MeGUI x264 presets.

[Adub]

Ah, great, thanks Sharktooth.

[JarrettH]

Didn't have to ask :cool:

[easy2Bcheesy]

I'm running a fully updated MeGUI and I'm having issues with the 1 Pass Lossless profile. It errors out on the video encoding stage:

"x264 [error]: high profile doesn't support lossless"

I imported the lossless profile outside of the auto updater using the v85 presets. Have I done something wrong? How can I get lossless working?

[nurbs]

Select the profile and hit config, then save it again. If that doesn't work set "AVC Profiles" in the first tab of the config dialog to "Autoguess".

[easy2Bcheesy]

That worked (without needing to auto-guess)... thanks!

[axlrose26]

Hi Sharktooth,

I am pretty new to encoding. I have a lot of vids (scenes and movies) on my HDD, and my motive is to save hard disk space by converting the wmv, avi, and mpeg files to mkv. At the same time I would like to retain 90-95% of the quality of the original files.

I downloaded meGUI and the x264 presets from one of your threads. All the vids that I am planning to convert to mkv are intended for viewing only on my computer, and hence I assume that the "Unrestricted" presets would be the best.

I have a few questions.

Unrestricted 2pass Fast
Unrestricted 2pass Balanced
Unrestricted 2pass HQ
Unrestricted 2pass Extra Quality
Unrestricted 2pass Insane

1. What is the difference among the 5 presets mentioned above in terms of output quality and the size of the output file?

2. Which preset would give the BEST quality output and which one would reduce the file size the MOST and at the same time maintain 90-95% of the original vid quality??

3. The "Extra Quality" preset is better than "HQ" in terms of quality??

If my assumption of using "Unrestricted" presets is wrong, then kindly inform what presets shall I use in order to convert the wmv and avi files to mkv format. Please remember, the objective is to maintain 90-95% of the original file quality and save the max hard disk space.


Thanks,
Axl.

[j8ee]

Those presets compresses more in the order you wrote them, and should give better and better video quality starting from fast down to insane. Extra Quality is slower/better quality than HQ (confusing naming, I agree). Regarding quality and size, it's actually impossible to say - you have to try for yourself and see what works for you. It seems like a bad idea to re-encode your videos though, you will probably be disappointed in the result. In my opinion what you want to do is impossible. But don't ask in this thread about those things, this thread is only about the presets. In fact, you probably don't need to ask at all, just search and read, it's very very unlikely that you will ask something that haven't been answered many times already. Read the forum rules again, rule 1,2,3 and 12 especially.

[m3mbran3]

I was just comparing the unrestricted EQ and DXVA EQ settings and noticed that the only differences were no b-pyramid, no p4x4 and a VBV buffer size set. From reading varying threads it seems as if b-pyramid caused trouble with older video cards but that seems to be fixed now. I'm not sure about p4x4 and I assume the VBV buffer size is so that the video remain within its profile limits.

I was just wondering what settings would maintain dxva compatibility in most scenarios (ps3, xbox360, pc gpu playback etc.)? From my limited testing on my pc with ATI 4850 and ps3 the unrestricted EQ settings seem to work fine on both. Do you think the DXVA profiles could be updated to include b-pyramid and/or p4x4?

[tetsuo55]

Not all decoders support B-pyramids, i doubt Sharktooth will ever add this (but nothing prevents you from adjusting the profile locally)

[juGGaKNot]

p4x4 is harder to decode and encode with small benefit.

[Betsy25]

Unrestricted 2pass Fast
Unrestricted 2pass Balanced
Unrestricted 2pass HQ
Unrestricted 2pass Extra Quality
Unrestricted 2pass Insane

Perhaps to give clearer idea, i would be better to change 2pass Extra Quality into 2pass Extra HQ.
Unrestricted 2pass Fast
Unrestricted 2pass Balanced
Unrestricted 2pass HQ
Unrestricted 2pass Extra HQ
Unrestricted 2pass Insane

[Dark Shikari]

p4x4 is harder to decode and encode with small benefit.Decode? Not really.

