Elecard H.264/MPEG2 Converter 1.2 [Archive]

IgorC

9th November 2006, 22:29

http://www.elecard.com/products/products-pc/consumer/converter-studio/

H.264 High Profile Encoder has exelent quality even with all speedup options turned on.
Elecard encoder has a lot of settings for different adjustments.
First fast pass,profiles, different types of psy model (aka AQ) etc.

Version history:

1.1

New features and changes:
• The Speed/Quality mode (allows changing the speed/quality correlation)
• New file opening mode Open file(s) as multi-source
• New file opening mode Open file(s) as single-file
• Command line support (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Enhanced MPEG PS/TS multiplexer adjustment (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Enhanced MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 ASP/AVC decoder adjustment
• Ability to overlay any picture as a logo on picture (Elecard Logo Renderer) (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Ability to save profiles and their descriptions

1.1.52

New features:
• Change Profile option for tasks in TaskList
• AVC CQ mode
• AVC Blu-Ray and Sony Playstation3 profiles

Fixed bugs:
• Incorrect displaying of Add file(s) with profile… dialog (SpeedQuality string) when profile is changed
• Statistics displaying on the second encoding pass
• Adding great number of files in the Add file(s) with profile… mode
• Working with CBP (VBV) buffer in VBR mode (AVC/H.264 Video Encoder)

1.2

CruNcher

9th November 2006, 22:43

hehe lol finaly a non mobile device produtc jeez how long this took to create them some directshow gui :P

DDogg

9th November 2006, 23:37

ugly crash on the start of the 2nd pass using a vob as source.

MuTeK

10th November 2006, 07:48

DDogg
Could you please upload the file that entails crash?
It would be also very helpful if you write what encoder settings were set in the program and encoders.

DDogg

10th November 2006, 16:20

DDogg
Could you please upload the file that entails crash?
It would be also very helpful if you write what encoder settings were set in the program and encoders.Yes, I will do a complete report if I can get a replicable crash. Gotta do some client work so may take me a day or so.

I just used a VOB from a dvd - 6.16 GB (6,623,340,544 bytes) The crash was on the start of the 2nd pass with the demo version. Maybe something to do with the 15k frames limit.

shon3i

10th November 2006, 22:23

@Mutek, i have few questions.

First thank you and Elecard Team (Sergey A. Sablin) for providing us, this good tool.

1. What is difference when i use 2pass encoding with VBR and CBR

2. Why i can use HE-AAC profile, is that limitation of demo version.

3. What is difference betwen AAC-LC and AAC Main

4. Did you have plans to include Process priority options on encoding bar

5. What is recommendation for AQ settings

edit:

6. Is anyway two pass enabled in demo version, because i always get oversized files, like is encoder always work like x264 CRF mode.

DDogg

11th November 2006, 00:25

MuTeK, it is easily to replicate.

Assume all default values except where noted below.

1> load vob (this one NTSC - 4.35 GB (4,680,607,744 bytes))
2> video> "main profile"
3> audio> "AAC Main"
4> main> stream "MP4" >encoding pass "two pass" > custom "1cd"
5> start encode

Should see crash on beginning of 2nd pass

IgorC

11th November 2006, 01:33

5. What is recommendation for AQ settings
6. Is anyway two pass enabled in demo version, because i always get oversized files, like is encoder always work like x264 CRF mode.

For AQ try +20 -- +40 but it depends a lot from source.
You can choose 2 pass mode. It works.
Talking about problem with bitrate. Do you have installed another encoders of Elecard and Mainconcept? If you have any of them then try to uninstall all encoders and clean registers. Only then new installation of converter.

shon3i

11th November 2006, 11:58

You can choose 2 pass mode. It works.
Talking about problem with bitrate. Do you have installed another encoders of Elecard and Mainconcept? If you have any of them then try to uninstall all encoders and clean registers. Only then new installation of converter.No i didn't have any elecard or mainconcept programs, this is first.

IgorC

11th November 2006, 14:25

The same problem here with under/oversize.

DDogg

11th November 2006, 17:06

I have noticed several times it will not even do the second pass. The 15k demo limit stops it. I appreciate you guys need to protect your intellectual property, but it is very difficult and frustrating to try to test with the problems caused by this demo limit.

IgorC

11th November 2006, 20:53

I have noticed several times it will not even do the second pass.
2d pass works fine. The real thing what can happen when you change settings sometimes it drops to single pass. After choose all sets just check 2pass.
And fast first pass is enabled by default maybe that's why you don't notice it.

IgorC

11th November 2006, 20:58

I appreciate you guys need to protect your intellectual property, but it is very difficult and frustrating to try to test with the problems caused by this demo limit.
Can you be more specific when you talk about issues.
1. I can't reproduce 2 pass issues
2. Your problem with 2 pass wasn't really issue as it's limited by 15000 frames demo.

Yes, it's 15000 frames limit beta converter like any other commercial product. Can you indicate me another commercial project that freely gives you H.264 High Profile encoder (and high quality with all features , all profiles, aac+/++, interlace mbaff , all AQ modes with custom adjustment ....etc ..... at least for me it's very interesting ) 21-day trial and 15000 frames?
Nero? Apple? .....

vsv

11th November 2006, 22:37

Very good GUI, a lot of settings...And finally presets for HD-DVD and BD! Now need test quality of encoding to AVC, I hope it better than Nero implementation of H.264 :)

DDogg

12th November 2006, 00:22

2d pass works fine. The real thing what can happen when you change settings sometimes it drops to single pass. After choose all sets just check 2pass.
And fast first pass is enabled by default maybe that's why you don't notice it.Ohhhh, so it is supposed to stop at 50% progress - oh ok that must make sense to somebody. Good luck with your product <shakes the dust off>

Replicate:

1> Use avisynth script trimmed to 15k frames
2> Video> Main Profile
3> Main> Mp4 2pass, check custom - 45
4> Result: Process stops at 50% with the demo sign.
5> File size = 49.9 MB (52,364,983 bytes)

IgorC

12th November 2006, 03:35

Ohhhh, so it is supposed to stop at 50% progress
It's early beta. Bugs appearance is normal.

4> Result: Process stops at 50% with the demo sign.

I tried your set. Demo message box appeared when 1st fast pass was over. Bar progress indicated 50%. I clicked "OK" and then 2pass started and finished without issues.

There is another bug (?). Profile is checked in main menu but profile of advanced menu is still base by default.

Good luck with your product
I'm not from Elecard :)

DDogg

12th November 2006, 04:18

It's early beta. Bugs appearance is normal. Of course, which is why people are trying to report problems, except you interject and tell the poster there is no problem. Perhaps it is a language problem, else suggest you let the developers address the anomaly reports directly.I tried your set. Demo message box appeared when 1st fast pass was over. Bar progress indicated 50%. I clicked "OK" and then 2pass started and finished without issues. When I click ok, the process ends half finished. Period. [the job window does say "waiting"] What you suggest is not plausible, and I suspect you did not actually do the test as defined using an avs with a trim statement defining exactly 15k frames.
I'm not from Elecard :)From your posts it seemed so and that you were speaking for them. I was attempting to help and report problems as I encountered them. If you are always going post to tell me I did not see what I saw then I don't need to endure the frustration. Again, perhaps it is just a language problem. If so, no problem.

IgorC

12th November 2006, 05:42

Honestly developers didn't want to post here cause they knew that some users (i.e. read post number 11 of this topic) will critic too much. It is even worse if it's commercial soft.
But I still thought it would be useful to post this news here for Doom9 people who can help providing some feedback while enjoy new stuff.
Ddog
I 'm really sorry if I interrupt but your first posts are far from constructive too. From now, please, let's just concentrate on topic itself.
Source was trimed to 15k frames. However when I checked it MC demo was still installed. I'll try again.

