DVD-RB and Encoders

Used DVD-RB for the first time this weekend.

Wanted to backup my Dark Angel Season 1 DVDs before I ended up with too many scratches, etc.

Worked like a charm. Did one disk using HC encoder, another using QuEnc. Picture quality on my 27 inch TV was great.

After having ripped the DVD to the hard drive, time to prepare, encode and rebuild was 420 minutes (377 minutes just to encode). (Ouch!)

I'm running a P4 2.0 ghz 266 fsb with 1 gig RAM. Not the fastest rig in town, I realize.

My question is if I was to lay out the $60 for CCE basic encoder, would I see any significant reduction in the time it takes to encode?

With other episodic series I have, the saving in not having to buy DL disks would justify buying CCE basic. But if there is no savings in the time it takes to encode, I can't see spending the extra money.

Appreciate any and all feedback.

TIA,

--Gene

 

Hi, I am a fairly new user as well and I went ahead and purchased the CCE basic encoder. Easy to install and RB recognized it immediately. Just make sure that you check the CCE as the encoder you want to use if you decide to do it. It works like a charm. I am very pleased with the results. I am averaging around 115 minutes for the complete process. I use the setting "Output to ISO" in RB as I want to burn it when I want to. Wonderful results.

I am not sure how much the time your system takes is based upon your system. I have a 3.7 P4 with 2 gigs of ram.

Cheers.

 

Are you worried your going to shell out the money and find out that the quality and time it takes is as long as the other encoders?

If so download the trial version of CCE SP2 (the main difference between SP2 and basic is that basic limits you to only 2 passes. Which usually is sufficient enough anyway). Yes you will get a watermark but at least you will know how the quality will be plus be able to find out if it encodes quicker then the other encoders.

I use CCE and never have used any other. So I do not really know what the other encoding times are for other encoders. But using CCE I am around the same as 9mmruger1 is when it comes to CCE encoding times. Plus the quality is superb playing it on a 67IN big screen.

 

Appreciate the feedback.

I realize the time to encode is related to the capabilities of the system it is run on.

I was wondering if the commercial software ran any faster than the free encoders on the same machine.

My concern was not quality. Both HC & QuEnc gave me a great image after encoding. From everything I've read here and elsewhere CCE is at least as good if not better quality-wise.

Downloading the trail version doesn't help as you are limited to a three minute clip.

I was hoping someone had experiece with both the free encoders and CCE and could say that CCE was 10%, 20% faster or no faster when used on an old PC like mine.

As I mentioned, I do appreciate the feedback. But still hoping someone can advise if CCE is any faster than the free encoders.

Thnaks,

--Gene

 

Here are a few threads that talk about the diffrent encoders and diffrent encoding times.

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/383410

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/390877

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/328981

 

@larrylje

Appreciate the links. I'd not seen those in my searching the forum.

The last link is the only one that contains any indication regarding encoding times and CCE -- cwh060's comment about HC taking 429 minutes versus CCE taking 269 minutes (Mind you whether it's is CCE basic or CCE SP, is not mentioned.)

In another post, someone commented that CCE SP was faster than CCE basic. So downloading CCE SP trial wouldn't be a proper test.

Looks like the only way I'll find out the answer is to break down and buy the software.

Again, thanks for the help. It is really appreciated.

Regards,

--Gene

 

I don't think that you will regret it healy, I did Gettysburg last night with output to ISO (which takes a few minutes longer) and it totaled 127 minutes. Gettysburg is a fairly longish movie. CCE Basic's quality is excellent, at least for my eyes.

Cheers.

 

Just a follow-up on my initial question.

I bit the bullet and purchased CCE basic for $58.00 US.

Backing up my Dark Angel Season 1 collection I ran RB v0.98 first using QuEnc. Took 398 minutes (377 minutes encoding)

Next ran it with HC Encoder v0.18.0.0. Set the quality to 'Best'. It took 456 minutes (426 encoding).

Once I had CCE Basic installed, I ran it on a third disk. It took 276 monutes (256 minutes encoding).

Admittedly, this was three different disks. But they were all approximately about the same size. (4 episodes per disk)

My machine is not the newest, definitely not the fastest -- Intel P4 2.0 ghz 266 fsb with 1 gig RAM.

But what was taking 6 to 7 hours with other encoders I was able to do in 4 1/2 hrs. Definitely worth the money spent.

Appreciate the suggestions and assistance from the other users. And hope this will help others decide.

Take care.

--Gene

 

I am not sure if you have any other programs running at the same time, but if you do you may save some processing time by eliminating multi-tasking too. I know that I turn off my popup blocker, spyware program, and antivirus and disconnect from the internet so that the machine has all resources available for the DVD backup process.

Just a thought.

 

@9mmruger1

Appreciate the suggestions. But that is exactly what I did in all cases. Killed all background processes, disable firewall, disabled spyware, disconnected from internet, killed anti-virus, basically cleared out the systray. Additionally used two different hard drives on different IDE channels.

There is only so much CPU power you can get from a 2 ghz CPU. (grin)

Again thanks for commenting

 

Yeah, you're doing good. I think that the playback is worth every minute of encoding. The visual is stunning, and I don't even have a HD tv, just a 27" Magnivox. I can see the difference however between a transcoded and encoded backup.

