Video encoding made easy with TMPGEnc (Tmpgenc Plus 2.5)

Name: sandemp

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Product:	Tmpgenc Plus 2.5
Date:	02/11/05 (2639 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wizards for new users | More advanced features if needed | Excellent results | Free demo

Disadvantages: Can't handle AC3 without extra plug in .

I like to create my own DVDs, whether they be of clips I've downloaded off the internet (legally I might add, mostly fan stuff) or home movies transferred in AVI format from my camcorder. In order to use these files to create DVDs I need to encode them into a MPG2 format that a DVD Authoring program (and ultimately my DVD player) will understand. I've tried several different programs to do this and after having had disastrous results from Nero's built-in encoder and being confused by another program (I can't remember the name of), I finally hit on TMPGEnc Plus 2.5, an encoder from Pegasys that can take raw AVI files (among others) and convert them into DVD compliant files.

---Getting TMPGEnc---

TMPGEnc 2.5 can be downloaded in two forms, the free version and the paid version. The paid version can be downloaded from here : http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tp.html and is 8.4MB and so not too large a download. While the free version is available here : http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_main.html and is a 1.4MB zipped file. There are only a couple of differences in the two versions, which I will be getting into later.

---Installation---

---Free version---

After downloading the zipped file, you will need to extract it into a suitable folder before running the program. There's no installation as such, and when you start the program it will tell you that you can use the MPG2 functions for 30 days, after that time you will be limited to using MPG1, which is used for creating VCDs (These are video files that fit on a CD and are typically 70 minutes per disc).

---Paid Version---

The paid version comes as an installer and does need to be installed onto your system, but this is a very quick and painless process. When you open this version for the first time, you will be given the chance to either enter a serial number, or use a 14 day free trial. Other than the fact that the paid program completely stops working after the 14 days, I really can't see any difference in how the two work.

---Using the program---

As the basic functions are the same (for the first 30 days at least), I won't be differentiating between the two programs when giving details of how to use them, but rather will explain the basic and advanced options.

Before running the program it's advisable to make sure that you have a good codec pack installed (The nimo one is OK) and check any files you plan to convert in a media player.


--Basic Options--

The nice thing about this program is that when it opens instead of being faced with a plethora of options you get a wizard that takes you through producing the more common types of video. You have the option of creating VCDs, SVCDs (similar to VCDs but better quality and only 30-40 minutes per disc) or DVD compliant files in either PAL or NTSC format. Obviously I go for the PAL format, and now only work with the DVD settings but if you happen to be in a region that uses NTSC then go for that.

Once you've chosen which format you want the program to output it will ask you for the location of the file you want to convert. Once you've directed it to this file, it will automatically work out the bit rate that will fill your disc. You do get the chance to change a few of the options and add filters, which I will come to later, but one thing you need to change in the advanced settings is the "video arrange method" which I always set as "Full Screen (keep aspect ratio)" otherwise you will find that everything gets stretched vertically.

Once the wizard finishes you have the option of starting the conversion straight away or adding it to a batch job list. I normally just start the conversion if the video is in a single file, but use the batch job if the video's split over two or three files.

--Advanced Options--

There are loads of more advanced options for the more experienced user, some of which I've used and some I haven't. You can choose to only encode part of a file by entering a source range, or reduce noise and ghosting, or perhaps sharpen the edges. You can even perform colour corrections, however all of these options will increase the length of time it takes to encode the film.

There are also a number of options for the way the file is encoded, which are :

-CBR (Constant Bit Rate)-

This is the simplest (and quickest) method, and the entire film will be coded at the same rate. This isn't actually the most space efficient method, the same amount of space will be used on a unmoving black screen as a high action scene, and you may occasionally see blocking. I use this method for animation, as I really don't see any improvement with the other methods.

-2-pass VBR (Variable Bit rate)-

This method takes the longest, and the program goes through the file twice. The first time it analyses and calculates the best bit rate for each scene, and the second time it actually encodes. This is the best method for very high quality files and gives exceptional results, but does take a very long time (over twice as long as CBR)

-MVBR (Manual Variable bit Rate)-

This is the method I use, and you will need to choose a maximum and minimum bit rate, and it will the change the bit rate between these to values, although it takes longer than CBR, the quality is better, and it doesn't take as long as the 2-pass method.

There are two other methods which I have never tried, which are CQ-VBR (Constant quality VBR) and CQ (constant quality), neither of which I've actually used..

As well as changing the was the bit-rate is managed, you can change the way it detects motion. There are six different choices ranging from lowest quality, which is very fast but results in a more blurry video, to highest quality which is very slow but gives fantastic results. I tend to use the normal quality as a good trade off between speed and quality.

---Speed of Encoding---

The time it takes for a file to encode depends on a lot of factors, not least the specification of your computer. With a 700MHz (128MB RAM) computer it used to take me more than 6 hours to code a film lasting 1.5 hours, using CBR and normal motion detection, which is a very long time. With my current computer, which runs at 3000MHz (1024MB RAM) and the MVBR setting with normal motion detection, it encodes in just over real time.

If any filters such as noise reduction are added, the time taken can more than double.

---Quality of Encoding---

As with all encoders the better quality the video you input, the better your results will be. So don't expect fantastic results from that CAM film you've downloaded. However, if I use a high quality XVID file as an input, I can get results that are very close to the quality on commercial discs, and that is watching the results on an LCD TV that shows up every flaw.

---Any Problems---

I do come across one problem regularly, and that is that it can't handle AC3 sound without an additional plug-in, and even when it does recognise the sound there can be sync issues. But there is a way round this, which involves an additional step that takes less than ten minutes. This is to extract the audio from your original file using a program such as Goldwave, save it as a wave and then use the resulting file as the audio input.

---My Experience---

I've been using TMPGEnc for the last three years, before I had a DVD writer I would use it to create files needed to make VCDs and SVCDs and it did a brilliant job at those, but now I use it to create the files to make DVDs. I found that it took me a while to get the settings just how I liked them, but was able to create perfectly good video files without messing about with any of the settings. It was only as I got more adventurous with playing with the settings that I got the very best out of it, and now anyone who watches one of my home made DVDs is very impressed with the quality. However, I must say that for me this is only a hobby, I do not try to make DVDs that could be sold, but thanks to TMPGEnc I have DVDs full of precious memories that look very, very good.

---Pricing Information---

The paid version of TMPGEnc 2.5 costs $37 (digital download) I'm afraid I'm not sure how much this is in sterling, but you will probably need to take any additional charges for currency conversion into account.

---My Recommendation---

I cannot recommend this encoder highly enough, it's simple enough for someone with little computer experience to use, and yet adaptable enough for the more advanced user. I get high quality output that is ready for me to use with my DVD authoring program (which just happens to be the TMPGEnc one), and am always very pleased with the results. So whether you download off the internet (naughty, naughty), or just wish to create high quality video from your camcorder, this is the program to get. And with the 14-30 day free trial if it isn't right for you then it hasn't cost you anything.

Summary: Nice easy to use video conversion program.

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