Also, the presets should really be renamed in a more intuitive way.

Fastest
Fast
Medium
Slow
Slowest

or something like that.

[juGGaKNot]

Decode? Not really.

Really ? partitions all it is then.

[Forteen88]

Because x264 don't support slices yet, shouldn't L4.0 be set for the Blu-ray profiles, as L4.0 doesn't require slices?! Maybe a check for the allowed Blu-ray compliant resolutions should be done too?! Thanks

[Grossmeister]

Can someone tell which of these profiles is the most similar to StaxRip 1.1.1.3 "Quality"? Or, maybe, there is same profile written in MeGUI XML structure?

[Underground78]

Hello,

I've seen v86 and v87 of the profiles but I can't find the changes. Have they been published somewhere ?

[Forteen88]

Now with x264 r1242+ (multi-slice support, thanks for that DS!), MeGUI should set --slices 4 in the Blu-ray profiles..

[rack04]

Now with x264 r1242+ (multi-slice support), MeGUI should set --slices 4 in the Blu-ray profiles..

Not until there is a x264 build available with NAL HRD.

[Kurtnoise]

imho, megui presets should be rewritten from scratch from now within the new x264 features.

and yes, I'm lazy to do that myself...Any volunteers ?

Hint: using megui 0.3.1.1055 or higher to create them is highly recommended.

[j8ee]

Sharktooth said he's working on that some time ago - http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1305914#post1305914 - I hope he's still on to it. Probably he just have other things to do under the summer, but that's only a guess. I don't think it's necessary with a rewrite, that would imply most commands and switches have changed, and they haven't. There's only need for a few changes and additions, but still these things usually takes a lot longer than expected.

[Kurtnoise]

several settings in almost current presets are not suitable anymore within the current x264. That's why I said "rewrite from scratch"...Each targets also should be redefined.

[Underground78]

Will new presets be based on x264's internal presets ? For exemple DeviceX - Very Fast, DeviceX - Fast, DeviceX - Slow, ... with only changes needed to achieved DeviceX compatibility and maybe a distinction between SD and HD sources ?

[Kurtnoise]

Will new presets be based on x264's internal presets ?
yes...

For exemple DeviceX - Very Fast, DeviceX - Fast, DeviceX - Slow, ... with only changes needed to achieved DeviceX compatibility and maybe a distinction between SD and HD sources ?
Distinction should be made when you select the output target not from input source...

[Underground78]

Distinction should be made when you select the output target not from input source...

Yes of course. I wasn't clear enough but in fact what I wanted to know was if some presets would need to have two "versions", one for SD target, another for HD target ...

So in fact it will be something like this :
--> device [--> SD or HD target] --> Encoding speed/Quality (ultrafast, veryfast, faster, fast, medium, slow, slower, veryslow, placebo) ?

For example : DVXA - SD - Medium, DVXA - HD - Medium, DVXA - HD - Slow ...

[Kurtnoise]

I wasn't clear enough but in fact what I wanted to know was if some presets would need to have two "versions", one for SD target, another for HD target ...
In my point of view, this is meaningless and may introduce some confusions but might be useful for some other people ?

[Underground78]

This only interest of this distinction is to use higher settings for SD, isn't it ? But is it really useful ?

[florinandrei]

When encoding in the CQ mode, there seems to exist different --qp optimal levels depending on whether the target is SD or HD. At least that's how it seems to me, but I could be wrong (the end result depends on so many factors).

If that is correct, then obviously different profile versions need to be created for SD and HD. But otherwise I see no reason.

[Dark Eiri]

When encoding in the CQ mode, there seems to exist different --qp optimal levels depending on whether the target is SD or HD. At least that's how it seems to me, but I could be wrong (the end result depends on so many factors).

If that is correct, then obviously different profile versions need to be created for SD and HD. But otherwise I see no reason.

