Sony Vega Encoder Situation [Archive]

Delphin

29th July 2005, 07:56

I have recently been using a software called Sony Vega to re-encode my DVD videos. I am using Pro-studio-grade video, and would like to re-encode it where it has "lossless quality". In other words, I'd like to re-encode my videos so they look as perfect as the originals. No compression, no degration, no none of that. So, I am asking anyone willing to help, for an already-made "DVD Video Only" encoding template to use with this expensive and very complicated Sony software.

I have already inquired about this subject at the Sony sales website, and received no solution to my problem. Is lossless quality even possible with this encoder? I always get a perfect copy when I use that TMPGEnc MPEG Editor. I'd be happy just using this one, but it won't add the Audio data, or let me alter the aspect ratios. All it does is make a visually-perfect, but muted .M2v of my VOBs. Somebody help please!

If you want more help you need to explain what you have done more fully and ask more specific questions.

Also, to avoid someone here jumping on your case, you should just ask about how you can encode MPEG2 with the higher quality, and not imply that you expect ‘lossless’ results with MPEG2, because MPEG2 video is always a 'lossy' encoding process, and such comment will just mark you as a clueless-newbe.

With the right tools and a little effort you can get results very close to commercial DVD quality (which is obviously quite good), but we don’t talk about it being ‘lossless’. MPEG is never ‘lossless’.

One combination that will give good encoding results is to use the "HC" MPEG2 encoder (available here in the downloads section) for the video stream and BeSweet for the Audio (use one of the BeSweet GUI's).

Of course, if that’s too much trouble, and you just want to make an identical backup of an existing DVD, then there are tools like “DVD Rebuilder” which will automate the process of re-encoding the MPEG video using HC or QuEnc, and then re-muxing the audio, but if you want to creatively ‘re-author’ DVD’s (creating new menus etc) you are already stuck with a complex procedure, and should not be too concerned about having to manually encode the Video and Audio as separate streams.

If you are stuck on the idea of having the MPEG2 encoder also do the AUDIO for you, try QuEnc, as it will also do the audio re-encoding and create a compleated already muxed program stream (though you have to be careful to pass it the right sample rate etc. from AVIsynth).

I like the quality of HC just a little better so am willing to deal with encoding the audio and video separatly, but QuEnc is also very good and it will do it all for you automatically so it's up to you to try them both and decide.

Both the “HC” and “QuEnc” MPEG2 encoders use AVIsynth as a front end.

That’s not actually bad news, but rather good news, because, with a few lines of text scripting code you can do sophisticated resizing, brightness/color correction, and noise filtering.

Don’t let AVIsynth ‘scripting’ intimidate you and keep you from trying the HC encoder or QuEnc, because the basic AVIsynth script to get “HC” or QuEnc going is ridiculously simple . . .

MPEG2Source("YourFile.D2V")

That’s it! Just one line! You just create a simple text file, save it with an AVS extension, and you have the required script :)

Then you are ready to load a D2V index file (which points to your MPEG or VOB's)

Here is a link to a posting I did which has a step by step ‘getting started’ guide to use AVIsynth with the HC encoder . . .

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=691118#post691118

This posting has a script I wrote for mantis2k to straighten out some horrible flicker problems in a camcorder captured movie. This shows the kind of tricks you can do with an AVIsynth script, but in your case to just re-encode some VOB’s just follow the step by step procedure I outlined, but substitute the simpler one-line script above as a start.

If you want to encode to HC or QuEnc through Virtual Dub, so you can do filtering and sizing using it’s easy to use filters, you can find some information on that in the same thread.

I think you will find that the general consensus is that the HC encoder will give better results overall than what you are using now, but the performance of any encoder varies a bit with the source you feed it, so I suggest that you try it for yourself.

I have encoded material through HC and had folks tell me that it was indistinguishable from a commercial DVD, which I guess is about as close to ‘lossless’ as we are likely to get. :) :) :)