DDogg

12th November 2006, 16:10

Not being critical - simply a byproduct of me being late for appointments and wanting to post something about a problem encountered before I got distracted and forgot about it.

Clearly the product looks very promising! It was not my intention to give any other impression. Any frustration is because it seems so good (and fast), yet I have not been able to complete a series of tests to show that.

Jay Bee

12th November 2006, 21:10

Just gave it a quick tryout.

I like the GUI. But I couldn't find out how to change the Task Name so that I can cue up multiple encodes of the same source file. The resulting file had some strange stutters and a green line at the bottom of the screen but the picture quality looked great apart from that. Any information on the pricing yet?

MuTeK

13th November 2006, 08:06

Yes, I will do a complete report if I can get a replicable crash. Gotta do some client work so may take me a day or so.
What does crush: The application itself or one of its components?

I have noticed several times it will not even do the second pass. The 15k demo limit stops it. I appreciate you guys need to protect your intellectual property, but it is very difficult and frustrating to try to test with the problems caused by this demo limit.
Thank you. I’ve found this issue, too. The bug will be fixed.

First thank you and Elecard Team (Sergey A. Sablin) for providing us, this good tool.
1. What is difference when i use 2pass encoding with VBR and CBR
2. Why i can use HE-AAC profile, is that limitation of demo version.
4. Did you have plans to include Process priority options on encoding bar
6. Is anyway two pass enabled in demo version, because i always get oversized files, like is encoder always work like x264 CRF mode.
1. These are absolutely different modes of RC. If you need maximal quality, please use just VBR.
2. There are no restrictions, except for 15000 frames encoding.
4. Preference -> Thread Priority
6. In two pass mode RC gets into the set size very accurately. If it does not happen, then it is required to delete all the applications that could use AVC encoder, clean the registry and reinstall ConverterStudio. It is also possible that when the application has just performed the first pass, the cause is as described above.

The same problem here with under/oversize.
So far I failed to reproduce the issue, even on the file you provided.

MuTeK

13th November 2006, 10:53

But I couldn't find out how to change the Task Name so that I can cue up multiple encodes of the same source file.
It is required to go through the following steps:
1. change the output file name.
2. change the task name
3. add a task into TaskList

The resulting file had some strange stutters and a green line at the bottom of the screen ...
- What was the input video resolution?
- Did you use Resize? If yes, what was the output resolution?

Any information on the pricing yet?
not yet...

mgh

13th November 2006, 15:23

:thanks:
High profile avc encoding speed is good. At the low bitrates i use, quality was excellent without tweaking the profile.

IgorC

13th November 2006, 15:42

So far I failed to reproduce the issue, even on the file you provided.
I still had no time to clean my system from another MC components. Most probably that was issue.

shon3i

13th November 2006, 19:19

I find solution, i choose Best Quality High HEAAC+PS preset, and only change to two pass and bitrate, other settings are good for my taste.

@Mutek you didnt answered to one question, What is difference betwen AAC LC and AAC Main, because so far i know there is not any differents, two names for same thing.

IgorC

13th November 2006, 20:53

Shon3i Use search. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding
http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=AAC

shon3i

13th November 2006, 21:27

Shon3i Use search. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding
http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=AAC
There is no differents in quality, otherwise will be used in Nero aac and CT aac

wiki say

Low Complexity (LC) - the simplest and most widely used and supported;
Main Profile (MAIN) - like the LC profile, with the addition of backwards prediction;

My point is to, remove that main profile, because only can confuse ppls.

IgorC

13th November 2006, 21:48

Main Profile should be better than LC for speech content. It is a case of movie soundtrack.
And LC is here for mobile compability and high birates.

Froh here http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=Main&PHPSESSID=fa867535f1c3fd83a0f7238e3453571e
It was meant for mostly tonal content like speech and highly predictable music instruments like pitch pipes or solo violins encoded at low bitrates.

shon3i

13th November 2006, 22:23

DDogg

13th November 2006, 22:34

What does crush: The application itself or one of its components? Made some positive progress. I uninstalled the version of Haali Media Splitter mentioned in the Doom9 news-page of 11/06/2006 and I no longer have a crash. I now have the problem of the encode stopping at the end of the 1st pass with VOB source as well as avs source.

I do not know if this is due to a problem with the newer Haali Media splitter, or some odd combination or conflict. I had noticed, ever since I upgraded Haali, an error when deleting any media file from the HD. Wonder if this might cause you a problem when you begin the 2nd pass?
Thank you. I’ve found this issue, too. The bug will be fixed. That was quick work! Great job and thanks for letting us know.

shon3i

13th November 2006, 22:47

Is this mainconept h264 v2.1 uses same encoder?

IgorC

14th November 2006, 01:05

Is this mainconept h264 v2.1 uses same encoder?
Yes. There are some differents indeed. I.e. Elecard has fast first pass always turned on.

MuTeK

14th November 2006, 04:36

@Mutek you didnt answered to one question, What is difference betwen AAC LC and AAC Main.

Now, AAC LC and AAC Main is no differents in quality.

CruNcher

14th November 2006, 07:55

MuTeK why are Referenceframes >3 not allowed for Main Profile ?
btw nice clean working gui good job :)
only thing is could you free the memory after a encoding task is done ?
also why does the app need the exact amount of memory when minimized into the systemtray ?+
and do you think it's such a good idea to change the filter installation from the Standard Shared Folder to application/components folder ?
Could also somebody @ Elecard try to look @ the Decoder once more since the Mainconcept thing DXVA isn't working anymore for me.
The old DXVA test Decoder from Elecard works (Nvidia 7600 GS PCI-E (VMR9windowed)) i allready tried to make Sergey understand this, but it seems he doesn't listen to my bug report about this problem, i have no problems with DXVA unregistering the new filter and register the old one but all your new Mainconcept builds fail with DXVA and also i have problems to understand your build numbers am i correct if i assume that only Elecard builds are Signed and Mainconcepts are not ? :(

List of DXVA working non working Elecard/Mainconcept builds:

1, 0, 28, 60705 (Wednesday, 12. July 2006 09:38:25) DXVA works
1, 0, 41, 60818 (Wednesday, 23. August 2006 09:27:21) DXVA works
2.0.7136.0 2006/10/19 DXVA fails
3.0.7299.0 2006/10/26 DXVA fails

MuTeK

14th November 2006, 08:50

MuTeK why are Referenceframes >3 not allowed for Main Profile ?
Amount ReferenceFrames is not limited. For all profiles (Baseline, Main, High) the maximal value is equal to 16. Amount of B-frames is really limited to three, there is no sense to have more.
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/957/prophe6.th.gif (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=prophe6.gif)
btw nice clean working gui good job :)
Thanks.

only thing is could you free the memory after a encoding task is done ?
also why does the app need the exact amount of memory when minimized into the systemtray ?+
This is right, in this version there is insignificant memory leak. Please wait for the release.

and do you think it's such a good idea to change the filter installation from the Standard Shared Folder to application/components folder ?
I, think, what yes. It is made specially that different applications used the set of filters to which there was a testing. Thus, raising stability.

