megui question on 3 pass encoding

[runLoganrun]

Hey,
So just learning this app, trying to create high quality compact file from blu-ray 45m tv episode. I set encoder to x264 scratchpad, and configured to "automated 3 pass". Prob is just got done with first pass, 12 hours later, and get pop up saying file already exists, do i wish to overwrite, but file is one created by first pass?? don't understand how that works, obv. don't want to rewrite, leaving window open for now, hoping someone will answer soon.... But it looks like I must have set something wrong, otherwise it wouldn't be asking me to overwrite, doesn't make sense. When I set it up, I just hit enqueue and went to queue tab to hit start. What is happening here?

Thanks very much,
rlr

[Capsbackup]

The first pass is usually just to create the .stats file, and pass two is the .264 file. Three pass is probably overkill! You could try to copy and paste the file to a new location just in case you might overright it, before you continue.
You will have to make a decision though, so if it is the .stats file, it will be small. if it's the .mbtree file, it will be larger, but you could copy it too, and place in another location as well.
I would change your settings to do 2 pass, since you will not see a difference, and encoding time will be much less.

[runLoganrun]

The first pass is usually just to create the .stats file, and pass two is the .264 file. Three pass is probably overkill! You could try to copy and paste the file to a new location just in case you might overright it, before you continue.
You will have to make a decision though, so if it is the .stats file, it will be small. if it's the .mbtree file, it will be larger, but you could copy it too, and place in another location as well.
I would change your settings to do 2 pass, since you will not see a difference, and encoding time will be much less.

cool, thank you!
it's def the .mkv file that it's asking about. I set it to very slow also, hence the long first pass, right now the only files in there are the avs file, and mkv. I had left stats file to be written in different location. Do they need to be together?
thx,
rlr

[Capsbackup]

Yes, the .stats file and the .mbtree file need to be in the same folder as the source. ( if you have .mbtree option selected)
I'm not sure why you got the overight message, since I never have. I only do 2 pass encodes though, so maybe thats why.

[runLoganrun]

Yes, the .stats file and the .mbtree file need to be in the same folder as the source. ( if you have .mbtree option selected)
I'm not sure why you got the overight message, since I never have. I only do 2 pass encodes though, so maybe thats why.

i didn't see a place to select, or deselect .mbtree, what is that piece for?

i will def try 2 pass, with maybe "slow", trying to get 7GB file to 2GB, with high quality still. I have downloads from bittorents that meet the specs I'm looking at and look great, so figured I could do same.

Thanks

[Capsbackup]

Sorry, can't help you with : I have downloads from bittorents

[runLoganrun]

Sorry, can't help you with :

just using as a comparison for quality, not talking about doing anything with them....

However, I started another encode last night with the recommended 2-pass, and I have stats and mbtree (although not sure where that is) both in same folder, but it just stopped after that, no mkv file, no errors, or messages of any kind, just no file, the source..... just realized i moved source file by accident, it's weird though, I remember seeing it in there before I went to sleep.
can i now somehow utilize the created stats, and mbtree file to make final encode, or do I have to start over?

thanks

[Capsbackup]

If pass one says done, then as long as the .stats file and the .mbtree file are in the same folder as the source, you can continue with pass 2.

[runLoganrun]

If pass one says done, then as long as the .stats file and the .mbtree file are in the same folder as the source, you can continue with pass 2.

so man, I finished my 2 pass encode (ended up restarting it), and it came out as a 783MB file (w/ audio) whereas I had set megui to 2GB, as I had started with a ~7GB file. It came out darn good though! I did change the resolution from 1080p to 720p, think I may not do that next time as this one came out so good. I had encoding set to very slow also.

Wondering why the file size was so much less though?

Is the difference between medium to slow, etc. mainly affecting the file size, but not necessarily quality?

Thanks a lot!
rlr

[cmw]

When using multipasss e.g. a "fixed" bitrate, the presets basically only affect quality. Since the bitrate stays roughly the same for all scenes, the only difference in quality is achieveable by increased or decreased encoding complexity (the presets). On the other hand, if you'd choose constant quality, the presets would adjust the file size rather than the overall quality.

The reason you came out with a smaller file than expected is probably an error on your end, you've probably set the bitrate in the encoder setting to 2000, thinking that it will result in a final file size of 2000MB, wheras this means that the video uses 2000kbit/sec (2000*60*45/8/1024=659MB, since your final filesize is 783MB with audio, this seems about right). In order to achieve a fixed filesize, you have to go to tools -> Bitrate calculator, set the audio file(s) you want to mux to the video and then select a desired filesize. The Calculator will then show you which Bitrate you need to use to achieve this final size, which gets then copied into the encoder settings.