I will be starting to BU my Buffy series hopefully tonight.

Cheers.

 

Healy

I am like you I was backing up my Dark angel collection. In my case I had more disc's than I had money so I used DVDfab gold and just use the episode feature....of course you have to split the disc but no compression.

Also maybe I can give a little help with Re Builder....man I had a heck of a time with it when I first started with it, in fact I still do if I forget and not reset everything when I start, just certain things you have to remember. In your case the output to ISO might be the easiest, at least in my experience.Don't feel like the lone stranger when it comes to QuEnc, it's a great encoder, but I get those kinds of times myself. Hanks if probably my favorite, but still while not nearly as long as QuEnc it's still a little while. I run a AMD 2gig with a gig of memory. I still go with the DVDfab on the DAngel, but it depends on what you can see and your preference.......either way it's cool. I wish you well.....maybe we will get a movie to tie up the lose ends ha ha.

D

 

For anyone that might read this and want to check out DVD-RB and get nore info about it. I have linked a nice guide on how to setup and use DVD-RB and a little more information about it.

http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?t=55302

 

@ ironD.

Thanks for the comments. I backed up my Season 2 DA using DVDDecrypter & ImgBurn to DL disks Worked great, but costly for the media. (Only use Vebatim)

Came across several references to encoding versus transcoding (I normally use CloneDVD2 & AnyDVD) Investigated DVD Rebuilder.

Did the first one with DVD-RB using QuEnc. Nice results, long processing times due to my oldish PC.

Did the second with DVD-RB using HC0.18.0 @ Best quality settings. Again nice results. Took about 30 minutes longer than the previous disk.

Broke the piggy bank and purchased CCE Basic for $58.00. Really nice results. And encoding times reduced for approximately 6 hrs to approximately 4 hrs

As far as having difficulties using DVD-RB for the first time. That link that LarryLje has posted contains one of the best guides I've ever read. Read it once and then ran DVD Rebuilder and followed the guide step by step to completion. Worked like a charm.

The PDF of that guide should come bundled with the software!

 

I agree with you healy.

I just recently came across another thread here on the site and someone else posted that link (Just wanted to give credit to pazzini for posting that link). I went to it and wished I had that guide when I first started using DVD-RB with an encoder.

When I first started off I looked at a few guides on other sites and this site and they where confusing and seemed outdated. I learned pretty much by just using the program.

It would have been so much easier if I would have had that link to the guide when I 1st started. So I have bookmarked that link and share it when newbies want to learn about DVD-RB.

As to encoding times. I guess I am just spoiled. I can encode a episode DVD in 2 1/2 HRS. 1 1/2 to 2 HRs on movies that are not as big. My setup is 3.2GHz CPU and 1GB RAM.

!!!!Yeah I am an Addict now.!!!!

 

@larrylje

On your episodal discs are you doing a DL backup or DVD5? Do you just do the whole disc, or are you eliminating extra crap?

Cheers.

 

I do a full backup disc of episode disc. Sometimes editing out stuff on those disc are more of a pain. So I just keep them as is and do a full backup.

I encode them to DVD5 media which I have always had great results using DVD-RB + CCE (3PASS)

 

@ larrylje

If you're doing CCE (3 pass) that means you're using CCE SP, doesn't it? A bit too rich for my blood. <grin>

Wondering if you do much preprocesing? I've started using MenuShrink and PgcEdit to reduce the menu size and to skip those annoying warning screens and trailers.

Also wondering, do you use RB Pro or the freeware version? I'm probably going to open that piggybank again this week and get the Pro version. Seems to have a few extra features that I might use. <smile>

 

I use DVD ReMake pro to edit out stuff I do not want.

I am using the Pro version of DVD-RB. I like a few more of the added options of it. Like the BATCH mode. I could be wrong but I don't think the free version has the batch mode.

I set up BATCH mode with the DVD's I need backed up. Then over night 1 after the other DVD-RB does them. When I wake up they are all done and ready to be burned to disc. The batch mode is a time saver. You do not have to be on top of the program to load and set up the next DVD when the last 1 finishes.

When I say (3PASS) I am including the .vaf creation pass along with the 2PASS in CCE.

CCE will go over the files and create .vaf files which CCE dos'nt count that as a pass. But allot of members do count it as a pass because it actully does pass over and creates the files then CCE goes over those 2 more times if you have it set at 2PASS.

I am sure I will have some that will disagree with me on how many passes I am actully doing but what i have read up on other sites that the .vaf creation should be counted as a pass.

 

I'm getting here a little late I know but could have told you cce would shave off about 1/3 or more on encode times over hc encoder. I recommend using dvdremake or vobblanker to edit out the garbage (previews, trailers, warning screens, and adverts), cutting down on encode times even more and increasing video quality. I prefer remake over vobblanker due to I feel it is more user friendly but then again remake is not freeware. I also recommend forking out the $30 for the pro version of dvd-rb. Lots of goodies.

Nothing but dvd-rb/cce (procoder2 once in a while) for me.