Could also somebody @ Elecard try to look @ the Decoder once more since the Mainconcept thing DXVA isn't working anymore for me.
What version of the decoder does work in DXVA mode?
Please try to register a new AVC decoder from the Converter Studio\Component\ folder.

mgh

14th November 2006, 09:08

Only problem i have using this is if i hit the skip or stop button during encoding, the program crashes. I have XP-SP2

CruNcher

14th November 2006, 10:09

@MuTeK
I meant i can't go lower then 3 referenceframes with Main Profile in the Interface

also see above for the build list and some additional text seems you missed that, because i was editing it when you read it :)

Sergey A. Sablin

14th November 2006, 11:36

Could also somebody @ Elecard try to look @ the Decoder once more since the Mainconcept thing DXVA isn't working anymore for me.
The old DXVA test Decoder from Elecard works (Nvidia 7600 GS PCI-E (VMR9windowed)) i allready tried to make Sergey understand this, but it seems he doesn't listen to my bug report about this problem, i have no problems with DXVA unregistering the new filter and register the old one but all your new Mainconcept builds fail with DXVA and also i have problems to understand your build numbers am i correct if i assume that only Elecard builds are Signed and Mainconcepts are not ? :(

CruNcher, please be a bit more precise - we discussed with you this in several emails and finally we conclude that
it is not failed or not worked, but in DXVA mode performance of a new decoder is nearly same as in software mode
isn't it? why you talking again about failing and so? It is not crashing, not freezing, not rebooting your system - it just has nearly same performance in both modes. How can I explain you that this is not bug? - this is normal situation. One have to compare old decoder in DXVA with new decoder in DXVA performance, but not SW vs DXVA of old decoder and SW vs DXVA of a new one (as you did) and make a conclusion that new one is not working/failing/broken because of identical speed of both modes, while old one have some advantage of using DXVA over SW mode. (all technologies have their own limit and current implementation of DXVA not an exception - it can't become faster just when SW processing accelerated, there is not such relation)

Cheers,
Sergey.

acrespo

14th November 2006, 12:53

I did a test with a source with 720x480 with iPod 5.5 profile. The resize filter is enabled to 640x480 but the final video has 720x480 too. I can't play the video in my iPod. There is something to do in this area.

DarkZell666

14th November 2006, 14:53

This looks neat :)

However, using framerate conversion gave me a clip with audio being out of sync. I guess the framerate wasn't converted but just changed (ie: the source clip was played faster/slower). Reproducing this should be easy (I used an xvid+mp3 in avi source, I didn't try anything else yet).

Jay Bee

14th November 2006, 20:01

It is required to go through the following steps:
1. change the output file name.
2. change the task name
3. add a task into TaskList

Thx.

- What was the input video resolution?
- Did you use Resize? If yes, what was the output resolution?

384 x 480, no resizing. It turns out the green line doesn't appear using the Mainconcept decoder, only with CoreAVC. And the stuttering I mentioned is introduced during decoding of the source file by Converter Studio. Which DS filters are used here, Elecard or "let Windows decide"?

CruNcher

14th November 2006, 22:00

Sergey before the update it was allways the case that when useing DXVA mode you didn't saw the Elecard Logo @ the top even with a Evaluation version, now this is not anymore the case also the decoding (VMR9 with every other thing off only DXVA on) isn't realtime anymore i conclude from these 2 logical facts that DXVA isn't working anymore (at least my Video doesn't get accellerated by my GPU anymore) with the newer Mainconcept builds i don't understand why this isn't logic for you i also showed you benchmarks with DXVA on for both builds and the new Decoders are alot slower then the OLD ones in DXVA mode (so i assume from that Speed drop in a logical manner that DXVA doesn't work correctly anymore), sorry but i absolutely don't understand what you see wrong in my assumptions that the Video isn't accellerated anymore i can do 1000 tests and it will allways be the same results DXVA isn't working (Video doesn't get accellerated) anymore, but it still works with your old Elecard builds maybe that's a new restriction of someone @ Mainconcept/Elecard for the Evaluation/Demo version i dunno why Elecard builds work and Mainconcepts not, thats your thing to find out im just reporting it to you.

Sergey A. Sablin

15th November 2006, 00:43

uhh. did you send me results of comparison of old DXVA with new one? seems like you sent just screen shots of mediatypes - not that useful information about performance... especially after I said you this DXVA mediatype and it was a bit weird (to say the least) to hear from you that this mediatype is not DXVA mediatype for you opinion.

Still waiting performance results from you. And as it is going to be a bit OT I'd prefer either start a new thread if you'd like or switch back to emailing.

Thanks in advance for spending your time for our products.

Sergey.

MuTeK

15th November 2006, 08:00

@MuTeK
I meant i can't go lower then 3 referenceframes with Main Profile in the Interface
Please, show me a screenshot. :confused:

I did a test with a source with 720x480 with iPod 5.5 profile. The resize filter is enabled to 640x480 but the final video has 720x480 too.
The source file is MPEG2?

woah!

15th November 2006, 09:00

CruNcher

15th November 2006, 10:40

@MuTeK
argh my fault use B-frame as reference was selected hmm but still now i can't go lower then 2, only Baseline/CIF and the Ipod Profile allow 1 reference frame ?

foxyshadis

15th November 2006, 15:04

If you have b-frames, you have to have at least two references. (Much like b-ref needs at least 3.) If you turn off b-frames alltogether, you can have a single ref - which is why it works in baseline, which has no b-frames.

acrespo

16th November 2006, 00:14

The source file is MPEG2?

No, the source is a MP4 file encoded by x264 and muxed by mp4box

sjchmura

16th November 2006, 02:34

Has anyone done a speed comparison with similiar features and output quality PSNR to x264 or nero?? How much was the previous version??? $50 I think.

If this is a self contained solution with good speed and IF they add a HD-DVD profile for XBOX360 encoding it would be great :)

MuTeK

16th November 2006, 07:06

woah!
I cannot download this file.

woah!

17th November 2006, 04:46

woah!
I cannot download this file.

try this one :

http://w10.easy-share.com/682061.html

if not i can upload to an ftp or something.

MuTeK

17th November 2006, 08:58

well i gave it a spin and it works out about the same speed as x264 if you add the total time of both passes together. x264 is faster on its 1st pass, but slower on the second.

i used the same avs script for both runs of course.

x264 still seemed to give the best results in my eyes, and the encodes i attached are pretty low bitrates so you can see where the differences are:

These streams are pretty odd if you need to compare quality then the settings and testing conditions should be similar.

Then how do you explain that none of these frames comply in these two streams.

Also on «elecard 6meg.mp4» there are black bars of 2 pix above and below. And there is no any bar on «x264 6meg.MP4». The picture on «x264 6meg.MP4» is more stretched vertically. And the most important, settings shold be similar. I don’t understand why you did not use the preset profile «BestQuality High AVC-AAC HE PS», but instead set up Elecard encoder in a way that is obviously not the best.

What we have in H.264:
GOP = 250, Bframes = 3, RDO level2, 6 ref. frames, Weighted Prediction…
What you set in our encoder:
Reduced GOP down to 18 frames, set Bframes = 2, Nu.Ref. frames = 4, did not turn on Weighted Prediction, Use B-frames as reference, Pyramid coding, and, I suspect, turned on FastRD.

Use «BestQuality High AVC-AAC HE PS» profile!

woah!

18th November 2006, 03:03

i never "set" anything except the HP profile in elecard? i didnt know how to change the settings. if that profile you say above is the best setup i will give that a go right now thx :)

woah!

