the way to the right so that they all say 100
disable the deblocking filter
choose CABAC
threads to 2 times the number of logical cores your cpu has
slices per picture to 1

i think you'll find that the output quality is excellent.