maverickrohan
SABER RIDER
Hi my fellow minions!
I am a Chip/Digit subscriber from 2000, and I have just registered on Forums today!
I have been into Encoding from the past 6 months and I have tested all the major codecs out there, and in all the tests I performed I came up with some very surprising results!
The major codecs I tested were:
DivX 6.2.2
XviD
VP62 (is now implemented in the popular Flash 8 Video)
VP70
WMV9(VCM)
3viX
MS MPEG-4 V3
x264
H264
I have done lotta tests with all these codecs using different kinds of video inputs and different settings in the codecs itself. Here are my findings:
I used the following video inputs:
-> DVD Video(DVD Ripping)
-> VCD Video
-> Noisy MPEG Video (Captured via TV Tuner)
-> High Res. Video (Same Res Encoding)
-> Low Res. Video (For Enlarging)
I tested all the codecs using:
-> Default Settings
-> Relatively Equivalent settings among all the codecs in terms of Quality
-> Bitrate(File Size) Target Settings
Before writing my brief review I would like to give my Results: (Updated 10-June-2010)
1.> VP8 (WebM), H264 & VC-1
2.> VP70 & VP62
3.> XviD & DivX
5.> WMV9
6.> MS MPEG-4 V3
7.> 3viX
Review:
To begin with when I first started encoding videos when I wanted to save space on my jam packed 40GB I had only heard of DivX, WMV9 & XviD!
VP62 was discovered by accident(like all major discoveries). As we know in India we still have analog Cable TV unless you have a Set Top Box, so the video I capture using my video card is often noisy. I use WinDVR 3 for capturing and use SVCD NTSC settings for the MPEG2 file for an optimal quality captured video.
I encoded the video using DivX, XviD and WMV9 but all gave really hazy outputs, but for noisy video WMV is actually better than DivX and XviD, though in DivX 5.2.1 Pro it gives you good results with Pre Processing Enabled. i has unhappy with the way all the above codecs performed. So I started using random codecs installed on my system for encoding.....Then in the list was VP62 (It had come with KLite Codec Pack). I was really astonished to see the quality of the output of the noisy video, and the file size was half of what DivX and XviD produced.
Then I started including VP62 in all the DVD Ripping and VCD Ripping I did. To tell you the truth, in DVD ripping it does not really matter which codec you use(among the top 4) because the output is really good in most cases, but in terms of file size, when you target bitrate, VP62 is the best codec out there for low bitrate encoding! it actually gives you similar quality output when you set DivX@600K & VP62@300K ....try it out!!! In other words it is possible to fit 3hr.+ Hindi movies onto 1 700MB CD @ really decent quality with VP62. You can use any MPEG-4 Bitrate Calculator to fix the Bitrate. For DVDs its VP62->XviD->DivX->WMV9
When it comes to VCD Ripping, many people simply copy the *.dat files and simply rename them as *.mpg or *.mpeg to convert them to mpegs in the first place...Big Mistake!!! Even though the file will work perfectly as an mpeg, it will cause big A/V sync errors while encoding!!! the right way to do is to first convert the *.dat files to *.mpg using VCD Gear and then combine them using softwares like Combimovie (most movies are on multiple VCDs). And it will serve better to convert *.mpg to *.mpg using VCD Gear using the Fix mpeg errors option. Then you can start encoding. Well in VCD encoding XviD pretty much takes the back seat, low bitrate mpg files actually have blocky artifacts when you encode them with XviD. Here again as I mentioned VP62 rulz with DivX coming second followed by WMV9 and XviD last.
Now H264 is touted to be the next big thing(MPEG-4 Part 10). But I have still rated it last because the decoders, as of now suck! I used the Videosoft H264 AVC(Advanced Video Codec) with a measly 5 day demo(compare that to 6 months for DivX 5.2.1 Pro). And x264, which I got from freecodecs.com. Both these codecs gave really small file sizes but the output video sucked big time, and the main reasons for that being underdeveloped decoders, we'll have to wait a while before we have some good quality H264 codecs.
As far as 3viX and MS MPEG-4 V3 are concerned, don't use them, they r not that great when it comes to file sizes, in fact, I actually found MPEG 4 V3 better than 3viX.....I leave you'll to do more research on this one...
This is a topic where I know I'll have Maximum disagreements with many of my findings, but I bet you, try fiddleing around with various codec settings and different kinds of input videos, your conclusions will be similar to mine.
Recommended settings for the various codecs are:
VP70:
Bitrate: 256K for small file size to 1000k depending on output file size.
Mode: Good Quality Fast Encoding
Encode Speed: 3
Sharpness: 0 or a slightly higher number depending on the quality of your input file.