18th November 2006, 03:52

ok i see the pre-sets now and it looks pretty good :)

heres the compares again using the "BestQuality High AVC-AAC HE PS" 2 pass, and a x264 with the same avs script:

1st pass elecard: 16.82fps
2nd pass: 10.04fps

1st pass x264 : 21.53fps
2ndpass : 7.72fps

both are very good, hard to say which is which if the files werent named really :) well done

http://w10.easy-share.com/682840.html

IgorC

18th November 2006, 16:50

1st pass elecard: 16.82fps
2nd pass: 10.04fps

1st pass x264 : 21.53fps
2ndpass : 7.72fps

both are very good, hard to say which is which if the files werent named really :) well done
http://w10.easy-share.com/682840.html
It means Elecard was 10-11% faster however also had 4% higher bitrate. Looks like on these video and sets with the same bitrate and speed Elecard and x264 will have similar performance and quality.

shon3i

18th November 2006, 18:51

Why Mainconcept H264 v2 app dosen't support 5.1 AAC when use same encoder like Elecard app, aslo HE-AACv1/v2 encoding, and is there some plugin which enable avs script as input?

IgorC

18th November 2006, 21:34

Both MC and Ele support avs as input.

shon3i

18th November 2006, 22:28

Both MC and Ele support avs as input.
Yes but MC use DirectShow which isn't good. For example in my situation, when i encode from avs in MC, result video have higher Gamma.

IgorC

19th November 2006, 00:18

Yes but MC use DirectShow which isn't good. For example in my situation, when i encode from avs in MC, result video have higher Gamma.
Maybe it's not directshow.
I'm not sure but maybe it's effect of higher chroma quantization.
Just try to set chroma offset 0. It will preserve better the colors.

shon3i

19th November 2006, 01:27

Maybe it's not directshow.
I'm not sure but maybe it's effect of higher chroma quantization.
Just try to set chroma offset 0. It will preserve better the colors.
I will give a try, but that problem is only when avs loaded, not for avi, mpeg, dvd and other supported file types.

Sergey A. Sablin

20th November 2006, 07:08

I will give a try, but that problem is only when avs loaded, not for avi, mpeg, dvd and other supported file types.

Both applications use DirectShow, with a bit different chains of filters, but mostly same. Could you post avis script here?

zyz

20th November 2006, 16:36

Ohhhh, so it is supposed to stop at 50% progress - oh ok that must make sense to somebody. Good luck with your product <shakes the dust off>

The same here.
It completely stops at 15000 when encoding from .vob file directly, so I dumped about 15000 frames to .avi file. With this .avi file as source it popups the demo notification window at 40% (ab. 7000 frames or so) and then jums to 50% and go further.
All the checkboxes and numerical values were set as presented on screenshot above in this thread, except bitrate which I set to 1000.
Ufortunately, the resulting video is crappy comparing to the same one encoded by x.264 (mencoder), with the same main settings (b- and ref. frms number, k. int., bitrate, etc.).
No other Elecard/MC products were previously installed on my PC, as well as any other VFW/DS filters.
What could be wrong there?

shon3i

20th November 2006, 21:33

Sure, just usual MeGUI created avs

DGDecode_mpeg2source("D:\WarOfTheWorldsDVD\WarOfTheWorlds.d2v",info=3)
ColorMatrix(hints=true)
#blank deinterlace line
crop( 0, 10, -2, -10)
Trim(0,14999)
Lanczos4Resize(720,384) # Lanczo4 (Sharp)
#denoise

Script is work normaly with Elecard Converter Studio, Nero Recode, MeGUI, Only with Mainconcept haved higher Brightness

Like you see results

Original
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/550/originalan5.png

x264
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8036/x264zt2.png

Mainconcept
http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/7199/mainconcepteu2.png

PS. If you don't see differents please incrase brightness on you monitor, Thanks

Edit: Typo

RBF

21st November 2006, 10:45

shon3i
Try to disable directshow import module in Mainconcept H264 encoder

shon3i

21st November 2006, 17:55

shon3i
Try to disable directshow import module in Mainconcept H264 encoder
Thanks, that works, now picture look good.

MuTeK

30th November 2006, 10:30

AVC Encoder settings for best perfomance/quality (ftp://ftp.elecard.net.ru/incoming/AVC_Encoder_Settings_Portrait.pdf)

IgorC

30th November 2006, 17:56

Some results of test:
1. Multi-reference Frame and ME Sub-block ME simply can be set fast. These options brings no visible quality improvement at cost of lower speed. +0.03 SSIM and speed lows 1.4 times.

2. Best Quality HP profile :
a) All fast options + 5 ref . SSIM 81.80
b) almost all fast options (fast intra off) + 3 ref. SSIM 81.88

b) was 1% faster than a)

It's mean that Slow Intra search trades better between quality and speed.

Faster Inter is alternative options. It brings only +0.015/20 SSIM at very low speed cost 1-1,5%

3. Best Quality Hp profile. All fasts. Fast intra off. 3 ref SSIM 81.88
For 2 pass encoding With these settings Elecard has the same speed as Xvid (without Qpel. AQ.GMC. Slowest settings. SSIM 78.90)

4. the results for insane settings. 3.6x slowdown comparing to Xvid speed for Elecard. And 4-5x for x264.

Elecard 82.44
x264 rev 602 2pass 82.51
x264 3 pass 82.62

shon3i

30th November 2006, 18:53

@IgorC, how you calculate SSIM with elecard.

IgorC

1st December 2006, 19:33

@IgorC, how you calculate SSIM with elecard.
SSIM avisynth plugin with lumimask = 2
like here http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=114928

Please, next time communicate to Search button.

acrespo

5th December 2006, 13:53

I did some conversions with a target size 168 Mbytes. All files are oversized. The bigger has 175 Mbytes and the lesser 170 Mbytes.

I used a custom profile based on profile "Best Quality High AVC - AAC HE PS" and I change the audio do AAC LC 128 Kbps, the video GOP length to 240 and use two passes to target size 168 Mbytes.

The version I have is 1.0.24 (build 61031).
I am a registered user.

IgorC

5th December 2006, 19:46

It's known bug. It's fixed in upcoming version.

shon3i

6th December 2006, 09:25

It is, a bug but can be fixed, when select profile, then only enter bitrate or file size, and don't change anything elese. in you type you changed audio to lc aac

MuTeK

7th December 2006, 06:23

to acrespo

Converter Studio is being prepared for release where this bug is fixed. You will get an updated version soon.

acrespo

7th December 2006, 12:37

There is other strange problem. A memory leak occurs when I do a batch encode of AVS scripts. The virtual memory size used by Converter Studio grow when one job finish and start other and the memory used in the first job is not deallocating. After 3 or 4 jobs the Converter Studio crash.
This is my script:

SetMemoryMax(64)
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\tdeint.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\dgdecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\tivtc.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\mt_masktools.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\colormatrix.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\removegrain10sse3.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\removedirt10sse2.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\repairsse3.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\sse3tools.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\warpsharp.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\Motion_12Dec05.dll")
LoadPlugin("c:\encodes\filtros\nicaudio.dll")

import("c:\encodes\filtros\RemoveDust.avs") #include qmc() script
import("c:\encodes\filtros\FastLineDarken_1.3.avs")

a=MPEG2Source("c:\encodes\2006-09-07\ranma38.d2v",info=3)
b=NicMPASource("c:\encodes\2006-09-07\ranma38.mpa")
AudioDub(a,b)

AssumeTFF()
deint = Tdeint(mode=2,slow=2)
TFM(mode=6,slow=2,clip2=deint)
TDecimate(mode=1)
colormatrix(hints=true)

Crop(8,8,-8,-8,align=true)
LanczosResize(640,480)

qmc()

FastLineDarken2(thinning=0)
warpsharp()

vsv

13th December 2006, 23:09

Need right settings to encode HD-DVD compliant h.264 elementar stream with Elecard Converter. Source is HDV TS stream 1440x1080i50.
It is possible to download short samples 1080i/720p HD-DVD compliant h.264 elementar stream ? Thank you in advance.

