Nero 5.5 preview - Page 5

Nero Mpeg 1 Encoder

Nero Mpeg1 Encoder

Ahead has done the big step and have developed their Mpeg1 Encoder which is used from Nero's VCD job to encode mostly .avi, and .mpeg files. There is not a single option that you can select and the encoding is done after you have pressed the BURN button. You will have to wait until the Nero Mpeg1 Encoder finishes encoding and afterwards it will burn the VCD task. Note that you cannot change anything in the encoder so the bitrate/resolution are automatically taken care. This of course is very good for novice users but..experienced users will be dissapointed. Also there is not option to create XVCD with the current status of Nero 5.5 Mpeg1 Encoder. Ahead said that possible coming versions of Nero 5.5 will have an advanced Mpeg1 encoder which will give users more features and freedom (and lower encoding time/higher output quality).

Test Setup

In order to test the Nero's build-in Mpeg1 Encoder we decided to compare it with all the available Mpeg1 Encoders. In oder words now the Nero Mpeg1 Encoder stands in term of speed/quality with the famous: Panasonic Mpeg1 Encoder v2.5, LSX Encoder v3.5 and TMPGEnc v12d beta.

For that tests we used an .AVI file which produced from Matrix DVD with FlaskMpeg v0.60 preview version at 640x480 - DivX ;-) "Low Motion" codec at 3000kp bitrate.

In start we tried our tests with an uncompressed AVI file (sized 3GB) but most of the Mpeg1 Encoders failed to work with it. Note that for all other Mpeg1 encoders we tried the best quality settings (lower encoding speed). We didn't tried to compare the encoders in terms of absolute speed since Ahead said that their encoder produces the best quality you can get! The original included VMPEGEnc.dll had very low encoding speed. After sometime, Ahead sent us a new VMPEGEnc.dll file which boosted up the encoding speed..Till the product arrives in retail speed and visual improvements are possible.

For the quality comparison tests we used the build-in ,save as .bmp, function of VirtualDub v1.4c for all encoded mpeg movies and after selecting the same scene(s) for all encoders, we examined the visual differences.

Test Results

Nero's Mpeg1 Encoder really is the faster among the others. The result however canno't be named as the most accurate since the Nero's Mpeg1 Encoder hasn't any setting for best/normal quality. Also the produced quality is not the best you can find since the Panasonic/LSX/TMPGEnc produced visual better mpeg files. The current problem with Nero Mpeg1 Encoder visual quality, is that it looses details in demanding scenes and that either darken or brighten the movie (which however other encoder's doesn't).

Remember that this is a preview version so there will be changes in the final version.

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A different approach about Nero's Mpeg1 Encoder (thanks Badia for his tests)

"...What was really new and I found myself really interested in, was video encoding. What do we need? An AVI file, some space on hdd, and that's it... I chosen for this a DVD "backup" (you know what I mean...) a 700 Mb AVI file, Divx ;) 3.11 alpha encoded. First encoder engine was awful as speed and quality. So I got from someone an updated engine, and I did it again. But this time I used several encoders, to make a decision: what and when am I supposed to use a certain encoder?

Tools: processor PIII - 866, Easton i815EPA motherboard, 384 Mb RAM, 1 X IBM DTLA 807030 HDD, 2 x IBM DTLA 805020 HDD, ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 128 32 Mb, CD-ROM, DVD, CD-WRITER, and other stuff.

Software: Windows 2000 Professional sp1, Adobe Premiere 6.0, Cleaner EZ 5.0, Nero 5.5.0.3 with updated encoder engine, TMPGEnc-0.11.22.105, LSX-MPEG Suite 2.0, Panasonic MPEG encoder 2.51.

Two days passed...

And now, I know:

Adobe Premiere with Terran Cleaner EZ 5.0 produced the best quality mpeg1 file, but please, don't ask about time (24 hours!!!). The quality was impressive, and the number of various output options is really more than anyone may dream. But please, be patient and go out for a while, because this is the slowest encoder I ever seen. If what you need is absolute quality, do not hesitate.

Nero 5.5.0.3 with updated encoder engine (VMPEGEnc.dll): WOW... I got the encoded file in less than 3 hours, and the quality was pretty good (remember, the source was a really-really good quality Divx;) AVI file.). Unfortunately there are no options to select, except pal/ntsc, if you think this is an option :))). It seems the people from Ahead are working like hell, as long as I found out they already have an alternate, and, they said, better encoder :).

TMPGEnc-0.11.22.105, a beta version as you know, produced in about 5 hours (4:48) a good quality result. This one have the most useful options, is fully configurable, but i wish it 50% faster, to come into reality from my dreams about encoders :).

LSX-MPEG Suite 2.0, used within Adobe Premiere, produced an mpeg1 file in about 6 hours 30 min., but the quality didn't seems to be better than Nero, for instance... almost the same, in more than double of time... I had the same impression even in the past, when I used to capture with my all-in-wonder mpeg1 files, using lsx engine, as you probably already know... Even the capture was real-time, the quality was awfull... Not even with such a fast processor the results were better. There are some nice options, but i rather use something else...

Panasonic MPEG encoder 2.51 - well, for the moment this is my favourite, with a little mention, I still wait TPMGEnc final version to decide :). With Panasonic everybody knows you get the most adequate mpeg1 file, in a reasonable time, (~5 hours), with correct parameters, and a good quality. It have a lot of usefull options, especially the batch encoding.

Conclusion: who wins the quality looses the time :)))

I use almost always Adobe Premiere, even if it is slower, because there are as many options as you will ever need. I have to see the final Nero encoder engine, because it was the faster encoder, even without options. I have to see also TMPGEnc final version, maybe they will speed up their engine. I have to admit also that LSX is not such a bad option, but if you need a better quality it will take more, but MORE time to do it. I must tell you as well I use almost always Panasonic, because is fast enough for me, it offers a good quality, all options you need, is stable and I have never seen a non-standard file as output..."