Steven Sorentos says:
> Apparently Heuris has a new MPEG-1 software codec (included with Media
> Cleaner Pro 3.1 and 99.00 direct from Heuris) I participated in some
> discussions on other lists and the upshot was that this was the way to go
> to get the most data at the best quality with the lowest data rate onto a
> CD. Check it out. If you use it please post your results.
Followed up by Priscilla Pimentel:
> I read an announcement for an MPEG-2 software codec from Heuris, but I hadn't heard of a software based method of producing MPEG-1. This would be new, correct? I always thought MPEG encoding involved hardware. Is this software going to allow the sort of complicated multi-step processing that Chris O'Leary was recently describing, or is it more of a converting device that does everything for you? I'd be very interested in delivering with MPEG vs. cinepak now that QT3 supports MPEG streams; I can't afford more hardware, however. And of course, I'd need to make sure the rotten lowend processors I deliver to can handle MPEG, can I attach a palette to MPEG, blah blah blah I'm working in the stone age and nobody cares, blah blah blah ...
I was a beta tester for the product, and can talk about it now that
it's shipping. We've actually got TWO products here, both QuickTime
Components (which means any component aware program can use them for
export; mainly MoviePlayer and Media Cleaner Pro). First is the $99
MPEG-1 only plug-in that is bundled with MCP 3.1. Owners of the full
MPEG Power Professional get a free version of the plug-in that can
compress up to the features in their version. So, since I have the full
MPP with MPEG-2 VBR, I have access to MPEG-2 VBR from within MCP or MoviePlayer.
The quality is excellent, since it uses the exact same algorithim as
the normal series of products. And being able to run through the
freakin' awesome MCP interface give much better results and a reduced
asprin budget. It's amazing the difference adaptive noise reduction and
Intelecine make in MPEG. I just finished up twenty minutes of video for
Groliers, at very conservative data rates, and there were virtually no
artifacts ANYWHERE. If you do software MPEG encoding, this is
definitely the solution for you.
Now, for our particular project (28K/sec video off CD-ROM), MPEG-1 is
an interesting possibility. Given the smaller frame size and data rate,
I imagine it'll play back adequately on any PowerMac w/QT2.5 or better
or Pentium w/ ActiveMovie/DirectShow. And it will do so at much higher
quality than the Cinepak/IMA solution I outlined earlier. Note that
many Wintel installations may have a variety of variable compatible
software decoders, so a DirectX installer with the latest DirectShow may
be in order. And QuickTime's MPEG component for Windows is still
forthcoming. However, at these lower data rates, I generally (but not
always) find Sorenson VBR provides higher quality. Generally the more
varied the content, the better Sorenson is in comparision, and more the
more movement or sharp saturated colors, the better MPEG-1 is.
Test early
Test often
Test on your target platform.
Ben Waggoner
Journeyman | CTI Group