MuTeK

14th December 2006, 08:05

vsv
See attachment.

vsv

14th December 2006, 09:49

Thank you, MuTeK! But how long need to wait this "Attachments Pending Approval" to download ?
Do you have another samples like 720p50 or 960x1080i ?
Any authoring studios used Elecard or Mainconcept encoders now to produce video for HD-DVD?
MuTeK, please upload samples to http://files-upload.com/

1. Upload limit: Unlimited!
2. Max. 300 MB per file via HTTP Splitted archives allowed!
3. Max. 1 Gb per file via FTP Splitted archives allowed!
4. Download limit: Unlimited!
5. Our disk space: filling...
6. Support for resuming downloads
7. Files lifetime up to 6 months after last download

vsv

15th December 2006, 11:43

MuTeK, your setting don't work.

Scenarist 4 SCA rejected encoded stream:
"Error : AVC profile or level or their combination are wrong."

Sergey A. Sablin

15th December 2006, 12:00

MuTeK, your setting don't work.

Scenarist 4 SCA rejected encoded stream:
"Error : AVC profile or level or their combination are wrong."

you ahve to set up Level directly to 4.0 or 4.1. Probably Auto mode detects lower or higher level than expected.

shon3i

15th December 2006, 12:06

@vsv, maybe better to use mainconcept app, because elecard sometimes skip setting you made

vsv

15th December 2006, 12:32

Sergey, same problem with Level4.0
Any other profiles?

shon3i, mainconcept and elecard used different filters?
You can make small sample 5sec?

shon3i

15th December 2006, 12:38

Sergey, same problem with Level4.0
Any other profiles?

shon3i, mainconcept and elecard used different filters?
You can make small sample 5sec?
If you mean have different encoders, then answer is no, but eliecard use newer version, which support AQ, other is same.

What sample?

vsv

15th December 2006, 12:42

short clip avc elementar stream for HD-DVD 1440x1080i or another resolution.

Sergey A. Sablin

15th December 2006, 12:49

Sergey, same problem with Level4.0
Any other profiles?

shon3i, mainconcept and elecard used different filters?
You can make small sample 5sec?

I need to check spec for available picture formats etc. Please wait till tomorrow...

IgorC

15th December 2006, 22:08

There is final version release.
http://www.elecard.com/products/products-pc/consumer/converter-studio/

acidsex

16th December 2006, 01:23

and how do you purchase this thing? I cant find any link or price tag.

MuTeK

18th December 2006, 07:39

acidsex
Please contact Elecard Sales Deprtment. (sales@elecard.net.ru)

acidsex

19th December 2006, 16:03

acidsex
Please contact Elecard Sales Deprtment. (sales@elecard.net.ru)

Why? Thats about dumb. I just want the price and the option to purchase without having having to send an email etc...

foxyshadis

19th December 2006, 17:30

That's how business sales tend to work - if you're not a business, the "contact for a quote" usually translates to "you can't afford it". They want to talk to you so they can offer support contacts, push related products, and offer a lower price (or free installation support or whatever) if you're reluctant enough. Even when I'm in it for my company, I hate it, since it means I have to waste a lot of time talking and waiting when I could rule some companies out right away.

acidsex

19th December 2006, 17:44

Thats my point. I dont want to have other products pushed on me. Thats ok, Ill rule them out and stick with MeGUI. Thanks for a better explanation. :) Happy Holidays.

KoD

19th December 2006, 18:36

The encoder is probably not meant for consumers like us but for businesses.

The difference is that if we are used to see the price tag when buying something from a shop, it's different when a deal is made between two businesses.

Based on negotiations, a price is agreed as well as all aditional features: support, training, maintenance policy, etc. It's simply a different world. No two deals end up with the same price tag or same set of agreed terms.

BITS

20th December 2006, 06:55

hahaha, honestly i've read this whole thread, and for it to end more or less like this... "Thanks for the free testing, now fuc off scum"...hahaha. Screw this company, everything they could say from now on will be irrelevant for us here as it stands.

They used you all as free beta testers. You can hate me for saying it. There was a certain company, and close to the same spelling of XviD that did the same exact thing years ago before releasing a "4.0" version.

This is really sad for me, because this is my first night "going in" and trying to start using h.264. So far i've seen a thread about a "Block" problem with x264 (btw my money is on that one in the end!), and the very next thread i decide to read is a company using the public like a dirty dish towel.

Been about 2 years since i tried learning a new codec, and already i see problems and drama. What's next, voting users off the island...i mean forum. Dare i even read a 3rd thread tonight!!! Sad...yet comedic for me. Seriously, imagine after 2 years out, seeing 2 thread like that back to back...

BTW: DDog, although i never got a chance to, or ever will use this codec, thanks for the input. i'll have to watch out for that media splitter.

KoD

20th December 2006, 13:37

I think you don't live in the real world if you are so amazed by this.

20th December 2006, 14:11

Been about 2 years since i tried learning a new codec, and already i see problems and drama. What's next, voting users off the island...i mean forum. Dare i even read a 3rd thread tonight!!! Sad...yet comedic for me. Seriously, imagine after 2 years out, seeing 2 thread like that back to back...
Oh, you should definitely take a look at the CoreAVC threads :D

dragongodz

20th December 2006, 15:17

The encoder is probably not meant for consumers like us but for businesses.
it is clearly listed under consumer products.

if anyone had bothered to make any effort searching they could have found the standard version is for sale, including price.
https://secure.shareit.com/shareit/checkout.html?productid=224637&language=english

but you have to contact Elecard for the pro version.

hmmm now show me again where its written in stone that a company has to advertise its price online ? they may have other reasons for wanting to handle pro sales that way. speculation here doesnt amount to real information unfortunatly.

and the very next thread i decide to read is a company using the public like a dirty dish towel.
BITS - you have no idea what you are talking about. plenty of people have free beta tested for multiple companies on here. for example Atemes H264, whose product was never going to be for consumers. however Nero use Atemes engine so the benefits of an improved Ateme product should flow through to the Nero consumer product mostly.
also some people beta test more out of interest in the technology rather than to buy a specific brand. again for example i was one of the people that beta tested for Ateme. i have not gone and bought Nero recode, or any other H264 encoder, and currently have no intention to. i still found it interesting and hopefully mine and others testing helped improve things that will benefit others(meaning consumers).

i wouldnt even mind giving Mainconcept and Elecards encoders a good testing aswell for the same reasons except this is a busy time of year for me.

does this mean all companies are nice ? no. far from it. i know another company i did testing for who frankly ended up treating people in the community that helped them rather badly. however Elecard deciding to do sales by needing to contact their sales department does not mean they are doing that.

finally yes i would prefer to see the price advertised on the page aswell but if i was serious about buying a product then i think i could live with actually having to contact them. :)

IgorC

20th December 2006, 15:18

hahaha , honestly i've read this whole thread, and for it to end more or less like this... "Thanks for the free testing, now fuc off scum"...hahaha.
You are wrong and lost without any chance.
First of all, they weren't interested in any beta test.
I created this thread with informative intention. Another thing that people began to commit some ideas and indicate to bugs.
Don't victimize to beta testers. They know what they have ;) and they do it without any obligation.

BITS

20th December 2006, 22:12

Well that is great you created this thread for that, but that isn't what this thread turned into is it?

