dvdshrink quality settings (max smoothness, smooth, max sharp) which one and when?

[spruceland]

Well, w/o a doubt dvdshrink is one of the best programs out there. I am very familiar w/ its features except one aspect under the quality settings. You have 4 choices

1. Maximum smoothness
2. smoothness
3. sharp (default)
4. Maximum sharpness

I always use the default setting. Are there times when I should be usinging a different setting. For example, if my compression rate is at or around the low 60s etc? Or is it just user preference? Thanks

[Beak]

Hi. We all want to know this but there have been conflicting test results.

AFAIK, no one has done an organized test on different types of content.Such tests are pretty painstaking and hard to organize.

If you find your answer,I hope you post it.

[snek_one]

considering the available settings i would guess that maybe
sharpening should be used on normal video and smooth for cartoon?

at least, that would make sense when compared to settings found in
other programs.. i know anime settings for some encoders include
more smoothing than those which are made for normal video..

this IS just a guess of course!

a real live test should be made..
if necessary i am willing to help provide source material,
mostly for animations though, i'm sure a friend of mine has
some stuff we could test on..

even some webspace can be arranged for hosting the source files,
or it could be spread using bittorrent..

[dannyv]

Read this post http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=82604

You guys are correct it is very confusing. I generally ues sharp or max sharp if the project is 80% or above. And smooth if under 80%.

It does seem that no one really understands what happens in these AEC settings.

[writersblock29]

The reason that "no one" seems to know how each setting works is because revealing such information would be giving away inside information. Keep in mind that DVD Shrink is attached to the commercial software, Recode 2, which Ahead Software owns. By allowing How-This-Works information to leak out, pretty soon EVERYONE out there who makes DVD backup software would be able to match Shrink (and, thereby, Recode 2) in terms of quality. It's not that nobody knows!

(I've even seen it suggested within these threads that perhaps even the author doesn't know how these settings work. Come on, now!)

For most cases, default settings work just fine; which is why I'd suggest trying these first. If you have to do greater than 20% compression, you *may* gain better results using one setting over another... but it really all depends on your source material as to which setting will yeild the best results for a given project. (Which really roadblocks the usefulness of "testing" to find what setting is *The Best* -- the best settings for ONE project won't be the best settings for another.) Since quality is a highly subjective matter, all anyone can really tell you is to tinker with them on your own, and use whatever one suits your tastes.

Even those of us who know "how" these settings work have to do some testing from time to time. Think of it as a new toy to play with! If you're really concerned about gaining maximum qaulity from a project that you have to shrink beyond 20-30%, I'd suggest re-encoding using DVDRebuilder (provided that your source disk isn't multi-angle... this capability is currently being tested, and not availible to the open public yet).

[TheSeeker]

I know that for a long while people have speculated that Shrink is some sort of open beta for recode. No one ever really knew for sure though. seems that you do though... I never really got this though because I would take shrink over recode any day of the week so Ahead is only hurting themselves by making the better of the two softwares free... Oh and as for this:


QUOTE: WRITERSBLOCK29

(I've even seen it suggested within these threads that perhaps even the author doesn't know how these settings work. Come on, now!)

Check out this link and look at the 3rd post from the top. Very interesting, no? Seems to discredit that quote...

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80279&perpage=20&highlight=shrink%203.2%20out&pagenumber=5

EDIT: And just to be clear its been said that hes not sure in what situations to use what settings... it has not been said that he doesnt mathematically know how they work.

[writersblock29]

@TheSeeker

Qouted from the abovementioned post, as written by DVDShrink:

"I've been asked to explain which AEC options are best in which circumstances, and the truth is, I don't know. I understand what the options do from a mathematical perspective, but this does not translate into real-life recommendation. I'll be watching reports on this forum and elsewhere with interest: like everyone else, I'm keen to learn which options I should use for my backups."

Doesn't seem to discredit my quote at all. In fact, it seems to reinforce my opinions on the majority of my post. Thanks for attempting to stomp on me, though.

[dragongodz]

guys go read the link danyv gave and the last few posts.

as for knowing how the settings work, well gee even i know how some of it works(and i havent seen the source or anything of course). what you cant know is when the particular differences between the settings will be best for real life footage. throw in the human factor and maybe you will start to understand how there can be no 1 right answer. :)

I know that for a long while people have speculated that Shrink is some sort of open beta for recode. No one ever really knew for sure though. seems that you do though..
and why do people try to bring this up ? if you havent seen enough of how dvdshrink and recode work to know they are from the same code base then you wont believe anything. it is irrelivent to the majority of people anyway so why even bring it back up ?
oh and yes actually i DO know and said so a long time ago. you dont need to know how i know(not even dvdshrink knows how i do, no he still wont admit it). again most people dont care so why bring it up ?

[DocDragon]

Originally posted by dragongodz
guys go read the link danyv gave and the last few posts.
[...]

and why do people try to bring this up ? if you havent seen enough of how dvdshrink and recode work to know they are from the same code base then you wont believe anything. it is irrelivent to the majority of people anyway so why even bring it back up ?
oh and yes actually i DO know and said so a long time ago. you dont need to know how i know(not even dvdshrink knows how i do, no he still wont admit it). again most people dont care so why bring it up ?

er, dragongodz: ok, for the slow-minded person ;), can i conclude that recode and dvdshrink ARE derived from the same source code? BTW, i haven't worked with recode, yet.

it's true, for the majority of ppl, this info doesn't really matter, but it sure is an insider info that makes this "kick-ass" program a little bit more interesting -- just like fans would like to know more about the secret lives of their "idols." ok, i admit it, i AM a dvdshrink fan as well as a DVD-RB fan :D .

DD