after two hours I am still at the same point I was when I started. I don't want to start an argument just want to put opinions all in the same place with as little garbage as possible. I will then try and go through and sum up the most common ones and give a best of the best. The main tools I am interested in are, DVD Shrink, Nero Recode 2 and DVD RB/ CCE combo. If you have otheres that is fine as well. So here are the questions... Which transcoder offers the best picture quality? Which transcoder offers the best quality to speed ratio? Which transcoder is the easiest to use? This is a thread that asks your opinion but if you have facts (or links thereof) please post those to. Also, please include versions of the tools you are using as that is VERY important.
Since this is a one step transcoding forum, I'll state my opinion that I perfer CloneDVD2. DVDCopy3 is said to have better quality with heavier compression. I'm sure that if you have X programs you'll get at least X+1 opinions on which is best, which, at best is all relative.
Thanks for the input Bilbo. As for CCE.. can DVD Rebulder along with CCE be considered a one click? If so please include it.
You know,i read my response, it sounds like i was trying to be snoty. I wasn't. Anyway, since you added it in your choices i'll give my opinion. For best picture quality i say the latest DVD-RB/CCE. For quality/speed i say,the latest, DVD Shrink. For the easiest to use i'd have to say 1 Click DVD Copy (even though it isnt in your list),although i don't recommend anyone use it. That's my, personal, opinion.
jugbugs...I've tried all the programs, and all have something to offer for different situations. I will give you a rough go on my own opinion...and it is my opinion, and how I approach things. Others are allowed their opinions, and you won't find me taking exception to them. This is just what works for me. Obviously Shrink is free, so that gives it an edge with many. However, when I have a DVD that is 6.5 GB or under, I rarely use Shrink because I seem to get equal or better results from a 30 minute transcode with DVDCopy3 or DVD2One v1.5...compared to the 2-1/2 hour choice with Shrink. While I could use Shrink for the 5.0 GB DVD, it seems simpler to use other choices. If the DVD is over 6.5 GB, or else is a favorite where the highest quality is desired, I use DVD-RB/CCE. ALL transcoders, IMO, begin to drop off around the 6.5 size, and so RB/CCE becomes the best choice for me at this point. I will add here that once in a while RB/CCE has a problem with a certain movie, and so I will use DVDCopy3. And there are times when both of these have problems, and then Shrink handles it just fine. While I don't use Shrink much, I wouldn't want to be without it. As a final note, when it comes to backing up the old Classics that have intermissions, I have had the very best performance from DVD2One. Ben Hur and the 10 minute chariot scene was flawless.
The meaning of the word transcode is the source of much mis-information. In reality transcoding just means starting with an encoded format and ending up with a differently encoded format. In other words if the input file is already in a digital format (even uncompressed video is encoded) and the output file is in a digital format but the stream has been changed (other than simple editing like removing frames) it's been transcoded.
OK, next time someone asks me the difference between CCE and DVD Shrink, i'll make sure to tell them that. LOL. Seriously though, i was under the impression that something like CCE and something like DVD Shrink did totally different things in order to "shrink" the video. Have i been mislead?
No you're correct. DVD Shrink just removes information while CCE re-creates the entire video stream. They just happen to be different types of transcoding.
All of them do something different to the I, B and P frames. In the origial version of Shrink, I believe that vurbal discovered that Shrink simply dropped [up to] every third frame to get its reduction. The latest Shrink version uses algorithms with a different approach. These blend the edges of the pixels to "cover up" pixilation, and thus gives a smoother image. Shrink also uses the fact that if we see a sharp frame often enough, our brains will fill in what is in between to maintain the sharpness. So, Shrink will leave a frame virtually untouched, while gutting the ones next to it. This becomes most obvious on a large movie that is put through a freeze-frame analysis using a desktop player. The LOTR series has been used extensively for this. The Shrink approach is OK for the smaller movie viewed on the smaller screen. However, I see quality fall off quickly with movies around 6 to 6.5 GB. Because CCE does things differently, this doesn't happen with it.