Talking about Const. Quality mode, yes, 720p @ CRF 21 looks great, but for SD (let's say 640x480) content, you would need as least CRF 18 to "match visually" the 720p@21. For 1080p, you can increase to 22, or more. Of course it depends on your source, these are only estimatives. I believe it's the same for Const. Quantizer.

That's probably because the complexibity of the frame doesn't scale linearly with the resolution increase. (Now that's bad english, I hope you can understand it). I don't think that would require two presets, though. You can change it yourself, as you would change the bitrate for every file you encode, or just save it as another preset with the values you consider appropriate.

I also think there are too many presets. For example, are the DXVA specific ones really required now that DXVA can play almost anything?

[Dark Shikari]

Talking about Const. Quality mode, yes, 720p @ CRF 21 looks great, but for SD (let's say 640x480) content, you would need as least CRF 18 to "match visually" the 720p@21. For 1080p, you can increase to 22, or more. Of course it depends on your source, these are only estimatives. I believe it's the same for Const. Quantizer.No, that's just because you watch them all on the same size screen (upscaled), so artifacts are more noticable in smaller videos than in larger ones, since the artifacts get upscaled along with the rest of the video.

[sat-jokar]

Sharktooth > I have been use HQ Slower Before , but now i can see you Remove the Profile , What is the Alternative to HQ Slower now ?

[szabi]

Hi

Does anyone know why it is not updated anymore?
Last profile version v85 which is from july when x264 version was r1183.

Now last x264 version is r1310 but no new profile for it.

I am not so good at setup x264 that is why I really like this profile collection.
Also i do not see Sharktooth here since a month.
Has he finished this profile job?

Bye
szabi

[stax76]

Somebody should ask Sharktooth if he has any MeGUI plans, seems he didn't make any statement, I hope he is well, currently Kurtnoise is working on it alone.

[Adub]

There are new profiles on the development build. Run a search on the MeGUI Development thread for a link.

[BlackPrince]

no preset is working.....

[LigH]

I believe all those profiles won't work anymore with x264 since the new defaults and generic presets/profiles/tunings were introduced (r1177 - 1st July 2009).

[rapscallion]

There are new profiles on the development build. Run a search on the MeGUI Development thread for a link.
Searched....nothing that I could find since July, when ST went MIA.

[Carpo]

I think the new presents are a little confusing compared to the older ones, i can see what they are trying to do. i guess the new p6 profile is the old x264 HQ profile or something, is there i link where we can compare the new profiles to the old

[rapscallion]

The "old" profiles" are on the first post of this thread. Where are the "new" ones you're referring to ?

[Carpo]

when i update megui i get different profiles in the drop down box

[LigH]

Those are profiles related to the mentioned "new" x264 native presets and tunings.

But they are not anymore related to those in the beginning of this thread.

If you now need e.g. an XBox360 or PS3 compatible (e.g. Level 4.1 and Ref/B restricted) profile based on the "slower" preset with "film" tunings ... make it yourself (until someone uses his leisure time to make them for you).

[quantum5uicid3]

here's some help ;)

http://mewiki.project357.com/wiki/X264_Settings

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=149711

[djesteban]

when i update megui i get different profiles in the drop down box

Huh? Which version of meGUI are you using... mine won't find updates for months, and I use 0.3.1.1056 which is suppose to be the latest. How did you get those profile listed?

btw... is the meGUI project dead? Is anyone still working on it?

[mozzle]

btw... is the meGUI project dead? Is anyone still working on it?

With all the heavy-hitters on this forum, you think we'd at least be able to get some kind of status update, even if it's "project is on hold indefinitely". I've got megui in a state where I can use it with the latest x264 so I'm happy but it's just weird that it borked and now there's just silence (apart from frustrated users.) I love this application and have been using it for over a year. I know kurtnoise is on his own but would somebody just tell us what is going on?

