Encoding Competition

[jozza]

I'm running an encoding competition, Thought the folks here at Doom9 might be interested, seeing as that for most of you, some of you sleep divx & xvid matrices and codecs :) .

Prizemoney is up to $145
Topic is football Videos
Goal: To compress selected file | size * quality
- Selected judges compare the best ones and choose winner.

Secondary Goal: To compare results and to improve Encoding files for
everyone.

If anyone is interested in entering
Reply below
or email me at jonnikola@optusnet.com.au

Or if you're interested in helping dropping us a line, I could use all the help I can get. It could be anything, to helping setting up rules, guidelines, sponsoring, etc, etc.

[unskinnyboy]

Is there a filesize limitation for a submission? Source is 17 MB, so how big (or how small) can be the encode? Are there any limits on the number of submissions per person? Any restrictions on the codec/container etc? What are the criteria the judges will be using to decide the winners? Any tools/metrics? Or just visually judge them? Is the audio aspect of the encoding considered? Can the submission be given sans audio?

That's enough questions for now.:sly:

P.S: The link (http://s2.footballclips.net/files/footballclips.net_render_competition_clip.avi) to the source doesn't work.

[jozza]

Is there a filesize limitation for a submission? Source is 17 MB, so how big (or how small) can be the encode? Are there any limits on the number of submissions per person? Any restrictions on the codec/container etc? What are the criteria the judges will be using to decide the winners? Any tools/metrics? Or just visually judge them? Is the audio aspect of the encoding considered? Can the submission be given sans audio?

That's enough questions for now.:sly:

P.S: The link (http://s2.footballclips.net/files/footballclips.net_render_competition_clip.avi) to the source doesn't work.

Very good questions, thats an evil avatar you got there :)
Through questions from competitors, and some of your points, I rewrote the competition to make it easier to understand and to answer some of the questions asked.

Hope there arent any spelling mistakes.
Basically here it is, sorry for the long post.

Prize Money
We're currently working on getting some more sponsorship.
1st - $100
2nd - $30
3rd - $15

Details:
A 120mb file has been finished uploaded, that includes some high motion scenes along with some static motion scenes on the same video.
The video has been extended to 2min, in order to add some more footage.
Total size has been encoded and is 120mb in size
File was encoded with vp62 - and is of very high quality

In the meantime, I have a sample clips http://www.bb05.net/sample_competition.avi
which was cut out with encoding from the source clip, it only goes for a few seconds and goes for 3 seconds.
There is a forum where entries can battle each other, until the competition starts, and submit their encodes, for a reaction.
Located at http://coming.com

Source file will not be released until 28th January 5pm Aust East Time, this is to ensure that the competition is fairer, I've recieved notice that some competitors could spend days encoding. Really this is the opposite to what we want to achieve, because lets face it in real-time situation, nobody is going to spend more than 1 day Encoding a file to be published for the internet.

The Goal of the Competition is to encode this video, into the best quality but with good compression(file size).

The Competition will officially start on 5th January. Winners will be notified and asked to confirm details of how prizemoney would like to be sent. i.e Cheque, bidpay, stormpay, egold., Paypal, or other preferred way.
There will be one round and this will give entries, two days to submit their encode,
along with your process of how you achieved results.

Judges
Pires7
Theworm2345
Jozza

All judges are very experienced in recognizing a good quality videos and between us have watched and edited thousands of clips.
First of all, each judge will have installed the k-lite codec pack with additional x.264 capability. Judges will make sure that there aren’t any conflictions with previous codecs that could interfere with the viewing.
Judges will be using Windows Media Player, because this is what the majority of what everyone uses. All Encodes will be visually judged, we want to mimic what everyday users go through.
Competition Rules!
• File size cannot be larger than the 15mb,
You can go as low as you wish, but if the quality of the clips isn’t there for a 1-2mb then the judges will deduct points.
• Entrants can specify what codec is needed to view this file, if the process to install this codec is too difficult, then your encoding will be void.
• The video has to be encoded at this dimension 640*480, in order to be able to compare the quality more easily.
• The file cannot lose any scenes or lose any synch - points will be deducted if this happens.
• Audio cannot lose any quality, and is part of the total clip.
• Entrants are required to submit a process of what matrices, codecs, encoders and software they used. Without this, encoding application is void.
This will ensure that encoders will learn the benefits of encoding in different ways.
How will the quality be decided?
Some special points we’ll be paying special attention to:
- Blurriness of scenes
- Sharpness of picture, especially on fonts and low motion scenes.
- Fluidness, the clip shouldn’t stutter or jump.
- Color, the clips shouldn’t fade in colour.
- Interlacing, there should be no jagged edges or (clear)visible lines
Upon evaluating clips as a whole, we will also be taking screenshots at certain intervals of the film, and comparing them against each other.
There will be 5 screenshot points, though having said that, the main focus of the judging will be concentrated on viewing the video in real time.
Timetable
5 January to 25 th -> Submission for Competition
28th - 5pm Aus Eastern Time -> Encoding clip to be released
28th til 30th - 5pm Two Day's for Encodes to be sent
January 31st to 2nd Feb -> Encodes to be compiled and results to be published.

Competition Format - Step by Step
1) Read all Rules and Guidelines
2) Send me an email stating that you’ve read the rules and confirming your entry
- You will have from the 5th of January to the 26th January to get your entry in.
3) Download Source Clip File (Links will be provided on 28th January - 5pm Australian Eastern Time)
4) Upload file to a free web file host
5) Send me your Links by (28th jan - 5pm with process
6) Await Results

Final Words
This competition will be useful to help make encoding better for everyone, without a format to compare and analyse results, there really is no purpose but self-gratification.
Good Luck to all entries, Looking forward to the competition.
If you have any doubts, problems, please respond below and we'll try and iron out some of these issues.

[pelle412]

I'd like to participate.

[SirCanealot]

I'm mostly an anime encoder, but I'd be interested in trying out... May as well see how filters meant for anime trash up football :P

[jozza]

@pelle412 & SirCanealot, thanks for interest,
please send us an email to jonnikola@optusnet.com.au to confirm entries.

The competition is starting to build up and I believe we're up to 11 - 13 users.

[jozza]

Numbers are up to 16 now, but we've decided to extend the competition deadline for another week til the 26th January

1) Ghoeberx from www.football-video.com - Holland
2) Superjari from www.footygoal.net - Holland
3) footballfreakplayer - India
4) Mingun from New Zealand from sp
5) Richie2710 from Holland from sp
6) Alfredo - Spain l
7) Alex (footyfanatic) - England from sp
8) Nazih - (barca13) - Kuwait from sp
9) *.mp4 guy - US from doom9
10) Unskilz - US from sp
11) Psyc - US from sp
12) ferjinho - Kenya
13) Matt Shields - US - wht
14) Igorc - Argentina - doom9
15) Bennovg - Holland
16)Inventor - France

I've also been thinking alot about the time limit, and we've modified the competition a little, to make it just one round, and limit the amount of time to send in the competition.

This is to stop people from attempting to spend too much time encoding, spending more than a day encoding, in my opinion defeats the purpose.

The source clip wont be released until the final two days-->
But I have cut out a few seconds from the source to give you an idea of what the quality will be like.

http://www.bb05.net/sample_competition.avi
Its only about 4mb in size, so there should be no dramas downloading the sample.

Please send an email to: jonnikola@optusnet.com.au
to confirm entry, also state where you're from
cheers