H264 vs MPEG4 in Videora (CPU question)

2010-10-21 04:40:56

#1

Benzin: Member; +576|6272

This is a bit strange... I wanted to finally test out Videora on my new X6 and see if there was a huge difference in converting videos into iPod format. I started with the H264 on the max setting with AviSynth and then with 2-pass and had problems since the videos that resulted would not be added to the iTunes library (tried everything and still didn't work). It was maxing out all 6 cores and chewed through the conversion real fast - 30 minutes for a 2 hour movie. Great stuff.

Now I'm trying it on the MPEG4 encoding to see if maybe there's a problem with the codec and now Videora doesn't max out any cores except one. The other five all sit idle, not doing a thing. Nice for multitasking, but even turning Videora up to HIGH power for CPU usage doesn't do a thing. Doing this would cripple my old Acer laptop but it doesn't faze this computer at all. Again, this is nice, but I want this thing to use all the raw power.

My question is this: Does anyone know if there is a fundamental difference between the h264 encoding and the MPEG4 in terms of CPU efficiency? I've not turned anything up in some quick Google searches so I thought I would enlist the help of BF2s in my search.

2010-10-21 06:11:29

#2

Tdog2007: Giggity Giggity; +25|6986|US

you forgot to mention how long it took it to convert mpeg4

2010-10-21 07:12:09

#3

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7012|Toronto | Canada

Well, h.264 is a codec and mp4 is a container... The ipod only supports really basic h.264 profiles so you probably used 4.1 and it supports up to 3.1. I'd recommend using handbrake for very basic ipod encoding.

2010-10-21 07:43:09

#4

Benzin: Member; +576|6272

The mpeg4 took up to 2 hours, iirc. Took FOREVER.

Maybe I need to install the CCCP codec pack then? You think that might solve the problem, Winston? I'll give the Handbrake a try, though.

2010-10-21 07:50:12

#5

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6841|NYC / Hamburg

Handbrake is the way to go for converting video for iPods.

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2010-10-21 10:03:01

#6

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6855|SE London

CapnNismo wrote:
The mpeg4 took up to 2 hours, iirc. Took FOREVER.

Maybe I need to install the CCCP codec pack then? You think that might solve the problem, Winston? I'll give the Handbrake a try, though.

Is it an mp4 file?

It's probably worth pointing out that H.264 is MPEG4. It's a part of the MPEG4 set of standards.

Why don't you just use VLC on your iPod and not bother converting? That's what I do on my iPad.

2010-10-21 11:02:12

#7

Winston_Churchill: Bazinga!; +521|7012|Toronto | Canada

max wrote:
Handbrake is the way to go for converting video for iPods.

Yep. The crappy encoder for the crappy platform

VLC might work too, I have no idea. I never watch movies on my ipod, its too small in both capacity and screen size for me to ever want to watch anything over 2 minutes on it.

2010-10-21 22:42:20

#8

Benzin: Member; +576|6272

Bertster7 wrote:
CapnNismo wrote:
The mpeg4 took up to 2 hours, iirc. Took FOREVER.

Maybe I need to install the CCCP codec pack then? You think that might solve the problem, Winston? I'll give the Handbrake a try, though.
Is it an mp4 file?

It's probably worth pointing out that H.264 is MPEG4. It's a part of the MPEG4 set of standards.

Why don't you just use VLC on your iPod and not bother converting? That's what I do on my iPad.

I'd love to use VLC, except I have an iPod Classic...

Max, I'll give handbrake a try. Converting not with the H264 worked like a charm, but again, it took FOREVER.

2010-10-22 00:22:05

#9

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6841|NYC / Hamburg

The classic can take H.264 video. Convert to that. You tend to get the best quality and the smallest files anyhow.

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2010-10-22 01:47:14

#10

Benzin: Member; +576|6272

max wrote:
The classic can take H.264 video. Convert to that. You tend to get the best quality and the smallest files anyhow.

That's what I was trying, but the files would not add to iTunes in any way, hence the thread.

2010-10-22 08:05:23

#11

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6841|NYC / Hamburg

apple wrote:
H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

i.e. Max 30 fps, can't do the higher levels. The ipod preset in handbrake should set up everything correctly.

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

BF2S Forums H264 vs MPEG4 in Videora (CPU question)

CapnNismo wrote:

max wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

CapnNismo wrote:

max wrote:

apple wrote:

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