Canopus ProCoder 2.0, released!!!

[DSP8000]

Some of the features:
> Aspect ratio conversion
> Frame rate interpolation and conversion
> Automatic adaptive deinterlacing
> NTSC/PAL conversion
> 3:2 pulldown
> Multi-pass VBR processing
> Full HD support for MPEG and Windows Media
> VOB file and DVD-Video image creation with chapter points
> Save droplets for quick, drag-and-drop conversion
> Job queuing manager with priority functions
> Separate audio import/export options including multiplexing
> Export plug-in for Canopus EDIUS and Adobe® Premiere® Pro
(includes DVD-Video image export options)
> Multiprocessor and Hyper-Threading support for faster encoding
> Multiple colorspace support – including YUV, RGB
> Timecode and Closed Caption data preservation after conversion
> Full license of DivX Pro™ included

HD and HDV Support
ProCoder 2.0 fully supports HD (720p and 1080i) and can transcode between HD and SD seamlessly. It can also encode HD resolutions and frame rates between formats, including MPEG, DivX, Windows Media 9 and QuickTime. ProCoder 2.0 is fully compliant with HDV MPEG Transport streams captured from HDV cameras and decks.

Source Formats
> Canopus DV
> Microsoft DV
> Any Video for Windows codec
> Any DirectShow codec
> Any QuickTime™ codec
> MPEG-1, MPEG-2
> Macromedia® Flash™ video
> Windows Media™
> DivX®
> MP3 and PCM WAV files
> AVISynth script files
> Still images including BMP, TGA, TIF, PNG and JPG

Target Formats
> Canopus DV
> Microsoft DV
> Any Video for Windows codec
> Any DirectShow codec
> Any QuickTime codec
> MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (using Canopus codec)
> VOB (DVD-Video image)
> ACM codecs
> Macromedia Flash video (with Flash MX installed)
> Windows Media
> RealVideo®
> DivX (including multi-pass)
> MP3 and PCM WAV files

Video Filters
> 601 to 709 Color Correction (ITU-R BT 601 SD to ITU-R BT 709-5 HD)
> 709 to 601 Color Correction (ITU-R BT 709-5 HD to ITU-R BT 601 SD)
> Adaptive De-Interlace
> Bitmap Keying
> Black/White Correction
> Blur
> Circular Blur
> Color Correction
> Color Safe
> Crop
> Fade In/Out
> Gamma Correction
> Gaussian Blur
> Median
> Video Pulldown
> Video Rotate
> Video Sharpen
> Temporal Noise Reducer

Audio Filters
> Lowpass
> Normalize
> Volume


DSP8000

[nFury8]

The demo video on their website is pretty neat, but this baby is $500 bucks. Aaack!

[TEB]

It supports Mpeg2 Transport streams also! works like a charm!!
And mpeg2 encoding split over several tasks/cpus!!

[mb1]

works like a charm!!
Procoder 2 is not released at the moment. It will be released at the end of the month as stated in the press release.

[Encoder Master]

I don't like procoder because of two reasons:

First the quality isn't very good for this prize and second you can't change some Matrix settings or GOPS.:(

[TEB]

well its mastering quality is some of the best at low bitrates, thats my oppinion... And it got a nice workflow..

my 2 cents..

[DSP8000]

Read Here:

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/ProCoder2/pm_procoder2.asp

[mb1]

@ DSP8000
Of course I know the site.
But Procoder 2 will be shipped end of month, so nobody has it already.
That is what I mean with 'is not out yet'.
A Procoder 2 site exists since first announcement in september last year.

I don't like procoder because of two reasons:

First the quality isn't very good for this prize and second you can't change some Matrix settings or GOPS.
LOL, if one can't tweak matrices then he will get bad quality. Strange opinion.
GOPs can be changed but not in every way some may like ...

ProCoder gives absolutely outstanding quality for interlaced material (especially DV material). There is a major distance between ProCoder and any other encoder for interlaced sources. Especially naming CCE, TMPG, Mainconcept. For every bitrate (even CBR 8.000)!
And speed of Procoder 2 will be tripled for mastering and doubled for high quality compared to Procoder 1.5
Procoder is the only encoder which allows picture_structure_field
CCE, TMPG, Mainconcept only encode with picture_structure_frame (note that this has nothing to do with interlaced and progressive)

For progressive sources Procoder also gives very good quality but I think CCE is a little better - and faster of course (compared to Procoder 1.5).

