MPEG-2-AVI tries to access internet / SOLVED

[heinz57g]

since version 1.93b i getting an alert upon starting
AGKnot that MPEG-2-AVI is trying to access the internet.

bothersome for two reasons: (a) why? and (b) i have
isolated the computer i do my DVD/AVI/VIDEO work on
totally from the internet, as i got tired of attacks
of all sorts. it doesnt even have a tel cable near it,
programs and updates are transferred by USB stick from
another computer.

would appreciate some info on this, and what to do.

greetings - heinz -

[len0x]

You installed option "check for updates on startup", so that is what its doing...

[heinz57g]

obvious, dear watson, obvious.

re-installed it, and its gone. tks!

but: i know it might be wise to have such a feature
cleverly hidden in the setup, and already ticked, but
it might be equally wise to add a tick-mark somewhere
inside the main program to turn this feature on / OFF.

actually, i have wondered why also the STANDALONE options
are not inside (say on the ADVANCED OPTIONS page) but only
available during setup.

and if there really is not difference/advantage/disadvantage
at all (100% ?), why make it an option at all?

greetings - heinz -

[len0x]

Originally posted by heinz57g
but: i know it might be wise to have such a feature
cleverly hidden in the setup, and already ticked, but
it might be equally wise to add a tick-mark somewhere
inside the main program to turn this feature on / OFF.


it will be there at some point...

Originally posted by heinz57g
and if there really is not difference/advantage/disadvantage
at all (100% ?), why make it an option at all?


What doesn't have the difference? Standalone support option? Not true...

[heinz57g]

>> it will be there at some point...

great, does make sense, no?

>> What doesn't have the difference? Standalone support
>> option? Not true

i am very sure i read this, in a sticky or FAQ, that ticking
the standalone boxes would N O T make any noticeable diff
as far as quality or speed was concerned.

sorry i can just now not find it as i am on a mobile phone line
at unbelievable expenses. the office pays, but i have to hold
it down. unless somebody jumps in here and knows what i mean
(and where it is), i will have a look for it during weekend.

greetings - heinz -

... hey, found it, easier than i thought it would be, and
offline in the INSTRUCTIONS for AGK:

>> Please choose this option if you have such player ...
>> ... But you won't be losing anything, or getting a
>> movie inferior in any way by choosing that option

so, did i misread or misunderstand this?

and if there IS a notable difference, the more important it
would be to have such a switch inside the actual program,
and not only during setup.

PS: i hate critisizing a prog i like so much ... or is this
a sign of love?

[len0x]

Well, tutorial is written fot newbies, i.e. those who don't know what custom mpeg matrix is. Its not true that you can't see the difference. I, personally, would never use standard XviD H263/MPEG matrixes even if that means throwing ESS-based player to the garbage bin :) But I can't write that in the tutorial :p

[heinz57g]

>> Well, tutorial is written for newbies, i.e. those who
>> don't know what custom mpeg matrix is. Its not true
>> that you can't see the difference

then this should not be there so clear and definite. a lot
of people will have belived in it. and there are more and
more standalone players out there (see your survey), so what
are these people supposed to do in yr opinion? throwing their
machine to the garbage is not really a solution. how does a
simple user find out if their player is ESS-based or not?

>> But I can't write that in the tutorial

fair enough. but writing " ... you are not ... getting a
movie inferior in any way by choosing that option ... " is
also not correct. really misleading to those who have use
this on 50+ movies.

greetings - heinz -

[manono]

Hi-

Come on, you're nitpicking. Those with ESS chipset players will definitely notice a difference if they don't choose the standalone option. The picture will be completely messed up for them when played on their standalone.

Ordinarily AutoGK uses custom matrices for the XviD AVIs. ESS chipset based standalones don't play those at all well. len0x's opinion about the quality of custom matrices when compared to the standard H.263/MPEG matrices is just that -- an opinion. Mine is slightly different. I think that H.263 sucks, MPEG is OK, and custom matrices are better in some cases, but not for 100% standalone compatibility. I've had a Sigma Designs chipset player that played just about any matrix you threw at it, and now I have a MediaTek player that's a bit more picky.

The differences between the standard and the custom matrices are minor, and, as len0x said, nothing for new encoders to worry about. They'll get good results with either pair that AutoGK uses (unless it's for an ESS player). If you're an advanced encoder and like to use different matrices depending on the circumstances, then the chances are that you're not using AutoGK in the first place. AutoGK is and will remain the program of choice for inexperienced encoders, and for a bunch of lazy ones as well. What it does it does very well, and what it said in the tutorial about not getting an inferior movie either way is correct.

how does a simple user find out if their player is ESS-based or not?

Well, he could try reading the manual. If it's not there he could check the Videohelp.com database or our Hardware Player Forum. Or he could ask. It's not so hard to find out what he has. In my opinion, he should have researched this before he ever bought the thing, because even though the ESS players are very popular, mostly because they're cheap, in my opinion, they're seriously crippled. Custom matrix incompatibility is just one of the problems.

[heinz57g]

wow, that sets it straight. and i even understood most of it.

the problem with standalones is NOT i that i might not know
which machine contains which, but the people i copy movies
for usually dont. untill it happens, i usually dont even know
THEM! taking a movie over to a birthday party for kids, another
to a hopital, a third one to a friends wedding, and so on. who
am i to tell them that the machine they bought is crap? have
you ever asked your granny for the manual of a machine you gave
her only 6 months ago?

would you agree with this: i'll do most without the ESS setting,
and only if the player reacts, i'll do another copy with it.
if i still am given a chance. have you ever seen a horde of
kids sitting in front of a blank TV screen?

but, that brings me back to the original question: why not have
that switch inside the prog, rather than during setup only?

once more, tks for all the help i got here - heinz -

[len0x]

Originally posted by heinz57g
would you agree with this: i'll do most without the ESS setting,
and only if the player reacts, i'll do another copy with it.
if i still am given a chance. have you ever seen a horde of
kids sitting in front of a blank TV screen?


Its my way of promoting the right hardware. If you (or someone else) bought rubbish player then this gives them incentive to go and buy another one and tell all their friends to not buy such players. Then hardware manufacturers will see decline in sales and start making the right ones instead. Its called technical progress based on consumer demand.

Originally posted by heinz57g
but, that brings me back to the original question: why not have
that switch inside the prog, rather than during setup only?


It will be there when I have time to move all the settings into ini-files (but I'm in planning stage for more than half a year already, so it might take another half a year to do that).