MainConcept DVCPro 25/50

[DSP8000]

I'm currently using MainConcept DV Codec v.2.4.4,& I just downloaded the new DVCPro 25/50 codec demo. I've installed it but it's not showing in my PC as registered codec.Any help would be appreciated.
DSP8000

[jkwarras]

Originally posted by DSP8000
I'm currently using MainConcept DV Codec v.2.4.4,& I just downloaded the new DVCPro 25/50 codec demo. I've installed it but it's not showing in my PC as registered codec.Any help would be appreciated.
DSP8000

POst your question in the Mainconcept support forum. I must say their documentation/support is quite bad.

[Amit]

@DSP8000
What do you mean by "its not showing as a registered codec"? How did you find out?

-Amit

[DSP8000]

Only the documentation for the codecs is bad,the manual for the MainConcept Encoder it's more than good,explains everything.Since this is DV forum that is why I posted the question here.On the MainConcept forum people are having problems as well and it's been addresed to the company couple of times,their response is:"Will try to find out what the problem is",however this is DS codec not VfW.
Somehow I think it's a bit too pricey just for a codec.I just wanna test & compare the quality & compressibility of the codec with some other codecs.I use CCE basic & MainConcept Encoder v.1.4.1 & I'm more than happy with the results(considering the prices of the encoders),however it's good that the rumors about CCE SP 2.50.00.01
& the new versions are cleared & I fully support jarvis,why? because if you do just DVD backups & some home movies encoding maybe you can use the PATCHED??? CCE SP,and it is well known about the PATCHED matrices??? by some ???? but if you do customer serving (Bussines Video Production) I preffer to buy CCE Basic or MainConcept.As the test have shown there IS a difference between the "legal" version & the "patched" one.Why I posted the question here is , maybe someone can write simple gui for the codec,in this way we can use the codec without any commercial software to process video.I do understand that all of this can be done with VirtualDub(Mod), but nice interface would be nice, not just for this codec but for all of them.
Also about the MainConcept DV Codec, v.2.4.4 it does not apply too much sharpening as described in this forum,from version 2.0.4 there are lots of improvements in the codec,but anyway that is personal opinion.
DSP8000(love the speakers)

[jkwarras]

Originally posted by DSP8000
Also about the MainConcept DV Codec, v.2.4.4 it does not apply too much sharpening as described in this forum,from version 2.0.4 there are lots of improvements in the codec,but anyway that is personal opinion.
DSP8000(love the speakers) [/B]

The Mainconcept 2.4.4 DV codec is quite good, no sharpening an quite fast. It seems a lot like the Canopus to me. I'm using it right now and i'm very happy.

[Mtz]

I'm just a newbie, so excuse me if I'm doing something wrong:

after installing MainConcept ProDV Codec 3.0.9 I made a copy of mcdv_pro.dll and mcdsdvpro.ax and put it into C:\WINDOWS\system32

Then: Start > Run > Regedit> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
So, if you don't have yet the string value vidc.dvsd, create New String Value with Value Name: vidc.dvsd and Value Data: mcdv_pro.dll

After that the MainConcept ProDV Codec 3.0.9 appear in VirtualDub.

[DSP8000]

@ Mtz
I've tried that but it's not showing the real DVCPro 25/50 interface,download AnalogX DXmani & check the real gui of the codec.Also the option to create DVCPro 25/50 Mbit video it's not available with this workaround.I just can't wait to see its capabilities but until they fix it not possible.
DSP8000

[BBugsBunny]

According to the homepage of MainConcept this codec is a DirectShow Filter Codec only. That means it won't work with VirtualDub for example.

[DSP8000]

Originally posted by BBugsBunny
According to the homepage of MainConcept this codec is a DirectShow Filter Codec only. That means it won't work with VirtualDub for example.


Look up in this thread,that is what I stated in my second post.
"however this is "DS" codec NOT VfW"

DSP8000

[DDogg]

When I played around with this codec using the 50 mode the file size was similar to huffy. I think I must be confused on the purpose of this codec as I can't seem to figure out if it has a purpose. Given its very high price, I have to figure I just don't get it.

[jkwarras]

Originally posted by DDogg
When I played around with this codec using the 50 mode the file size was similar to huffy. I think I must be confused on the purpose of this codec as I can't seem to figure out if it has a purpose. Given its very high price, I have to figure I just don't get it.

This is for handing DVCPRO50 cams footage directly. It's a DV "evolution" from Panasonic, as normal DV (and Sony DVCAm) are 25Mbps, but with this cams, sticking to DV specs, you have 50 Mbps. Is a huge gain in image quality. The compresion ratio of this format is 3.3:1 (DV is 5:1). The next level is Digital Betacam which is 2:1.

[DDogg]

Thanks for that information. It makes more sense to me now. I was playing with it from a capture or intermediate format standpoint. For that usage, I guess Huffy would still be superior.

[bairradino]

jkwarras,

The MainConcept team say that the "data reduction" of this codec is 5:1 (see http://www.mainconcept.com/codecs.shtml)

[jkwarras]

Originally posted by bairradino
jkwarras,

The MainConcept team say that the "data reduction" of this codec is 5:1 (see http://www.mainconcept.com/codecs.shtml)

WQow, that really surprised me! I don't get that, DVCPRO50 has a compression ratio of 3.3:1. You're loosing quality using it. Thanks i didn't see it before.

[communist]

AFAIK DVCPRO 50 is just DV with 4:2:2 color sampling instead of 4:2:0 / 4:1:1 and 1/3.3 compression. Thats why it takes up 50 Mbps.

[jkwarras]

Originally posted by communist
AFAIK DVCPRO 50 is just DV with 4:2:2 color sampling instead of 4:2:0 / 4:1:1 and 1/3.3 compression. Thats why it takes up 50 Mbps.

I know that DVCPRO50 this is 4:2:2 and use 50Mbps instead of the 25Mbps of DV. What i don't get is why a DVCPRO50 codec (like the mainconconcept) use a compression ratio of 5:1 (instead of the 3.3:1) which is the DV compression ratio. Doesn't matter if it use 50Mbps, it still compress higher than the original footage. Maybe it's a typo in the homepage. I don't see any professional using a codec like this.

[communist]

Originally posted by jkwarras
I don't see any professional using a codec like this.
Its probably a tpyo. Professionals who want to edit DVCPRO 50 stuff on computers do need it at least for decoding ;)