[Carpo]

Huh? Which version of meGUI are you using... mine won't find updates for months, and I use 0.3.1.1056 which is suppose to be the latest. How did you get those profile listed?

btw... is the meGUI project dead? Is anyone still working on it?

What i did was to install 3002 - then select development server, untick 1057 from the update list, and let it update the rest, should work if you installed 1056 from sourforge too.

[Warbucks81]

I believe all those profiles won't work anymore with x264 since the new defaults and generic presets/profiles/tunings were introduced (r1177 - 1st July 2009).

http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1338462&postcount=4915

Read that post for a link to new profiles. I'm using 1057 with those profiles and the latest build of x264(from x264.nl) without any issues.

You will need to delete any jobs and old profiles in your existing installation before upgrading to 1057. Then install the new profiles.

[audioffile]

Thanks Sharktooth. I've been using your profiles ever since I started using x264. A great help for folks who don't want to have to learn everything in order to encode their first video. Do you have any recommendations for where to start learning a little more about the various settings as I start to tweak things? I only use Unrestricted CQ profiles.

Another question, what is the difference between the various CQ profiles? Just speed of the encoding?

However the Unrestricted CQ preset is quite good. There are very few other options to tweak to rise compression/quality. Just set your preferred CRF and let it go... ;)

When I set crf=23 in my MeGUI One-Click Encoder, the crf=23 actually drops out of the command line. Is crf=23 some type of a default or is this a bug?

Finally, how come no linky to this thread in your sig? :)

[RunningSkittle]

audioffile: megui presets are outdated and should no longer be used. Use the new preset and tuning system instead. This should be included in the new patched megui and also makes running from the CLI much easier. more info here: http://mewiki.project357.com/wiki/X264_Settings
example:

x264.exe --preset slow --tune film --crf 20 --level 4.1 --output "output.mkv" input.avs

Also CRF 23 is a default, so of course it "disappeared" it was a redundant option!

[Remicade]

Why is so big the differences between x264 DXVA HD HQ and x264 (DXVA)Unrestricted High Quality ? First preset is 2x fast.

[easy2Bcheesy]

I've installed MeGUI on Windows 7 and it seems that the Two-Pass Unrestricted Insane profile has been changed significantly. On my i7, previously it would encode 720p at around 1.5fps. Now it encodes at 25fps and the quality level doesn't appear to be anywhere near as good.

Can any one tell me how to get the "old" Insane profile back?

[Anacletus]

I've installed MeGUI on Windows 7 and it seems that the Two-Pass Unrestricted Insane profile has been changed significantly. On my i7, previously it would encode 720p at around 1.5fps. Now it encodes at 25fps and the quality level doesn't appear to be anywhere near as good.

Can any one tell me how to get the "old" Insane profile back?

man just look at the commandline of the insane profile, they are all but "insane" hehe. Its only the crf value that changes between the DXVA profiles, insane gets 18,5 :p

I suggest you to make the necessary modifications into the profile to fit your needs. I also suggest you and others to not use insane settings as they are simply.. useless in terms of final quality but very very time consuming, a command line like this should fit the average encoder imho:

pass1:
x264.exe --profile high --level 4.1 --preset slower--tune film --pass 1 --bitrate BBBB --stats "X:\xxx.stats" --thread-input --deblock
-1:-1 --ref 5 --bframes 3 --keyint 240 --min-keyint 24 --vbv-bufsize 40000 --vbv-maxrate 40000 --b-pyramid normal --no-dct-decimate
--no-fast-pskip --output NUL "X:\yyy.avs"

pass2:
--profile high --level 4.1 --preset slower --tune film --pass 2 --bitrate BBBB --stats "X:\xxx.stats" --thread-input --deblock -1:-1
--ref 5 --bframes 3 --keyint 240 --min-keyint 24 --vbv-bufsize 40000 --vbv-maxrate 40000 --b-pyramid normal --no-dct-decimate
--no-fast-pskip --output "X:\xxx.mkv" "X:\yyy.avs"



cheers
anac