[MeGUI] x264 profiles renewed

[Zathor]

At the moment the MeGUI x264 profile system is rather large. It consists out of three main parts: target device type, encoding mode and several quality graduations. This is resulting in 66 predefined profiles which are confusing for new / inexperienced users. Experienced users do not need them, too.

I would like to strip them down to 11 profiles only (one for every target device). The default encoding mode will be --crf 20. As soon as the --device switch is available in x264 I will very likely start to distribute one profile only. For experienced users this is sufficient - they can create new profiles or change the existing ones if required.

To help the new / inexperienced users I have considered the following:

The encoding mode "automated 2pass" (or 3pass if selected in the settings) will be applied automatically if targeting a specific filezise. AutoEncode and One-Click-Mode will apply these settings on the fly while the bitrate calculator will apply them permanently. This part is already implemented.

Additionally I will change the profile configuration window so that only the basic settings (--preset, --tune, --crf or --bitrate and --device) can be changed on the main page. The other settings will be hidden on the advanced pages.

Maybe I will create a wizard which will assists in basic questions like "Q: I want higher quality (and I am using --crf)!" "A: Lower the --crf value (bigger file size) or use a slower preset (smaller file size, higher encoding time)"

I would like to hear your opinions. Is this an improvement or is it a step back? Why?

[Inspector.Gadget]

I think that's generally a good idea. I do think the questionnaire would be a bit much, and perhaps should be added to the wiki and linked. What do you think about the existing tooltips?

[tebasuna51]

@Zathor, I fully agree with your post.

[stax76]

Maybe better to have some more profiles and use a tree structure instead of a flat structure to organize them, I'm expecting countless questions about where the profiles went. ;)

[flebber]

I agree with your post fully, I don't think the questionaire is really necessary though and may cause more confusion.

Possibly and maybe not directly related to profiles(maybe as part of AutoEncode or Bitrate Calculator), an option to specify output to be compliant to say 360p, 480p, 1080p etc if the intended target isn't a device but say YouTube, WordPress or personal website.

[Gser]

Well my only suggestion is laying down the law on blu-ray compatable settings with x264 because most noobs hardly have any idea what they are doing with it not to mention knowing the limitations of blu-ray.

[sebazvideo]

Well my only suggestion is laying down the law on blu-ray compatable settings with x264 because most noobs hardly have any idea what they are doing with it not to mention knowing the limitations of blu-ray.

I second that. I only encode for Blu-Ray and DVD media, and on DVD media the bitrate can't go over 20 mbps so it plays smoothly in my blu-ray player. So I think there should at least be two profiles for encoding to blu-ray, one on BD and another one on DVD media, that will be bullet-proof for every blu-ray player out there.

[prOnorama]

As soon as the --device switch is available in x264

Where was that announced?

[Zathor]

Where was that announced?
http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?p=270

[Zathor]

I do think the questionnaire would be a bit much, and perhaps should be added to the wiki and linked. What do you think about the existing tooltips?
There will be of course tooltip hints but if there are no big red arrows pointing to the tooltips... :rolleyes:

Maybe better to have some more profiles and use a tree structure instead of a flat structure to organize them
I am asking myself for what kind of usage the huge amount of profiles is necessary. In my opinion target/device based profiles are sufficient and there is no need for encoding mode or quality profiles.

I'm expecting countless questions about where the profiles went. ;) Me too - that's why I am thinking about some kind of wizard. On the other hand if an old installation is updated the old profiles will not be deleted and can still be used.

Possibly and maybe not directly related to profiles(maybe as part of AutoEncode or Bitrate Calculator), an option to specify output to be compliant to say 360p, 480p, 1080p etc if the intended target isn't a device but say YouTube, WordPress or personal website.
At the moment the resolution of a video and the profile are independent and therefore it is not possible to specify the resolution in the profile. But the --device switch will include this kind of intelligence for some devices - maybe I will add it to the profiles too. Could you please create a feature request on the sourceforge page: Feature Request (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=156112&atid=798479)

I second that. I only encode for Blu-Ray and DVD media, and on DVD media the bitrate can't go over 20 mbps so it plays smoothly in my blu-ray player. So I think there should at least be two profiles for encoding to blu-ray, one on BD and another one on DVD media, that will be bullet-proof for every blu-ray player out there.
Please specify this DVD profile and I will add it.

[stax76]

I am asking myself for what kind of usage the huge amount of profiles is necessary. In my opinion target/device based profiles are sufficient and there is no need for encoding mode or quality profiles.

I don't think either it's important to have a huge amount but it should be easy to change the most important settings, tuning, presets etc.

that's why I am thinking about some kind of wizard.

I thought about that too often but I would have to build and maintain it and never had a good feeling actually building it and I'm not too concerned about having a bigger learning curve, there are too many things newbies don't have a clue about, quality rips always require expertise. Only thing I'm concerned is the tutorial is German only, it's very big so hard to translate.

[flebber]

At the moment the resolution of a video and the profile are independent and therefore it is not possible to specify the resolution in the profile. But the --device switch will include this kind of intelligence for some devices - maybe I will add it to the profiles too. Could you please create a feature request on the sourceforge page: Feature Request (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=156112&atid=798479)


Please specify this DVD profile and I will add it.

