DVDx vs. TMPGEnc

[monsoon01]

Ok fellas, I am kinda new to this scene, but i am big on quality, so whenDVDx came out, i thought i'd do a little test. i encoded a movie using both, DVDx and TMPGEnc. Used the standard VCD settings, turned motion search up, and everything else is the same. Conclusion? TMPGEnc produces a much better quality VCD then DVDx, but DVDx produces a good quality VCD in a much shorter time, which can be considered a big plus. I found DVDx motion search isnt that great though, during high action scenes, picture got blurry and jerky, but in TMPGEnc it was fine. well, that is all for now, let me know what all you more experinced people think about these two programs.

[Vejita-sama]

If you want a 'one step' program try DVD2SVCD. Encodes much faster than TMPGenc and at VBR multipass=3 produces DVD quaility SVCDs. However, since this is MPEG2 at 480x480 you need to keep the bitrate up, and thus can't get as much movie on each disc.

But qaulitty is high subjective, lots of people will put a 2hr movie on a 74min CDR and are more than happy, for others anything less than miniDVD sucks...

[Flesh-G-]

I agree with Vejita,

Try dvd2svcd. I tried a trailer at 10 different formats
and programs but no program is as beautiful in quality
as dvd2svcd in a multipass vbr. (minimum=3pass)

One thing, don't be in a rush because dvd2svcd takes a lot
of time, the advantage: no work but a few mouseclicks.

[nsdn]

Shame CCE costs 8 grand (AUD)

[macmizer]

I have just begun doing this whole dvd to vcd thing. I am using smartripper, dvd2avi and TMPGEnc. I found out about these programs on this site vcdhelp. I was not aware that I would have to use three different programs to get a single mpeg file to copy to a vcd using a 4th program. Anyway, After using SmartRipper then dvd2avi I then had to create the large mpeg file using TMPGenc. This process took forever to run. I think it was over 4 or 6 hours. When done I had a large mpeg file at about 1.43 gigs. The original cd was 4.3 gigs. I then tried to burn the mpeg using Easy CD Creator and set it to create a video cd. When done I did not have the entire 1.43 gig file on the cd obviously because it can only hold a file at abot 650 mgs. My question is how do I go about getting a dvd movie copied to a cdr or cdrw disk and have the entire movie fit on that one cd? I have read that it can be done but have not been that lucky to get it working.

[bewley]

Let's start off with your last question. The amount of information you can store on a CD or CD-RW is determined by the bit rate of the MPEG file. The lower the bit rate, the more you can store on a CD. However, keep in mind that quality is also dependent on bit rate. Generally, the lower the bit rate, the worse the overall quality of the video output.

You can determine bit rate by using one of the bit rate calculators under the TOOLS section. As a guide, a regular VCD has a bit rate of 1150 kbps video and yields roughly 74 minutes per disc. If you wanted to fit 90 minutes of video on a single 74 minute CDR, you would have to lower the bit rate to around 983 kbps (this is known as an XVCD or non-standard VCD). Of course, at this low of a bit rate, the video would be quite blocky and some standalone DVD's will not play it correctly. Also, keep in mind that a 74 minute CDR can hold about 740 MB's of video -- you are not limited to 650 MB's as if you were burning a data CD.

That out of the way, once you know the bit rate you must select the correct tool. As per the original post in this thread, if you want quality stick with TMPGEnc. However, if you are looking for ease of use, then give DVDx a try -- a guide is located under the DVD RIP section. The beauty of DVDx is that you can tell the software to automatically cut the output at the size you want. This ensures that you never create an MPEG greater than your disc's capacity. You can do this manually in TMPGEnc using the Source filter too, but it requires some basic knowledge of balancing encoding type (VBR, CBR, CQ) with bit rates and length of the file.

Give DVDx a try... If you find the output unacceptable, go back to TMPGEnc. Try encoding your files at night while you are sleeping. The computer wont mind that you're not there to keep it company!

- bewley

[BadAsh]

Hey, I haven't tried it yet but the new DVDx 1.3 is supposed to be compatible with Adobe Premiere plug-ins and can FrameServ to TMPGEnc.

There are directions on FrameServing to TMPGEnc at the website.

If anybody tries this post here.

[Vejita-sama]

I haven't 'really played with' DVDx but I like DVD2SVCD better because CCE is so much faster and (IMHO) makes a better quaility encode.

macmizer - encoding MPEGs takes a lot of time, 4-6hrs isn't that bad (depending on the settings and movie lenght). As Bewley mention, to use the bitrate calculators you have to encode with either CBR or multipass VBR. No one really knows that TMPGenc's CQ_VBR is?!?

CBR - constant bitrate, the same bitrate is used for the whole movie.

VBR - variable bitrate, the encoder will up the bitrate for high motion scences and lower for low action scences. You enter a min/max and ave bitrate and the program does the rest.

Multipass VBR - as an regular VBR, but the encoder will first make a CBR pass and encode a file, then use that as a template to determine action scences vs. low motion scences, and make a 2nd pass at VBR. For TMPGenc you can only do 2 passes, for CCE you can do 6!

The more passes the better the quaility MPEG. With CCE mulitpass=3 (ie. 4 pass) and a bitrate as low as 1400kbit/s I get a near DVD quaility SVCD. But it takes 4x longer to encode then CBR.

Notice that most DVD players have a max x(S)VCD bitrate of ~2700kbit/s. So at really high bitrates CBR and VBR are the same thing.

1) CBR 2200kbit/s vs. VBR min=900, max=2500, ave=2200
2) CBR 2500kbit/s vs. VBR min=900, max-2500, ave=2500

So at high bitrates you should just encode with CBR and save time. The debate is where does the bitrate become high enought to make the switch

I've got a Tbird 1.2Ghz 266FSB and can encode in CCE at ~1x the movie run time. I set everything up before I go to bed and it's done when I wake up. Or I set it up before I go to work/school.

When you're making x(S)VCDs you can produce high quaility or you an encode quickly but w/o money you can't do both. And if you had the money, why not just buy the DVD... Truth is for a lot of people on this fourmn this is a hobby, and quility means more then time. (not sure if this helped any, but luck).

[diega]

I canT use DVDx... I have a AMD K6III 450Mhz.
But: If DVDx will have the quality of TMPEGEnc and VBR and the speed that actually have then I pay for this program !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me and some friends think like I do... DVDx is THE PROGRAM !!!
but... Dont work on my K6... And here, in Argentina a Thunderbird 1.4GB is like u$s 350 without motherboard...
I dont have a COIN...

[Vejita-sama]

Ahh, sorry. DVDx and DVD2SVCD are nice because they are so user friendly. DVD2SVCD requires an P3 or Althon so you can't see that either (CCE requires it).

[VideoGuy]

AMD Athalon T-Bird 800 on Shuttle w/ AMD-751 chipset:

Just tried DVDx, ran a short capture and burnt to VCD, check it out on the settop and 25" Phillips/Maggotbox, looked pretty poor, worn out VHS quality.
IMHO Pro: Very fast Con: Poor quality

Same thing with SmartRipper -> DVD2AVI -> TMPGEnc, the quality is 99% the same as DVD!
IMHO Pro: Supurbe quality!! Con: Overnite cooking needed

HTH