Someone in this thread is related to, or employed by this company (and i know it isn't me). Someone benefited from this testing this community put forth, so who was that? Does anyone not know that already though?

"First of all, they weren't interested in any beta test." i thought there was a encoder that encoded only 50% due to being a "trial", and the intentions of releasing that was to trouble shoot bugs (because it had some and they knew it did). Remember though, i'm "lost without any chance".

"Don't victimize to beta testers. They know what they have and they do it without any obligation." i read that, but i'm not taking your advice. You also seem very happy about writing that, some here might not feel that happy, or atleast not enough to put a :-) in the post. if it wasn't for the irony that followed me last night, i wouldn't of been laughing at all. Luckily, i had timing to give me that chance.

This post was a advertisement. You can say it was "informative " to start with, but that isn't how it turned out. You're intentions were fine and well, but sadly the intentions of the product you have brung into conversation, were not for this community here.

IgorC, atleast i know you will defend the product, or else you wouldn't of posted anything remotely like that. They should hire you, or have they already?

All in all, pretty zhitty that the community here won't have a legitimate chance to use their encoder. But if you include commercial alternatives, there is dozens upon dozens more to choose from, which is nice for the consumer.

Anyways, back to RTFM for x264.

Sharktooth

20th December 2006, 22:36

The doom9 community have always helped developers of multimedia products, being them commercial or free.
So get a life and get away from your "Fantasy Land".

dragongodz

21st December 2006, 02:07

i thought there was a encoder that encoded only 50% due to being a "trial", and the intentions of releasing that was to trouble shoot bugs (because it had some and they knew it did).
a trial version is just that. you would rather ones where they dont put out a trial version but you have to just buy the full version before deciding if you want to buy it or not ? most here would disagree with you.
they did put out beta version previously aswell but guess what, they didnt come here and ask for people to beta test any of these. other companies have and people here tested them. there is a difference.

some here might not feel that happy
care to point out who to back that up ? and i dont mean those who just dont like that the price isnt put on the webpage.

This post was a advertisement.
mods please delete any news of a commercial product being released. especially if someone from the company, such as a dev, replies to people finding bugs etc. clearly BITS knows best and no commerial software should ever be mentioned here. :sly:
[that was sarcasm for those that didnt get it]

All in all, pretty zhitty that the community here won't have a legitimate chance to use their encoder.
hmm so you cant go buy the standard version from the link i found ? so you cant contact their sales to buy the pro version ?
try to get your facts right before posting such things.

bond

21st December 2006, 22:18

guys cool down please. everybody knows when he is testing commercial or free software, noone is forced to it

shon3i

23rd December 2006, 16:13

Why i can't choose HE-AAC in my encoding?

I use this avs script.

V=DGDecode_mpeg2source("JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack.d2v",info=3).ColorMatrix(hints=true)
A=NicAc3Source("JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack.ac3", DRC=1).Normalize()
AudioDub(V,A)

That is only when i select avs source, but when i select vob, HE-AAC is alowed

MuTeK

26th December 2006, 07:45

HE-AAC supports only a stereo mode.

shon3i

27th December 2006, 14:28

HE-AAC supports only a stereo mode.
Why this, HE-AAC 5.1 around 128kbps with CT and Nero Encoder give us good quality.

Is this will be implemented in future?

MuTeK

28th December 2006, 07:30

Is this will be implemented in future?
yes, of course

vsv

4th January 2007, 20:56

MuTeK, why impossible to save preset with level 4.1 ?
After encoding mode Level everytime in mode "auto" and Stream Analyzer displayed level_idc=40 instead of 41. In version 1.0
this bug not fixed. Thanks.

shon3i

28th January 2007, 12:55

I found bug in this new demo version from Jan 19/2007, when i encode a clip short or long(15000 frames), first half of video have perfect quality, but second have Quantizer 51 and bitrate about 40kbps.

Short video sample http://www.mytempdir.com/1189917

Because i lost lastest working version i think is form Dec 21/2006, can somebody send me. Thnaks

PS. I read on Elecard and Mainconecpt web, did this companies now seperated?

MuTeK

29th January 2007, 08:51

It’s weird ‘cause I’ve tested it on several streams and failed to reproduce the situation. The source file is big, is it possible to upload it on FTP? It would be also good to know all settings for the task

shon3i

29th January 2007, 09:07

I can upload source later, but that isn't problem with one source. This problem happed me first time when i update, first movie which i encode is F&F Tokyo Drift and haved same problem, but after encoding two movies which are fine, same thing again happend with this Final Destination 3.

Here is profile i'v used in this encodings http://www.mytempdir.com/1191171

Can you send me earlier version?

dand

29th January 2007, 13:39

Why this, HE-AAC 5.1 around 128kbps with CT and Nero Encoder give us good quality.

Is this will be implemented in future?

5.1 can not be a pure HE v2, as 5.1 contains 6 channels and only two pairs (front pair and back pair) can be done as HE v2. Central channel should be HE v1, and subwoofer only LC AAC as it doesn't contain any high frequencies.

Currently, MC supports LC and HE v1 with 5.1, HE v2 supports only stereo.

Also, HE is not transparent, not hi-fi, so I wouldn't go with HE for 5.1 at all. Pozdrav!

Sagittaire

29th January 2007, 13:57

Also, HE is not transparent, not hi-fi, so I wouldn't go with HE for 5.1 at all. Pozdrav!

HE can be good solution for high resolution 96/88.2 Khz source ...

shon3i

29th January 2007, 16:59

5.1 can not be a pure HE v2, as 5.1 contains 6 channels and only two pairs (front pair and back pair) can be done as HE v2. Central channel should be HE v1, and subwoofer only LC AAC as it doesn't contain any high frequencies.

Currently, MC supports LC and HE v1 with 5.1, HE v2 supports only stereo.

Also, HE is not transparent, not hi-fi, so I wouldn't go with HE for 5.1 at all. Pozdrav!
I think HE-AACv2 can't be for 5.1, but who know's, It is a good idea but i don't know how much it is possible. On other way this makes sense and maybe can be useful for example for lower bitrates around 64kbps, because now 5.1 HE-AACv1 is only supported down to 96kbps (CT encoder) and 80kbps (Nero encoder). BTW for these bitrates HEAACv1 makes realy good impression, for lower i think is better to wait MPEG Surround.

I don't know for you but IMHO 128kbps HEAACv1 5.1 sound me good enough, even much better than i expect, maybe isn't full trasparent but isn't bad at all. You should listen some samples, here you have some 5.1 samples http://www.seemoredigital.net/51_Test_Encodes.html

192 is even better, aslo both Nero and CT recommend HEAACv1 for higher bitrates Nero up to 256kbps, CT up to 213kbps, For everything upper LC-AAC is better, of course for 5.1

Pozdrav za prijatelja iz Hrvatske!

shon3i

29th January 2007, 17:03

HE can be good solution for high resolution 96/88.2 Khz source ...
DSBR or Oversampled SBR, isn't good at all, that is HE-AAC High from CT encoder, this force encoder to encode SBR above 14khz instead standard 11khz, maybe you right, but for example 192 HE-AAC High isn't better than 192 LC-AAC because isn't transparent at all.

Sagittaire

29th January 2007, 17:18

DSBR or Oversampled SBR, isn't good at all, that is HE-AAC High from CT encoder, this force encoder to encode SBR above 14khz instead standard 11khz, maybe you right, but for example 192 HE-AAC High isn't better than 192 LC-AAC because isn't transparent at all.

Well I more speak in theory about high quality encoding. For example HE 96 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps vs LC 48 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps with real 96 Khz source ...