[Inc]

@ mb1

Do you still got a site of yours?
I did try to enter your old site, as I remeber www.mb1.de.vu ???

Are you still active on doom9/gleitz board? As I posted there in The DVD Forum a Q ... whats on that interlaced matrixes thing compared to progressive encoding ones ... yep, alternate scan I know, but also ... the rest someone has to know.
http://forum.gleitz.info/showthread.php?t=11952

I would apriciate if you can give an answer there !
:)

[TEB]

I agree!! Procoder 2.0 has become a very good product!
It's got a much more robust mpeg parser and exporter. Its faster on encoding in all quality modes. And full HD support.
Works very good in WMV) transcode mode also.. Havnt tested much vs. xvid and divx tho.. will in a few.

teb

[DSP8000]

I agree, Canopus ProCoder gives me much better encodes for my DV videos than the CCE demo.
I use MainConcept & Canopus ProCoder Express for all my encodings.
Just one thing I'll have to figure out:
If i use huffyuv codec final output in Canopus ProCoder Express looks over-coloured, if I use the MainConcept Codec looks normal.
I like ProCoder a lot, but there are few other encoders that can do excellent video as well.

DSP8000

[jorel]

Originally posted by DSP8000
I agree, Canopus ProCoder gives me much better encodes for my DV videos than the CCE demo.

I like ProCoder a lot, but there are few other encoders that can do excellent video as well.

DSP8000

i agree in the first phrase about the "much better encodes"than"demo" version !
(cos the full don't have the logo) :p

the last phrase i full agree with you!
...but it's a hard battle.
:)

[Abaddon666]

Do you know if Procoder 2.0 accepts avs scripts ? I know that Procoder 1.5 didn't, which made the whole process worse, as I always had to convert my avs scripts to pseudo-avis.

greetz,

Abaddon666

[Wilbert]

If i use huffyuv codec final output in Canopus ProCoder Express looks over-coloured
I'm only guessing here, since I never used it. I assume Canopus need RGB (I asked this a long time ago in this forum and nobody confirmed it).

huffyuv changes the luma range [16,235] to [0,255] when converting YUV to RGB. the mainconcept codec keeps it the same [0,255] to [0,255]. There should be an option in ProCoder to correct for this (at least TMPGEnc has).

[mb1]

@DSP8000
Procoder 1.5 does have '601 color correction' filters: 'expand' and 'shrink'.
Procoder Express has no filters. Correct it with an avs script.

@jorel
i agree in the first phrase about the "much better encodes"than"demo" version !
(cos the full don't have the logo)
The encodes are much better than cce real full, too.
...but it's a hard battle.
I have one special dv source material which only can be done by Procoder in a pleasing way.
All other encoders produce partially blocky results (even with CBR 8.000).
It's a rollercoaster dv video.

@TEB
So you have Procoder 2 already. But no final version I assume. What about mastering quality compared to mastering in 1.5? The speed increase to triple speed should have affected output quality because of motion search shortening and similar things. Of course not dramatic but sometimes visible?

@incredible
When the site was closed (because the once free provider started to ask for money) I did not reopen because meanwhile some content (ripping copy protected dvds) is forbidden in Germany. The sites' content was pretty much outdated so I don't care about reupping it.

About your thread in german doom9:
The interlaced scan order provides better quality because it is 'adjusted' for 2 temporally different fields. Numbers should be also adjusted to avoid 'steppings'. It isn't that effective if a quantization value f.e. steps from 16 to 20 to 16 or similar.

[jorel]

mb1 wrote:
"The encodes are much better than cce real full, too."
---> you're really correct .
(sorry, was not a bad intention...was only kiddin with the "bored" logo)

a long time i asked d2s moderator to use procoder in his program.
he answer me without promisses:... "maybe....."
now d2s is using procoder!
i posted one thread about a forum for procoder like the CCE forum here...
Doom9 answer me that this new forum maybe don't got good number of visits..
he don't promisse too and i understood his reasons!
(i was trying to find that Doom9 post but seems lost,i can't find it)

just like Abaddon666 ask "if Procoder 2.0 accepts avs scripts ? "
i'm waiting this answer too cos for me,
using procoder in mastering quality is the best!
then, if and when procoder accept .avs scripts,
maybe i never more use another encoder.

well...this long post means...procoder is fantastic!
;)

[mb1]

Procoder 1.5, Procoder Express and Procoder 2.0 do support avs.

