h264 to mpeg2

[Ptepic]

I want to convert some h264 files to mpeg2 (DVD).
Is there some difference in quality when I feed Procoder with a avisynth script using DGAVCIndex or when I put the h264 files directly in Procoder (just the decoding process)? Alternatively, could you recommend me some better way to do this?
Thank you!

[Emulgator]

You will want to resize / IVTC outside of procoder.
It may well be version dependent what procoder can achieve. Don't know your version.

So the Avisynth route gives more control over resizing / colour, whatever.
Depending on the nature of your h264 (a sample would be good ?)
DGAVCIndex (based on a depreciated version of libav) may work (progressive) or not (MBAFF).
There are more recent AVC decoders out there for decoding in AviSynth:
DGAVCIndexDI (better luck with MBAFF, but not with certain fake-interlaced 25p on50p),
DGDecNV (nVidia Card of a certain level needed),
CoreAVC, ffsomething...

All decoders shall give bit-identical output.

But with a given footage from a Panasonic AVCHD camera
I found a good bit of a difference comparing any Avisynth to Sony Vegas decoder,
the latter saving more shadow detail, maybe making a conversion assumption based on source parameters.

[Ptepic]

Thank you very much! I did it as you said: decoding with DGAVCIndex, resizing and then coding with Procoder. (Besides, decoding it with Procoder didn't worked.)

I'm just curious: Is it a big difference resize with avisynth or with Procoder (version 3.05.91)?

[Emulgator]

The choice of resizers available in Avisynth alone beats any other solution,
let alone the quality. I rarely use Procoder ATM.
Most standalone encoders will employ bilinear / bicubic only, which is not too bad.

From some encoders I recently saw even worse output
(somebody elses's project, HD to DVD downscaling in Apple Compressor, looked like blurred point resize to me).

[benwaggoner]

Do you mean ProCoder or Carbon? Canopus ProCoder hasn't been updated for YEARS at this point.

Still a fine MPEG-2 encoder, though.

I was the first beta tester for ProCoder and wrote the in-box encoding guide for ProCoder 1.0, and use Carbon daily. Man, I've been using that software for a LONG time. It hard to believe how incredibly innovative that Winforms based GUI was in 2002. And how little it has changed since :). Although I did consult with Harmonic back in early 2012 to refactor their H.264 controls and created all new H.264 profiles.