Looking for help on my encoding settings

[nakTT]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to MeGUI and x264 but have encoded quite a few of my DVD to mp4 using it. Would love to hear you expert opinion on my settings. Please keep your explanation easy to understand (translate e.g: "weightb" to what we can actually see in the GUI) as I'm quite new here. Many thanks in advance to all.

program --pass 3 --bitrate 500 --stats ".stats" --ref 11 --mixed-refs --no-fast-pskip --bframes 8 --b-adapt 2 --b-pyramid --weightb --direct auto --subme 9 --trellis 2 --partitions all --8x8dct --vbv-maxrate 2500 --me tesa --merange 32 --threads auto --thread-input --progress --no-dct-decimate --no-psnr --no-ssim --output "output" "input"

[nakTT]

Which one is better for me, check "No Dct Decimation" checkbox or not? Some people here suggest to check the checkbox.

Is the statement in the link correct?
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=872135#post872135
I asked this on their IRC channel and Manano (I think) said that it lets the encoder skip further consideration of a block under certain circumstances, sort of like the Fast P-Skip option.

He said to enable it (i.e. disable DCT Decimation) if you are using Trellis (and you probably are).

[rack04]

Are these going to be played back on your computer or a separate device, i.e. iPod? Why are you using 3 pass?

[nakTT]

I will played it on my PC. I use 3 pass for some extra quality. Please advice. Thanks you in advance.

[rack04]

I will played it on my PC. I use 3 pass for some extra quality. Please advice. Thanks you in advance.

If you're not concerned with device compatibility and filesize isn't a problem I would use 1 pass crf.

[nakTT]

If you're not concerned with device compatibility and filesize isn't a problem I would use 1 pass crf.
File size is my concern. My bitrate setting = 500 and I want to get the best possible quality out of it. BTW, what is crf?

[10L23r]

program --pass 3 --bitrate 500 --stats ".stats" --ref 11 --mixed-refs --no-fast-pskip --bframes 8 --b-adapt 2 --b-pyramid --weightb --direct auto --subme 9 --trellis 2 --partitions all --8x8dct --vbv-maxrate 2500 --me tesa --merange 32 --threads auto --thread-input --progress --no-dct-decimate --no-psnr --no-ssim --output "output" "input"

first, don't use no-dct-decimate for something that's only 500kbps. dct decimate is mostly used for high bitrate encodings that try to get every last bit of quality/detail from the source.

are u trying to max out quality or something??? cus u can save a LOT of time with little quality loss by using two passes and me umh. me tesa brings only like a 1% efficiency increase from umh. and umh is 2 to 6 times faster than tesa. three pass gives almost no efficiency increase and two pass is 50% faster.

and you should decrease the merange to 16 or 24 (i assume the encod isn't hd, cus its only 500kbps).

don't forget to mess around with psy-rd settings. their effect is hard to describe so try tweaking the settings urself.

[Dark Shikari]

me tesa brings only like a 1% efficiency increase from umh.not even.

[nakTT]

first, don't use no-dct-decimate for something that's only 500kbps. dct decimate is mostly used for high bitrate encodings that try to get every last bit of quality/detail from the source.

are u trying to max out quality or something??? cus u can save a LOT of time with little quality loss by using two passes and me umh. me tesa brings only like a 1% efficiency increase from umh. and umh is 2 to 6 times faster than tesa. three pass gives almost no efficiency increase and two pass is 50% faster.

and you should decrease the merange to 16 or 24 (i assume the encod isn't hd, cus its only 500kbps).

don't forget to mess around with psy-rd settings. their effect is hard to describe so try tweaking the settings urself.
Many thanks for your advice,

Is that mean it would be better (in my case) NOT to check "No Dct Decimation" checkbox? Forgive me for asking as my english is poor so I need to know whether or not what I understand is correct.



Here is my new setting, please share your comment.

program --pass 2 --bitrate 500 --stats ".stats" --ref 6 --mixed-refs --no-fast-pskip --bframes 4 --b-adapt 2 --b-pyramid --weightb --direct auto --subme 9 --trellis 2 --partitions all --8x8dct --vbv-maxrate 2500 --me umh --merange 24 --threads auto --thread-input --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output "output" "input"

[nakTT]

not even.
himself. Now I can use umh with some piece of mind as now I can rest assured that umh vs tesa is only less than 1% extra efficiency. FYI, before this I have always use tesa. Now I can move to umh for good.

What if I use umh instead of tesa but I run it as a 3-pass encoding? Could the 3-pass make up that less than 1% efficiency that I have just lost by switching to umh from tesa? The reason I think of this is because I find that it is still faster for me to use umh in 3-pass compared to tesa in 2-pass (with other settings remain the same).


Many thanks for the info and I'm truly honored that the developer himself willing to give some advice.