Where can I find out more about encoding?

[Soluzar]

I already know how to to a basic, simple encode, using XViD/DivX contained in AVI, MKV, or OGM, and I understand a little about filtering, and most of the very basics, but I want to learn more about what makes a good encode, and how to manipulate the codec settings for best results.

I know there's no easy way, but I'd like to learn a bit more about encoding. It would be cool to get into the fansub scene as an encoder, eventually.

[DryFire]

Doom9's forums a good place to look. As well as avisynth.org for filtering w/ avisynth.

It may be a good idea to learn how to use x264 cli with or w/o a gui. The help screen x264 brings up as well as mencoder's helpfile can be pretty useful. This post may also be a good starting point:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.ph...x264+optimized

[Soluzar]

Originally Posted by DryFire

Doom9's forums a good place to look. As well as avisynth.org for filtering w/ avisynth.

It may be a good idea to learn how to use x264 cli with or w/o a gui. The help screen x264 brings up as well as mencoder's helpfile can be pretty useful. This post may also be a good starting point:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.ph...x264+optimized

I'm not against the idea of CLI applications at all. It would have to be under Linux, though. Windows doesn't have a CLI, it has a pathetic excuse for a CLI.

Thanks for the links. ^_^

[DryFire]

umm no?

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=89979

try out the full package, it's x264 cli w/ megui. It also comes with some premade profiles.

[Soluzar]

Originally Posted by DryFire

umm no?

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=89979

try out the full package, it's x264 cli w/ megui. It also comes with some premade profiles.

I was referring to my own distaste for the Windows Command Prompt. If I'm going to work at a command prompt, it needs to be a Bourne shell. Sorry if I wasn't clear...

EDIT: Actually, come to think of it there are at least two ways to run windows CLI applications through a Bourne shell. Yep, that works for me! Thanks, Dryfire! ^_^

[Sylf]

You don't need any complex scripting to run x264 CLI. All it has is just whole bunch of command line switches. At this level of simplicity and the nature of the program, how cmd.exe sucks shouldn't be an issue. If there's any scripting involved, most of it are done in avs anyway.

And with MeGUI, you're freed from the CLI anyway.

[Soluzar]

Originally Posted by Sylf

You don't need any complex scripting to run x264 CLI. All it has is just whole bunch of command line switches. At this level of simplicity and the nature of the program, how cmd.exe sucks shouldn't be an issue. If there's any scripting involved, most of it are done in avs anyway.

And with MeGUI, you're freed from the CLI anyway.

This is very true, I've not really explored the functionality of x264 before now, but I have been doing in time since that last post. I just tend to prefer doing things the most efficent way, and lots of people seem to think that CLI is that way for x264.

It is a shame, personally speaking, that I can't use x264 in VirtualDub, but that would produce x264 contained in AVI, I suppose. I'm well aware that it is not correct to contain x264 in avi, and I even understand some of the reasons why...

Something new to learn, I guess.

[RaistlinMajere]

Originally Posted by Soluzar

I'm not against the idea of CLI applications at all. It would have to be under Linux, though. Windows doesn't have a CLI, it has a pathetic excuse for a CLI.

You fail it.

[Soluzar]

Originally Posted by RaistlinMajere

You fail it.

What exactly do I fail, because I don't like the Windows command prompt?

Well, anyway... I'm learning, slowly. It seems that slowly is the only way to learn, certainly on this rig, anyway. I'm still struggling to get to grips with a lot of the more conceptual side of things. I am aware that there are a lot of factors that go into determining what is a good encode and what a is a bad one.

[Eeknay]

Question; what source material are you using to encode?

I started off with some clean-ish R1 DVDs and just went from there. Then (well, if you have any) once you know more about filtering you can try some more problematic sources. I think that's the best way anyway, you can't really stick to one source for all testing, different sources have different requirements and will widen your horizons.

As for settings those are easier. I think there's a couple of posts here by crumja containing information regarding xvid settings. And all the l33t x264 settings are explained in the AVC Quality Guide thread on Doom9.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Eeknay

As for settings those are easier. I think there's a couple of posts here by crumja containing information regarding xvid settings. And all the l33t x264 settings are explained in the AVC Quality Guide thread on Doom9.

I personally found the original posts in that thread a bit oudated (and not very anime specific). It's more important to read that thread to figure out what they do, more than copy its settings.

The profiles that come with the megui in the x264 installation package are a good place to start, when it comes to basic settings.

[Soluzar]

Originally Posted by Eeknay

Question; what source material are you using to encode?

Well, for experimental purposes, I've been working entirely from clean, recent R1 DVD. I'm not planning on distributing anything warez-esque, of course; this is purely for "practice".

I started off with some clean-ish R1 DVDs and just went from there. Then (well, if you have any) once you know more about filtering you can try some more problematic sources. I think that's the best way anyway, you can't really stick to one source for all testing, different sources have different requirements and will widen your horizons.

I do have some "problematic" sources. I have some old anime raws that I would like to add subtitles to for practice, but when I try to re-encode, I get horrendous macroblock artifacts.