Changes from previous versions
------------------------------

v1.50
4/2003
- WindowsMedia 9 support incl. HD encoding
- added 601 colorspace stretcher/shrinker
- new QuickTime6 exporter and importer
- Flash (swf) files supported as sources
- mp4 files supported as sources
- avs (AVISynth) files supported as sources
- memory (RAM) usage reduced
- dps files supported as sources (with proper DirectShow codec installed)
- operating Procoder through XP remote desktop enabled
- factory presets reworked, new presets added
- Canopus EDIUS timeline exporter included
- MPEG exporter bitrate limits lowered
- various bug fixes and performance improvements

v1.25
11/2002
- New MPEG encoder option - "DVD-compatibility mode"
- various bug fixes
Sorry for forgetting to answer that question ;)

[jorel]

from mb1 last post:

"Procoder 1.5, Procoder Express and Procoder 2.0 do support avs.

Changes from previous versions

v1.50
- avs (AVISynth) files supported as sources

Sorry for forgetting to answer that question ;) "

great...here you remove any doubt !
:cool:

thank you!
:)

[DSP8000]

I've done few encodes with two different captures, one huffyuv & one with MainConcept Codec(the one that installs with the encoder).

Settings: MainConcept = min~1500, avg~6000, max~8000
Procoder = avg~6000, max~8000
No Audio used in encodings
Two pass VBR

1.Hyffyuv capture with corrected script looks a bit better but NOT the same as the original capture with MainConcept.

2.MainConcept capture gives me better output and NOT so visible interlacing lines (without script).

However, I found out that if you have two versions of MainConcept Codecs(example:the one from Vegas,Standalone v2.4.x or the one from the encoder MCE v1.4.2 codec version 2.4.9) the video gets corrupted and shows lots of macroblocks & artifacts even if is just unfiltered AVI.

If you have any suggestion about correcting script for hyffyuv capture for use with Procoder Express(looks like any v. Procoder)
then please post it.

[Wilbert]

Procoder 1.5 does have '601 color correction' filters: 'expand' and 'shrink'.
Procoder Express has no filters. Correct it with an avs script.
Like mb1 said, you have to correct it with avs.

Add the lines

ColorYUV("PC"->"TV")
ConvertToRGB24

btw, in 1.5 you can try 'expand' instead.

[DSP8000]

Thanks for the script Wilbert, that is what I use at the moment without the ConvertToRGB because ProCoder Express works in YUY2 perfectly.
Also there are some filters in Vegas that do exactly the same correction like the script.

DSP8000

[jorel]

@ all
don't know if this thread is the better place to ask...
if anyone think that is better open another thread, don't problem!

round 2 years ago, i just rename the .vobs to .avi or .mpeg and get the
.m2v and the .ac3 from the source using simple demultiplex in tmpgenc.

please answer me, i never did it before using avisynth:

can i load this .m2v file in procoder using .avs script with filters?

thanks in advance!

[mb1]

Avisynth FAQ
http://www.avisynth.org/index.php?page=Section+2%3A+AviSynth+and+frameserving#q2.8

or Doom9 guide
http://www.doom9.org/mpg/d2a-mpeg2dec.htm

[TEB]

mb1: I have been a betatester for several years. Im under NDA so i cannot say much... :( But it has been released now on NAB! go there for answers!

Anyway.. AVS 2.53 works fine as input on 2.0.
used dvd2avi as source.

All in all Procoder 2.0 is a new product with lotsa improvements in performance, im sure in quality :) (i think the old one was the best anyway compared to others...) But i never use encoders for anything but broadcast industry, VOD commercially then.. So the addition for transportstream support both as write and read is a thumbs up!!
So eg. 1080p Mpeg2 VBR50mbit SPTS to 1080p WMV9 works like a charm!

teb

[TEB]

jorel: either use it directly in avisynth as a directshowsource or through a .d2v meta file generated through dvd2avi.
that is if u need to to some changes to the video elementary stream or audio components that Procoder 2 cannot solve... If thats not the case u can directly import .m2v (mpeg2 ES) in its correct colourspace and deal with it from there..

teb

[DSP8000]

I've heard that the encoding engine from ProCoder Express it's based on the new ProCoder v2.
Is it true ?
From the screenshots on the Canopus web the GUI looks almost the same like the one from ProCoder Express.