Done :-)
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=2995699&group_id=156112&atid=798479

[quantum5uicid3]

one preset for each device and better documentation i think is the way to go. the tooltip popup for the crf dialog box still displays info for ABR for example. A new "getting started" section in the wiki would probably go a long way.

[Zathor]

edit: text removed due to the release of 0.3.4.14

[ZZZERO]

Let me the first to throw a "why is this" question out there then. I do 1 pass encoding with crf 20. Here are my settings
program --crf 20 --b-adapt 2 --ref 5 --rc-lookahead 50 --trellis 0 --no-fast-pskip --output "output" "input"


Since the updated profiles after you press autoencode, why is it defaulting to the "File Size" option instead of the "No Target Size (use profile settings)" option? Prior to the update the "File Size" and "Average Bitrate" choices were greyed out as they should be for 1 pass encoding. Now I have to remember to move the dot to "No Target Size" every time or I end up with a 2 pass 700MB encode. Blagh.

Is there an error in my settings somewhere or is this a new bug?

[Zathor]

The "file size" mode has been ignored in the past if the profile had no bitrate mode active. This has been changed in order to make it more reasonable. Now the "No target size (use profile settings)" and "file size" do exactly what the button tells.

Change the default button state in your AutoEncode defaults (Settings/Extra settings) and you are done.

[Bi11]

Zathor, the reason why some people are complaining about the slow speed of x264 may be because the previous version of MeGUI used a fairly old x264 build. The defaults for some of the x264 settings (which the old profiles may not have specified) may have changed, causing an overall slowdown of x264 at default settings.

I am willing to bet that quite a number of MeGUI users simply choose a MeGUI profile then enter the file size in the bitrate calculator and then encode with AutoEncode.
Such a simple, effective 1-2-3 step workflow would be severely interrupted/difficult (from their pov) if they had to go into the x264 configuration dialog.
(Edit: On second thought, instead of the current AutoEncode dialog box, what about an "AutoEncode with x264" dialog box (or even a wizard)?
The dialog box would look almost exactly like the basic x264 configuration dialog (with sliders, etc.) in addition to the other output options. Thus, the x264 config dialog won't be seen as "out of place" or "a secondary step". It would be an all-in-one dialog box where the user would choose the x264 presets (or a device profile), the output options (bitrate calculator, muxer, etc.), and then click encode.)

Easiest solution may be to release three additional profiles: Fast, Default and Slow that correspond to the x264 presets of Faster, Medium (i.e. default x264 settings apply), and Slower.
Of course those three profiles are trivial, but for the sake of simplicity for many non-technical MeGUI users, it is probably worth it.

BTW, is there really a need for 3-pass, Const. Quantizer and ABR in the Modes drop-down list? Maybe ABR could be kept, but who would really use 3-pass and Const. Quantizer for a serious encode?

Also btw, have you noticed the bugs with --ref, --bframes and Psy-Trellis Strength when changing Tunings, or is it just me?

[Zathor]

I am willing to bet that quite a number of MeGUI users simply choose a MeGUI profile then enter the file size in the bitrate calculator and then encode with AutoEncode.
Such a simple, effective 1-2-3 step workflow would be severely interrupted/difficult (from their pov) if they had to go into the x264 configuration dialog.
(Edit: On second thought, instead of the current AutoEncode dialog box, what about an "AutoEncode with x264" dialog box (or even a wizard)?
The dialog box would look almost exactly like the basic x264 configuration dialog (with sliders, etc.) in addition to the other output options. Thus, the x264 config dialog won't be seen as "out of place" or "a secondary step". It would be an all-in-one dialog box where the user would choose the x264 presets (or a device profile), the output options (bitrate calculator, muxer, etc.), and then click encode.)
Nice idea. But there are other things which should be done first. In my opinion it should be no problem for the inexperienced to use the default settings or - for the little bit more experienced ones - to create several profiles or at least change the default one. But please post your idea as a feature request at the sourceforge page.

Easiest solution may be to release three additional profiles: Fast, Default and Slow that correspond to the x264 presets of Faster, Medium (i.e. default x264 settings apply), and Slower.
Of course those three profiles are trivial, but for the sake of simplicity for many non-technical MeGUI users, it is probably worth it.
Without really good reasons I will not change the way the profiles are evolving. I will not reintroduce different speed profiles. How fast is "fast" compared to "slow"? And if I would introduce speed profiles I bet that someone wants to have "quality" profiles. A constant change of the profile system with every single stable build is out of the scope because of the confusion this will case. As stated in the above postings the included profiles are more or less playback device presets.

BTW, is there really a need for 3-pass, Const. Quantizer and ABR in the Modes drop-down list? Maybe ABR could be kept, but who would really use 3-pass and Const. Quantizer for a serious encode?
All these mentioned encoding modes are only available if you choose to show the "advanced settings" in the configuration dialogue or change the 2 pass setting to 3 pass in the megui settings. I will of course remove them not completely. crf (target: quality) and 2-pass (target file size) are the only available options if not digging too deep.

Also btw, have you noticed the bugs with --ref, --bframes and Psy-Trellis Strength when changing Tunings, or is it just me?
It's OT here, but yes. There is also a bug report at SF about it. It will be completely changed with one of the next dev builds.