DC2000 anyone?

[KuroNeko]

I found one of these for sale relatively cheap. Want one for MPEG2 transcoding. It's cheaper than a RT2000 so

Has anyone used this card before? What were your impressions of the MPEG2 quality, and did it do good VBR?

Neko

[Dr Mordrid]

It also uses the C-Cube chipset, but without the DV features. Its major plus is the presence of BNC connectors.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 28 March 2001).]

[KuroNeko]

I found an online manual. Seems this thing also does not ask for min/max/average rate, just sets a rate and VBR button.

Doubtfull this will do well ...

Doc, have you tried transcoding files (after grabbing) on your RT2000 to IBP VBR? Does it work better than when you grab realtime?

The encoder test site now lists the C-cube based Futurtel encoder. Very good, so there's lots of potential in that chip.

Neko

[miker]

I've defected to a dc1000+dv for some time now.

The MPEG2 is kick-ass. Haven't done VBR for some time now (just use IP frames and dump to DV) but I was pretty sure it is true VBR.

BUT the cards are not without their problems. Check out www.dc1000.net for advice and example configs.

HTH

[KuroNeko]

Could you do a test for me? If you have time and a fast internet line, that is?

BTW, the url you mention is dead?

Neko

[Dr Mordrid]

It works better to capture IFRAME then save it out as IBP VBR. That's just the difference between realtime and offline VBR. Offline will always win.

Dr. Mordrid

[miker]

yeah, looks like dc1000.net is having problems, but keep checking, it's well worth it.

KuroNeko, I have some time available, and broadband at work (56K at home, sob)

BTW, quality wise I cannot tell the difference between DC1000 VBR and commercial DVD VBR. This, I suspect, is because DC1000 is part DVD authoring solution and meets the spec required.

(of course, some artefacts may be visible on an LCD screen, but so are they with a hollywood DVD -- put it on a TV and they are imperceptable)

[KuroNeko]

Mike, thanks for offering to help!

If you look at this site, you will find a 75 MB avi file, which is coded with Canopus DV codec (which you can also dl)

http://www.tecoltd.com/enctest/enctest.htm

Could you export this with your DC1000 to a MPEG2 IBP MP@ML file, with VBR, average rate set to 5 Mb/sec?

I'd be very happy if you could email that file (no worries on my end, I have a fast dsl connection) to me or put it up somewhere for dl.

If your internet connection is not fast enough, I can send you a CD with the necessary files, and you can add the resulting MPEG2 file. All costs on me of course.

Please let me know if I can return the favour.

Why this rather cumbersome method? Because there's no real standard method of testing an MEPG encoder. And by having every encoder do exactly the same file, at least some comparison is possible.

Thanks in advance!

Neko

[miker]

I'll see about grabbing the file on Monday.

[KuroNeko]

Thanks!!

Have a great weekend!

Neko

[miker]

looks like www.dc1000.net is back up now

[miker]

Also, I checked the settings for VBR -- indeed you cannot set a 'minimum' data-rate, only the IBP frame pattern. I think the setting is 'maximum' data rate and then it makes the quality decisions on its own...

[miker]

okay, I now have the file.

I'll get the transcoding done over the next few days.

Not sure how I'll get it back to you ... behind a firewall here, but can try FTP if you can supply a site?

Else I'll have to mail you a CD

[miker]

Neko:

A couple of issues with the AVI ...

What field order? Whether I transcode to upper, lower or progressive I still get out-of-order fields on my TV. Canopus codec issue??

Also I can only set a MAXIMUM datarate, not an average. What datarate do you suggest? I see from your website that GOP=12, yes?

Other than that, transcoding time is around 70 seconds for the clip.

[KuroNeko]

Mike, thanks again for your help!

I don't have an FTP site, if you can email it please try that. If not I will create an account on a free drive servcie like i-drive or freedrive.

It's not my website! It belongs to a Hungarian video shop I believe, but it has become _the_ MPEG2 encoder comparison site. I will send him the file too once you have finished it.

The files encoded at the website are done with an average of 5Mb/sec. If the single value you can set is the average, please use 5Mb/sec. If it is the maximum, please use 9Mb/sec, as this is about as high as the other encoders will go (DVD compliant). The automatic VBR rate calculation of the DC1000 should then be able to lower it by itself, since the source is very good (no noise) material.

The type is PAL, 25 fps, and the field order is ... errr....now that you ak... I think video always starts with odd fields in NTSC, and I'm fairly certain that's also the case for PAL, but not 100% sure. Doc? Help?

Also, please use field-based iDCT (if that is a choice you can make) and 'interlaced' MPEG2 output file.

The GOP structure is also based on MP@ML DVD template, so yes it would be IBBPBBPBBPBB.

Transcoding time is about 2.5 times realtime. While not too fast, I am actually happy about this as it may indicate better VBR results!