DSP8000

[TEB]

It was release several months earlier so its safe to say that its not the same.. they are both based on the nice encoding-engine work canopus USA are doing!

teb

[mb1]

Both are based on csempeg3.dll!
Procoder Express for Edius 2.01 delivers v3.70.0.1 dated April 2nd, 2004.

TEB, thanks for your infos.

[jorel]

@ mb1 and TEB

thank you very much for answers and links!
i have lots of vcds,kvcds,svcds,skvcds using dvd2avi project with
avisynth scripts and filters....seems that i was unclear,
then i'm re doing the same answer with differents words.

rename .vob to .mpeg
load the .mpeg in tmpgenc--> mpeg tools---> simple demuliplex = .m2v and .ac3
left the .ac3 alone!
load the .m2v in procoder using avisynth script like that:
(unreal script, used as sample only)

mpeg2source("D:\xxx\x.M2V")
Asharp(1,3)
Levels(0,1.04,255,0,255)
TemporalCleaner(ythresh=5,cthresh=7)
Deen()
Undot()

i'm thinking to use without dvd2avi project and without sound file,
only the .m2v with avisynth script and filters in procoder!!!
any problems or is better using dvd2avi project to use in the script?

thanks in advance! (again)
;)

[DSP8000]

"Both are based on csempeg3.dll!
Procoder Express for Edius 2.01 delivers v3.70.0.1 dated April 2nd, 2004."

Thanks for the info mb1 & TEB, mine says 3.61.0.01, so probably the new Procoder 2 it is a bit different after all.

I'm just wondering if they gonna release update for Procoder Express soon.

DSP8000

[RB]

Just out of interest, does any of the Procoder versions provide settings necessary for multiangle DVD (close all GOPs, disable scene change detection) and allows to set "chapter points" like in CCE?

[jorel]

Originally posted by RB
Just out of interest, does any of the Procoder versions provide settings necessary for multiangle DVD (close all GOPs, disable scene change detection) and allows to set "chapter points" like in CCE?

no RB !
have good quality but isn't too friendly like CCE or tmpgenc!
...and is slow in mastering quality !

edited>
chapters points i'm in doubt !

[robot1]

Originally posted by RB
Just out of interest, does any of the Procoder versions provide settings necessary for multiangle DVD (close all GOPs, disable scene change detection) and allows to set "chapter points" like in CCE?
In Procoder 1.5 there is an option to "close all GOPS".
For scene change detection I'm not sure, but there is an option to set a "fixed Distance between I/P frame" which probably does the trick.
I've never seen an option to set "chapter points" (and I don't use them neither in CCE).
Anyway, I've done a backup of LOTR2 with CCE and with Procoder, with an average bitrate of 2880.
There is no story...
Procoder beats CCE.
The encoding with CCE was good (never blocks). But with Procoder it's much better: no mosquito noise at all.
In mastering quality it used about 9.30 hours for 3 hours of film (Athlon 2600+, encoding at low priority): it's about a 4 passes with CCE on my system).
Another things that Procoder lacks is the "end credits tweaks". In next encode I will do 2 sources with avisynth (and trim), and I will use the Procoder's "Stitch options".
Now, under 3500 kbs (or for interlaced sources) always Procoder.

[RB]

Thanks for the reply, robot1.
Originally posted by robot1
Another things that Procoder lacks is the "end credits tweaks".
Well, CCE doesn't have it either :). It's a feature added by EclCCE.

[SAPSTAR]

Hi Guys,

I would like to convert ECL files to a Canopus Procoder format, in order to use it instead of CCE for some encoding...Does anybody know a way to do it ??? Or at least the structure of the config files used by canopus procoder, with that info I may be able to code a small program to do the conversion ???

I read that DVD2SVCD is able to use Canopus Procoder, so they must know how it's working ???

[DDogg]

Actually, D2S just fakes the actions a user would when loading it manually into ProCoder. D2S does create the job files directly for TMPG and CCE, but I think he never spent any time figuring out the one for ProCoder as it was quicker to just simulate user action.

[guada]

So far,I had made the test procoder 1.5 vs cce 2.67

Setting:
Procoder 1.5 with mastering/2 pass vs CCE 2.67 with one pass VBR optimizer

CCE had won:
- quality image true ( on details and Colours Particularly)

From that moment, i working only with CCE (version 2.70 pro).