Competition time!!! Mpeg 4 compression challenge

[baker]

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to see how low we can get the file size of the lobby scene in the matrix. Thats from where the guys come round the corner and shout "freeze!" to the end where neo kicks the guy and his gun hits the ground.

The target resouloution will be vcd res of 352x288 or 352x240. The video MUST be progressive and mpeg 4. It can be divx 3;-) divx 5 WMV ....... any mpeg 4 like codec. Framerates may not be "fooled with!"

Quailty is the main issue, keeping the filesize low while keeping a low macro-block count and high detail.

You may use filtering, a lot actually, but dont jsut blur the whole scene out.

Right gentlemen start your encoding engines!! If any mod has a problem with the above text or would like to add something, feel free to do so!

Baker

[int 21h]

The lack of detail at that resolution will be unbearable.

[Ookami]

The target resouloution will be vcd res of 352x288 or 352x240.

and

Quailty is the main issue, keeping the filesize low while keeping a low macro-block count and high detail.

:D

[scharfis_brain]

352x288 or 352x240?????
- both have false AR for fullscreen playback!
- why encode the black bars?
- why not just crop them?
- IMO this small res. isn't worth a competition
- Full DVD-res. would be fine: 720x304

[Ookami]

>both have false AR for fullscreen playback!

? Let me get this straight, every encode that uses this resolution has false AR? *cough* Where did you get that info from? So, all our VCD encodes have false AR? All my LQ Divx ;-) encodes? All... Er, you get the point.

(...)

>Full DVD-res. would be fine: 720x304

Since when is that full DVD resolution?

And, as far as I can see, baker has not specified anything along the lines "don't crop" etc. But, that doesn't change the fact that most users would not want to waste time for such low res optimizing. That's more in the league of streaming formats and 1 CD 3h movie encodes ;) ...

[scharfis_brain]

Let me get this straight, every encode that uses this resolution has false AR? *cough* Where did you get that info from? So, all our VCD encodes have false AR? All my LQ Divx ;-) encodes? All... Er, you get the point.
with MPEG-1 (VCD) you'll get a correct AR, because it'll be corrected while playback. But with mpeg-4 (AVI) you'll fail.
Even if you have corrected your resize filters for 352x288 or 352x240, you will get bars on left/right or top/bottom when using fullscreen.
So, for correct AVI-AR it is nessesary to use 384x288 or 320x240 if you want a 4:3 picture.

Since when is that full DVD resolution?
ok. this was not precise. when I'm telling about Full-dvd-res. for AVI/Divx, I am leaving the hor.res. untouched and only resize the vert.res. to get the correct AR.

[Ookami]

@scharfis_brain

In the future I should maybe read the numbers instead :rolleyes: . I thought that the resolution 320x240 was mentioned too...

Anyway, still waiting for an easy input AR (source AR) option in VirtualDubs resizing filters (no, I don't want anyone to mention neuron2's smart resize filter ;) ).

I'm too dumb for this whole thing so I'm using Fit2Disc, anyway :) .

[baker]

ok ok ok...

Personally I was encoding it at 352x288 NON anamorphically. That means with black bars at the top and bottom added. So vcd is really this dead is it?? :-(

How about half D1?(352x576(480))

This will be even more of a challenge as keeping detail at that res would be difficult.

???

Baker

[scharfis_brain]

How about half D1?(352x576(480))
I think you didn't understand, what I tried to say:
Encoding to AVI(MPEG-4/Divx) with non-square pixels(352x288,352x240,480x576,480x480,352x576 etc.) is not recommened, because most of the player will not correct the AR while playback!
WMP will totally fail! And with other players, you have to adjust the AR manually.

Personally I was encoding it at 352x288 NON anamorphically. If this was really VCD, it is okay, but if you have encoded to AVI, you'll also have bars on left/right in fullscreen. Check this out, please!

[baker]

oh yes I completely understand all of this.

I know it will be off AR on the computer screen but the destenation media was going to be dvd anyway, see?

I changed to 352x576 as people where giving out that 352x288 hadn't got enough detail.

Anyway I am thinking about putting it at 720x576 non anamorphic. Just when us 56k users are downloading and uploading test clips it will be a bit of a hassle :roll:

Baker