IgorC

29th January 2007, 17:50

Well I more speak in theory about high quality encoding. For example HE 96 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps vs LC 48 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps with real 96 Khz source ...
Your statements are logical talking about theory.
Yes, it's probably true that cutting off of high frequencies at low samplerate is worth than its SB replication at higher samplerate but only in case if bitrate is enough high to hand important interval of frequencies up to 20 khz. If it won't enough high there will be sound quality degradation due to high sensivity of human hearing at frequencies 20hz-20khz.

But your example of 448 kbps 5.1 is equivalent to 160-192 kbps stereo. Nero and Itunes LC-AAC at 192 kbps preserve up to approx. 19 khz honestly. If sbr will be enabled at such bitrate then there will be true freq. archiving at LC part only up to maybe 14 khz while 15khz and higher freq. will be replicated (not actually handled well).

And another thing. Do everybody (if anybody) need 96khz sound? There were many discussions on HA forum and many people arrived to conclusion taht 44.1-48 khz,16 bit is enough for final customer.
Vastly mayority of people failed on spoting between 48 and 96 khz samples.

HeadBangeR77

29th January 2007, 20:22

I think HE-AACv2 can't be for 5.1, but who know's, It is a good idea but i don't know how much it is possible. On other way this makes sense and maybe can be useful for example for lower bitrates around 64kbps, because now 5.1 HE-AACv1 is only supported down to 96kbps (CT encoder) and 80kbps (Nero encoder). BTW for these bitrates HEAACv1 makes realy good impression, for lower i think is better to wait MPEG Surround.
(...)
The reason HE v2 won't work with 5.1 sound is simple:

http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=929284&postcount=21

How would you expect parametric stereo to work with 5.1? ;)
It doesn't even want to swallow AC3 and mix the channels, at least Nero Encoder.

Btw. with all due respect to AAC technology and HE profiles, the sound can't be packed to that amount and sound well, it's impossible, at least atm - I'm speaking about 5.1 HE-AAC v1 below 100kbps.

Pozdrowienia z Polski ;)

shon3i

29th January 2007, 20:51

The reason HE v2 won't work with 5.1 sound is simpleI know that, but i said in teory (because i don't know is possible) like Dand said using PS for 2 pairs (FL,FR and SL,SR) can save bitrate, probably not much, but enough for encode 5.1@64kbps, and that to sound simmilar like HEAACv1 @ 96kbps 5.1. Look for example MPEG Surround standard where are all channels mixed in encoding and reconstructed/seperated in decoder, http://www.codingtechnologies.com/products/mpgsrnd.htm

I'm speaking about 5.1 HE-AAC v1 below 100kbpsWell 96kbps HE-AACv1 5.1 isn't much terrible, FL,FR,C channels have up to 15khz which enough for good overall quality, both nero and ct encoders provide good quality @96kbps, but that is my opinion. Nero allow to go to 80kbps for 5.1 but artifatcts are easy noticable.

Pozdrowienia z PolskiWell i don't speek Polski but i understand this, greetings to you

Well I more speak in theory about high quality encoding. For example HE 96 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps vs LC 48 Khz 5.1 at 448 Kbps with real 96 Khz source ...In practice that isn't possible now beacause HE-AAC High is only for stereo and i think never will be for 5.1, and HE-AAC in nero is allowed (by developers) up to 256kbps in 5.1, because have no sense to use HE-AAC for higher rates.

dand

29th January 2007, 21:02

...using PS for 2 pairs (FL,FR and SL,SR) can save bitrate probably not much, but enough for encode 5.1@64kbps, and that to sound simmilar like HEAACv1 @ 96kbps 5.1.

This shouldn't be hard to calculate: two stereo pairs each taking 20 kbps with HEv2, one central channel taking 30 with HEv1, and subwoofer taking 10 kbps usign LC AAC, gives altogether around 80 kbps for 5.1. Take +-20% and there you have some meaningfull range. Pozdrav Poljskoj!

HeadBangeR77

29th January 2007, 21:16

Just one thing: I've heard many samples from Nero website, I mean those movie trailers:
- Nero Digital ASP + AAC LC
- Nero Digital AVC + AAC HE v1
Guess they are encoded and muxed this way as a rule. The sound was 2.0 for both versions, somewhere between 60-80 kbps, and I could clearly distinguish one from the other. The latter just sounded worse, much worse, what was especially audible in spoken parts. I would never encode 2.0 sound for a movie like that.

Since you've got more experience with AAC - did they f**** something up? Or could it be due to my outdated decoder (Core AAC)?

dand

29th January 2007, 21:25

...I could clearly distinguish one from the other. The latter just sounded worse, much worse, what was especially audible in spoken parts. I would never encode 2.0 sound for a movie like that.

As I said above - HE is not hi-fi, use it for your mobile phone clips, not for high definition movie with surround sound!

HeadBangeR77

29th January 2007, 21:37

As I said above - HE is not hi-fi, use it for your mobile phone clips, not for high definition movie with surround sound!
Ta, now it's clear to me (I think) - the more suprises me it's been used in those trailers, unless they wanted to show off with the video's quality only.

PS. I encode MP3s -V2 -b128 (minimal bitrate by VBR) both for mobile and home use. With 1-2GB in your cellular phone it ain't a problem at all :D

shon3i

29th January 2007, 21:50

decoder (Core AAC)?Well what version of decoder you use, beacuse i stick to ffdshow, bad decoders can't propertly decode SBR part, and you get very bad 11khz LC-AAC audio.

Bulletproof

30th January 2007, 00:23

So far in my preliminary tests, the elecard encoder seems to do better than x264 with high frequency detail. With x264 it seems to blur out the detail by alot (both tests had deblocking disabled). In a 2nd quick test it seems x264 does better with mid-low frequency detail. I have not tried Ateme's encoder yet.

Bulletproof

30th January 2007, 01:13

I tried to get the settings as close as possible to each other. Deblocking is off on all of them. 1mbit/s.

http://www.tools4images.net/files/Bulletproof-original.jpg

http://www.tools4images.net/files/Bulletproof-ateme.jpg

http://www.tools4images.net/files/Bulletproof-elecard.jpg

http://www.tools4images.net/files/Bulletproof-x264.jpg

Filesizes:

1,356,584 elecard.mp4
1,244,570 ateme.mp4
1,248,659 x264.mp4

MuTeK

30th January 2007, 05:01

And where settings?

shon3i
try new version.. download (http://www.elecard.com/ftp/pub/MobileConverter/EConverterStudio_Demo.zip)

Bulletproof

30th January 2007, 05:32

And where settings?

Ateme: hdtv profile, 2-pass, high quality, 255 motion vector, 4 reference frames, 250 gop, 3 bframes, CABAC, bidirectional prediction, macroblock partition, weighted prediction, 8x8 transform, deblocking off, all 3 psychovisual enhancements on, chroma prediction.

Elecard: AVC high profile best quality 2 pass.

x264: HQ-Insane profile.

Deblocking off on all 3, 1mbit/s.

JohnV

30th January 2007, 06:16

Ateme looks by far the best of the screen caps, but I'd rather see small video clips of each..

shon3i

30th January 2007, 17:32

MuTeK
Same thing, like is ratecontrol broken. File is oversized. And now it's happend for all movies.

I set target filesize to 600 mb and i get file of 620 mb where this 600mb are fine, and this 20mb are encoded @ q51 which are 1/4 of video.

Can you send me earlier version from dec 2006 please? Thanks

Bulletproof

30th January 2007, 19:05

I'm going to try another test this evening, and I'll include the clips this time. If anyone wants me to try any other competitive codec, let me know its name and where to download it.