End Usage: VBR
Noise reduction: 0
Material: Progressive
Auto Keyframe: Enabled
Noise Reduction: 0 or a higher level depending on your input file.
Max Frames Bet Keys: 120
Datarate Undershoot: 95%
Adjust Quantizer: Min (4) to Max (40)
VP62:
Bitrate: 300K for small file size to 1000k depending on o/p file size.
Noise Reduction=0 to 3
Sharpness=4 to 8
DivX 5.2.1 Pro
Bitrate:Always above 500k below that it sucks.
Psychovisual Enhancements: Slow
Source Pre processing: Light to Normal
XviD:
Keep Defaults with Trellis Quantization Enabled
For Targeting Filesize, specify the Bitrate.
WMV9 VCM
Use 1 Pass Quality VBR
Performance Knob: Keep it in the middle.
For all the codecs, always keep the Key frame interval to 120s , while enlarging video always use bicubic interpolation & whatever o/p res u select, as far as possible, try n keep both width n height multiples of 16
Suggested resolutions (these follow to the x16 rule for optimal compatibility)
1:2.35 movies: 720x304, 640x272, 576x240, 512x224, 480x208, 400x176
1:1.85 movies: 720x384, 640x352, 576x304, 512x272, 480x256, 400x224
1:1.33 movies: 720x544, 640x480, 576x432, 512x384, 480x368, 400x304
To download the latest codecs you can visit:
www.free-codecs.com
To download K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (The most complete and well implemented Codec Pack):
*www.codecguide.com/download_mega.htm
For more on On2 Codecs (VP8, VP70 & VP62):
*www.on2.com
On2 has been bought by Google, expect great things!
Encoding Apps:
AVI:
*www.virtualdub.org/
*www.autogk.me.uk/
MKV:
*handbrake.fr/
Further Reading on VP8 (WebM):
*www.webmproject.org/
*www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Ed.../First-Look-H.264-and-VP8-Compared-67266.aspx
*www.reelseo.com/google-vp8-webm/
*www.longtailvideo.com/support/blog/12120/the-google-vp8webm-announcement-what-does-it-mean-for-you
VP8 Converter:
*www8.getmiro.com/blog/2010/05/miro-video-converter-is-the-first-webm-vp8-converter/
Ok, I think this is getting toooo long for my first day on forums, I gotta cutt it here, I hope to get many queries & replies on this one!!!
I am a Chip/Digit subscriber from 2000, and I have just registered on Forums today!
I have been into Encoding from the past 6 months and I have tested all the major codecs out there, and in all the tests I performed I came up with some very surprising results!
The major codecs I tested were:
DivX 6.2.2
XviD
VP62 (is now implemented in the popular Flash 8 Video)
VP70
WMV9(VCM)
3viX
MS MPEG-4 V3
x264
H264
I have done lotta tests with all these codecs using different kinds of video inputs and different settings in the codecs itself. Here are my findings:
I used the following video inputs:
-> DVD Video(DVD Ripping)
-> VCD Video
-> Noisy MPEG Video (Captured via TV Tuner)
-> High Res. Video (Same Res Encoding)
-> Low Res. Video (For Enlarging)
I tested all the codecs using:
-> Default Settings
-> Relatively Equivalent settings among all the codecs in terms of Quality
-> Bitrate(File Size) Target Settings
Before writing my brief review I would like to give my Results: (Updated 10-June-2010)
1.> VP8 (WebM), H264 & VC-1
2.> VP70 & VP62
3.> XviD & DivX
5.> WMV9
6.> MS MPEG-4 V3
7.> 3viX
Review:
To begin with when I first started encoding videos when I wanted to save space on my jam packed 40GB I had only heard of DivX, WMV9 & XviD!
VP62 was discovered by accident(like all major discoveries). As we know in India we still have analog Cable TV unless you have a Set Top Box, so the video I capture using my video card is often noisy. I use WinDVR 3 for capturing and use SVCD NTSC settings for the MPEG2 file for an optimal quality captured video.
I encoded the video using DivX, XviD and WMV9 but all gave really hazy outputs, but for noisy video WMV is actually better than DivX and XviD, though in DivX 5.2.1 Pro it gives you good results with Pre Processing Enabled. i has unhappy with the way all the above codecs performed. So I started using random codecs installed on my system for encoding.....Then in the list was VP62 (It had come with KLite Codec Pack). I was really astonished to see the quality of the output of the noisy video, and the file size was half of what DivX and XviD produced.
