what is a good vcd converting program other then tmpgenc

[Sosuasd]

Hey i was woundering if theres another other easy programs like tmpgenc that converts vcd faster because tmpgenc slows down my computer so much and it takes like 3 hours to convert

[Vejita-sama]

Right now the most popular choices seem to be -

CCE - very fast, better at MPEG2 encodes than MPEG1 encodes. Fairly pricey but just came out with a newer/cheaper verison. (demo is out)

Main Concept - also fast, demo at their main url.

Ulead DVD Work Shop- if you don't like there templates can be hard to modify, but good program (again demo at main site)

In my hands TMPGenc is about 3-4x slower than CCE (encoded MPEG2).

[hwoodwar]

CCE Basic will be available for $58 on March 7th. A time limited demo version is available now. See: http://www.visiblelight.com/mall/products/cinemacraft/CCEB.asp

I am currently using TMPGenc, but am evaluating MainConcept and CCE Basic as possible faster alternatives.

[SaSi]

Don't shoot me over that, but I am doing a structured comparison between encoding with CCE, Tmpgenc and Mainconcept (MCE). This is still work in progress but to me it appears that Tmpgenc "can be made" much much slower. However, if appropriate settings are chosen, it's speed is fairly comparable with CCE and MCE.

One might comment that lowering quality obviously increases speed, and it does. However, one doesn't have to encode with Highest Quality in Tmpgenc to get good quality. There are other elements that don't consume that much time.

Can't give you rock solid data yet, however try encoding MPEG-2 2pass VBR with 200/4800/7000 bitrates and Motion Estimate Search, with DC precision at 10 bits and the following structure in GOP: 1 / 3 / 5 / 1 / 15

[Vejita-sama]

With the same settings (as much as that is possible) CCE is faster than TMPGenc. I can encode 3pass VBR (actually four passes counting the CBR) in CCE in about the same time as 1pass/CBR in TMPGenc. I also thing that the quaility of the encode (mostly due to the 3pass VBR no doubt ) of CCE is better for MPEG2.

For MPEG1 for some odd reason I think TMPGenc does a better job. Both programs SUCK at encoding audio (I use tooLame, or rather use to before I got the DVD-RW drive).

Bottomline is 'to each their own.' I like recommend CCE. It's not as user friendly as TMPGenc (no templates) and doesn't have the filters (I normally frameserve from avisynth) but I think it does a 'better job.'

[ZippyP.]

Yes, but the full version is very expensive and I wonder how it will perform on Sosuasd's 550MHz. PC?

[Vejita-sama]

550Mhz?!? Kind of OT but I had a K6-2 500Mhz and it took me ~18hrs to encode a 90min DiVX file to xVCD (SeVCD template). I then got a Tbird 1.2Ghz and it took me ~90min to encode the file to MPEG2 in CCE. I now have an AMD 2200XP+ (and while I no longer have the file) would predict that it would take me 45min (or less) to encode the same file.

I don't even think you can run Mainconcept or CCE on non SSE systems?

[ZippyP.]

I don't even think you can run Mainconcept or CCE on non SSE systems?

I think you're right (from what I have read), so I think our original poster is SOL.