MuTeK

9th February 2007, 09:13

Version 1.1 release (http://www.elecard.com/ftp/pub/MobileConverter/EConverterStudio_Demo.zip)

New features and changes:
• The Speed/Quality mode (allows changing the speed/quality correlation)
• New file opening mode Open file(s) as multi-source
• New file opening mode Open file(s) as single-file
• Command line support (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Enhanced MPEG PS/TS multiplexer adjustment (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Enhanced MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 ASP/AVC decoder adjustment
• Ability to overlay any picture as a logo on picture (Elecard Logo Renderer) (Pro/Pro HD versions only)
• Ability to save profiles and their descriptions

R3Z

9th February 2007, 11:49

MuTeK

12th February 2007, 06:21

It is really necessary?
may be later..

NanoBot

12th February 2007, 11:54

R3Z

13th February 2007, 09:53

Hi Mutek and R3Z,

I would like to support R3Zs request for a constant quality / quantisizer mode. When comparing the trial versions of the main concept and the elecard h.264 encoders it was the main thing I missed in the elecard encoder. Whenever a given filesize of the target is not the main goal, one pass CQ is IMHO the best and fastest method to encode / reencode.

C.U. NanoBot

Cheers NanoBot, i thought i was the only one who didnt like to butcher my videos for the sake of a filesize. :sly:

Constant quality is much better than two pass for me, simply because my spare time is rare and constant quality guarantes a certain quality.

shon3i

13th February 2007, 14:14

Cheers NanoBot, i thought i was the only one who didnt like to butcher my videos for the sake of a filesize. :sly:

Constant quality is much better than two pass for me, simply because my spare time is rare and constant quality guarantes a certain quality.
Well, with elecard you can use constant bitrate in 2pass.

Sagittaire

13th February 2007, 15:26

Cheers NanoBot, i thought i was the only one who didnt like to butcher my videos for the sake of a filesize. :sly:

Constant quality is much better than two pass for me, simply because my spare time is rare and constant quality guarantes a certain quality.

In general case you can't have constant quality with vbv. Multipass is by far the best way with vbv if you want the more possible constant quality ...

MuTeK

21st February 2007, 11:33

Version 1.1.52 release
New features:
• Change Profile option for tasks in TaskList
• AVC CQ mode
• AVC Blu-Ray and Sony Playstation3 profiles

Fixed bugs:
• Incorrect displaying of Add file(s) with profile… dialog (SpeedQuality string) when profile is changed
• Statistics displaying on the second encoding pass
• Adding great number of files in the Add file(s) with profile… mode
• Working with CBP (VBV) buffer in VBR mode (AVC/H.264 Video Encoder)

vsv

22nd February 2007, 20:53

MuTeK, thanks!
Looks at this price is a better avc encoder ever!
Good work!:thanks:

acrespo

23rd February 2007, 20:24

I have asked about iPod 5.5G profile to support by email but I didn't receive a response in 72 hours.

The problem is: iPod 5.5G profile is limiting the video bitrate to 920kbps but this device support 1500 kbps in H264. This is occuring in 1.1 registered version.

MuTeK

26th February 2007, 05:19

please download this profile

acrespo

26th February 2007, 15:37

The problem is the same. When I change the bitrate to anything higher than 920kbps, converter studio back this setting to 920 again. If I change the option "Compatible" in Main tab to Custom, I can change the bitrate to anything. The problem only occurs when this setting is "For iPod"

SealTooGreat

8th March 2007, 20:39

Does Elecard H.264/MPEG2 Converter have custom matrices and custom PAR?! I couldn't find them in the options.

Jay Bee

19th March 2007, 10:20

Hi, I'm trying to make HD-DVD/BR compliant streams with this demo. If I select the respective profiles for this the resulting elementary stream still fails in Scenarist with the error "Warning : Number of SequenceEndCode is 0." What's wrong?

And another question: if I change the output container to MP4 and then later demux the MP4 (xmuxer pro), the new elementary stream is not recognized as an AVC stream in Scenarist ("clip.h264 is not supported file format"). Is there a way to make this work?

Thanks for any help.

Sergey A. Sablin

19th March 2007, 10:55

Jay Bee

19th March 2007, 13:09

Oh, I just noticed that there is an error and a warning. The error is "Error : Aspect ratio (0 = forbidden) is illegal."

The source is 720x576 and the Aspect Ratio is set to 4:3 in Converter Studio. Changing this setting doesn't help but resizing to 1920x1080 does.

HD-DVD and BR do support 720x576 SD don't they?

acrespo

20th March 2007, 19:48

Well the problem I post before Is not resolved yet. Anybody have some alternative to increase the bitrate in iPod 5.5 profile?

MuTeK

21st March 2007, 07:25

In the current version the bitrate is restricted for iPod profile on the 920kbps level. In the near future we are going to release a fixed version where the maximal bitrate will be 1500kbps.

RBF

21st March 2007, 09:45

Jay Bee
Oh, I just noticed that there is an error and a warning. The error is "Error : Aspect ratio (0 = forbidden) is illegal."
HD-DVD and BR do support 720x576 SD don't they?
Use this profiles:
HD-DVD-720x576_4x3 (http://rbf.nm.ru/HD-DVD-720x576_4x3)
HD-DVD-720x576_16x9 (http://rbf.nm.ru/HD-DVD-720x576_16x9)

Jay Bee

21st March 2007, 10:41

Thanks. The stream works with scenarist now but the resulting file has an AR of 785/576=1.36. Shouldn't this be 768/576=1.33?

kamikaZi_blitz

23rd March 2007, 05:17

So far I am pleased with the demo. It's a very fast encoder. I am only having one problem. I am trying to convert some h264material into an HD DVD compatible format, and have tried every option, but neither Cinevision, Scenarist 1.4, Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6 nor DVDit Pro HD will import it. Is there some trick that I am missing here? As for the source,its 720p 25fps so is that maybe the problem? Or is the Elecard Convertor Studio messing up somewhere?

Sagittaire

23rd March 2007, 06:27

As for the source,its 720p 25fps so is that maybe the problem? Or is the Elecard Convertor Studio messing up somewhere?

720p25 is not a compatible HDDVD format.
You must use 720p at 50 fps.

kamikaZi_blitz

23rd March 2007, 22:38

720p25 is not a compatible HDDVD format.
You must use 720p at 50 fps.

Okay, thank you. I will give that a shot.

kamikaZi_blitz

24th March 2007, 00:00

Yeah didnt work, cinevision doesnt accept it and DVDit Pro HD just crashes on burn. Oh well, thanks anyways.

IgorC

9th May 2007, 06:37

Update to 1.2

CruNcher

9th May 2007, 10:29

Since the logo is embedded into the encode you (average joe) can't do any Metric Comparsions anymore, that's a real pitty (on purpose?)
also HVS wise it's bad as it changes the whole image and how the bit distro is going to be as without the logo plain impossible to test this way anything anymore before buying it :P (this reactions might show that on the consumer level they fear x264) :)

Sagittaire

9th May 2007, 11:19

acrespo

10th May 2007, 14:53

Changelog of v1.2?

I am a unhappy registered user. Every time there is a update I need to request the new version by email and it's taking forever to send me the new version. Converter Studio is different of other Elecard softwares because there is no serial key to register, then Elecard support need to send the instalation to me every time there is a new version. Why not do the same of MPEG2 Plugin that I can register with a serial key and when a new version release I download from web and install?

I request my copy two days ago and not receive yet