Then I started including VP62 in all the DVD Ripping and VCD Ripping I did. To tell you the truth, in DVD ripping it does not really matter which codec you use(among the top 4) because the output is really good in most cases, but in terms of file size, when you target bitrate, VP62 is the best codec out there for low bitrate encoding! it actually gives you similar quality output when you set DivX@600K & VP62@300K ....try it out!!! In other words it is possible to fit 3hr.+ Hindi movies onto 1 700MB CD @ really decent quality with VP62. You can use any MPEG-4 Bitrate Calculator to fix the Bitrate. For DVDs its VP62->XviD->DivX->WMV9
When it comes to VCD Ripping, many people simply copy the *.dat files and simply rename them as *.mpg or *.mpeg to convert them to mpegs in the first place...Big Mistake!!! Even though the file will work perfectly as an mpeg, it will cause big A/V sync errors while encoding!!! the right way to do is to first convert the *.dat files to *.mpg using VCD Gear and then combine them using softwares like Combimovie (most movies are on multiple VCDs). And it will serve better to convert *.mpg to *.mpg using VCD Gear using the Fix mpeg errors option. Then you can start encoding. Well in VCD encoding XviD pretty much takes the back seat, low bitrate mpg files actually have blocky artifacts when you encode them with XviD. Here again as I mentioned VP62 rulz with DivX coming second followed by WMV9 and XviD last.
Now H264 is touted to be the next big thing(MPEG-4 Part 10). But I have still rated it last because the decoders, as of now suck! I used the Videosoft H264 AVC(Advanced Video Codec) with a measly 5 day demo(compare that to 6 months for DivX 5.2.1 Pro). And x264, which I got from freecodecs.com. Both these codecs gave really small file sizes but the output video sucked big time, and the main reasons for that being underdeveloped decoders, we'll have to wait a while before we have some good quality H264 codecs.
As far as 3viX and MS MPEG-4 V3 are concerned, don't use them, they r not that great when it comes to file sizes, in fact, I actually found MPEG 4 V3 better than 3viX.....I leave you'll to do more research on this one...
This is a topic where I know I'll have Maximum disagreements with many of my findings, but I bet you, try fiddleing around with various codec settings and different kinds of input videos, your conclusions will be similar to mine.
Recommended settings for the various codecs are:
VP70:
Bitrate: 256K for small file size to 1000k depending on output file size.
Mode: Good Quality Fast Encoding
Encode Speed: 3
Sharpness: 0 or a slightly higher number depending on the quality of your input file.
End Usage: VBR
Noise reduction: 0
Material: Progressive
Auto Keyframe: Enabled
Noise Reduction: 0 or a higher level depending on your input file.
Max Frames Bet Keys: 120
Datarate Undershoot: 95%
Adjust Quantizer: Min (4) to Max (40)
VP62:
Bitrate: 300K for small file size to 1000k depending on o/p file size.
Noise Reduction=0 to 3
Sharpness=4 to 8
DivX 5.2.1 Pro
Bitrate:Always above 500k below that it sucks.
Psychovisual Enhancements: Slow
Source Pre processing: Light to Normal
XviD:
Keep Defaults with Trellis Quantization Enabled
For Targeting Filesize, specify the Bitrate.
WMV9 VCM
Use 1 Pass Quality VBR
Performance Knob: Keep it in the middle.
For all the codecs, always keep the Key frame interval to 120s , while enlarging video always use bicubic interpolation & whatever o/p res u select, as far as possible, try n keep both width n height multiples of 16
Suggested resolutions (these follow to the x16 rule for optimal compatibility)
1:2.35 movies: 720x304, 640x272, 576x240, 512x224, 480x208, 400x176
1:1.85 movies: 720x384, 640x352, 576x304, 512x272, 480x256, 400x224
1:1.33 movies: 720x544, 640x480, 576x432, 512x384, 480x368, 400x304
To download the latest codecs you can visit:
www.free-codecs.com
To download K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (The most complete and well implemented Codec Pack):
*www.codecguide.com/download_mega.htm
For more on On2 Codecs (VP8, VP70 & VP62):
*www.on2.com
On2 has been bought by Google, expect great things!
Encoding Apps:
AVI:
*www.virtualdub.org/
*www.autogk.me.uk/
MKV:
*handbrake.fr/
Further Reading on VP8 (WebM):
*www.webmproject.org/
*www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Ed.../First-Look-H.264-and-VP8-Compared-67266.aspx
*www.reelseo.com/google-vp8-webm/
*www.longtailvideo.com/support/blog/12120/the-google-vp8webm-announcement-what-does-it-mean-for-you
VP8 Converter:
*www8.getmiro.com/blog/2010/05/miro-video-converter-is-the-first-webm-vp8-converter/
Ok, I think this is getting toooo long for my first day on forums, I gotta cutt it here, I hope to get many queries & replies on this one!!!
Last edited: