x264 codec questions

[faceless]

Ash, I'm just watching the documentary 'Atom' that you posted and I've a few questions about the x264 codec... you seem to have mastered it and that's to your credit.

Firstly, does it take many passes to achieve this quality? The definition of the colours is brilliant and the only difference there could be as opposed to a full quality DVD seems to be some slight juddering on movements.

Secondly, how do you encode using it? I've taken a quick look at the codec but haven't got as far as working out if it can be used with Vdub, which is ideally what I'd like to use.

Thirdly, though not connected to the x264, what is your capture card and source? You've been the first person in a long while to make me want to update my setup as I've never been that convinced for the need, though at this quality it's clearly the way forward for the next few years.

cheers

[Ash]

Hi Face

Glad you liked it. Regarding the slight film juddering, can you please give me the timeline when it occurs. I want to have a look and compare with the source. However, it can also happen on how and what youuse to play x264 files
(1) I tend to use ffdshow or coreavc. Sometimes, coreavc creates artificial macroblokcings, juddering during playback (happens due bugs in coreavc)

(2)
a. I generally use and recommend MPC as it can import almost every codec possible. And it's updated every month. More importantly, it's a freeware. See more info at MVG.
b. VLC should also be able to play x264 encoded files, provided they are encoded at a relatively lower bitrate (, say around upto 2000 kbps in my Dell Inspiron 8600, 512MB RAM, 64 MB nVidia). But beyond that it may struggle. But even if VLC plays, it doesn't give the exact color balance durig playback as MPC+ffdshow (just take a few screenshots and compare)

Regarding encoding process: I use MeGUI with 2 pass, in conjunction with AviSynth. If you have used GK 0.35.0, then you should not have any big problem about it. Gavin (MVG) has written a x264 encoding guide.
If you need any help then let me or others know about it in the x264 test thread, we'll try to sort it together (still learning, you know ).

My setup:
- A modest laptop (dell Inspiron 8600)
- Capture card: cheapest (18 quid) DVB-T USB TV Cature Card. It's OEM, probably it's made by KWorld. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone- does not havea good driver- sometimes BBC Four vanishes and don't don't get C4, e4 etc. When it happens i have to turn the damn thing off and on again. But it serves the purpose

However, I'm planning to purchase Technotrend's DVB-S2 card later this year or earlier next year so that I can capture BBC HD and other possible free-to-Ari HD channel in Europe. But for that I also need to buy a dish. I had a chat a with someone knowledgeable about it. He already given me all the info i need. Now I need some money. But those things, dish, lnb, capture card, etc will cost me around 200 quid (at least). Plus I'm planning to buy an Intel Quad Core (q6600) next year. But i should wait for my fund- hopefully it will be by March-April, 2008

Why Technotrend? - it can capture mpeg2 (both hidef and StDef), h264 (for Hidef) broadcast stream. plus you can use it for subscription channels as well. Though costly, but this is the best long term solution i have found.
http://www.dvbshop.net/index.php/cat/c57_HDTV-S2-H-264.html

Hope I was clear

[faceless]

cheers, pretty much perfect answers I reckon. I'll need to look into it more

[Ash]

I'm testing a different a way of doing x264 encode with MeGUI, atm. It's called crf (Constant Rate Factor). Basically it's 1 pass encode where you set the quants level and then megui does the encoding. It's the opposite of 2 pass encode. More info here

[Ash]

Face or anyone else: are you doing any x264 encode? It may take a while..but just give it a go and you'll love the output

[TheCaptain]

Fascinating!

Thank you very much for the info. I'll certainly give x264 a try. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to cap anything, but I'm always working on original content, and it could prove very useful to me.

My compliments,

TheCaptain.