Does Vegas Pro Have a Multi Pass Equivalent Feature ?

crown2020 wrote on 8/24/2020, 11:50 PM

Hello everyone.

I'm almost a year into Vegas Pro 17. I've never saw a feature for a two pass encode like one will see in say Handbreak. I found the following information on the web concerning a two pass encode.

" What is two pass encoding?

Two pass encoding, also known as multi-pass encoding, is a video encoding strategy used to retain the best quality during conversion.

In the first pass of two-pass encoding, the input data from the source clip is analyzed and stored in a log file. In the second pass, the collected data from the first pass is used to achieve the best encoding quality. In video encoding, two-pass encoding is usually controlled by the average bitrate setting or by the bitrate range setting (minimal and maximal allowed bitrate) or by the target video file size setting. The best way to understand why this is used is to think of a movie — when there are shots that are totally, absolutely black, like scene changes, normal 1-pass CBR encoding uses the exact same amount of data to that part as it uses for complex action scene. But by using VBR and multi-pass, encoder “knows” that this piece is OK with lower bitrate and that bitrate can be then used for more complex scenes, thus creating better quality for those scenes that require more bitrate."

Now, I can't help but to think that the reason Vegas Pro has no 2 pass encode feature, per say, is because of it's allowance to set custom VBR settings.

Would anyone care to elaborate on my theory or just flat out rebuke my theory altogether? I'm interested in learning more. This Vegas form is, (from what I can tell), obsolete concerning this subject matter.

Thanks to all, in advance, for your time.

Comments

RogerS wrote on 8/25/2020, 12:05 AM

Pretty sure Vegas has had multipass encoding and variable bit rates for well over a decade.

fr0sty wrote on 8/25/2020, 12:16 AM

Former user wrote on 8/25/2020, 1:47 AM

 

Two pass encoding, also known as multi-pass encoding, is a video encoding strategy used to retain the best quality during conversion.

It's an old fashioned idea, and it was good for CD's or DVD's where you wanted to use up all the data space to get maximum quality. so 2 pass gave a 1 shot technique to give best quality in 2 passes for a predetermined file size. Today where an exact size is rarely required, for best quality the more efficient method for best quality at an approximate file size is Constant Quality mode. Every frame is the same quality, and the encoder varies the bitrate for that given quality. It is faster as it only needs a single pass

With constant quality mode you can juggle a specific CRF value (quality) with a peak bitrate to better give you the results and file size you want dependent upon the video. But if you still need to encode to an exact file size and only want to do it once, 2 pass still has it's place. Use Voukoder to get constant quality modes. Vegas and Voukoder both have 2 pass. It's not available for hardware encoding

crown2020 wrote on 8/25/2020, 8:12 AM

@fr0sty, or anyone else that cares to reply. I see your example includes a Magix format, (Internet 2160). I was able to find the same on Vegas Pro 17. Why does my screen shot not show a 2 pass option for my encoding option here: ?

fr0sty wrote on 8/25/2020, 8:16 AM

Use Magix AVC or HEVC instead of Sony AVC.

crown2020 wrote on 8/25/2020, 8:40 AM

@fr0sty, Yes. I see that. Why does Sony AVC not believe in a two pass encode was more long the lines of my question?

Yelandkeil wrote on 8/25/2020, 11:29 AM

1, Sony codecs are "mostly" designed for their machines such as Playstation etc, where the reliability of the video constructions more important than the other factors;

2, as @Former user pointed out, 2 pass encoding is some what old fashioned in front our media bandwidth today. There's no need to waste time to do that (any more).

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Musicvid wrote on 8/25/2020, 11:55 AM

@fr0sty, Yes. I see that. Why does Sony AVC not believe in a two pass encode was more long the lines of my question?

Sony AVC always uses a form of CQ encoding, which is more efficient, and does not make a scan pass, that's why. Magix/Mainconcept has single and two pass options, but not Constant Quality.

crown2020 wrote on 8/25/2020, 11:46 PM

@Musicvid, Thank you. Now I understand.

crown2020 wrote on 8/25/2020, 11:53 PM

@Former user, Thank you for your detailed explanation. I found it helpful.

crown2020 wrote on 8/25/2020, 11:55 PM

@Yelandkeil, I found your post helpful as well. It looks like I've not been encoding with a "bad" format after all.

fr0sty wrote on 8/26/2020, 12:14 AM

magix avc/hevc has advantages, like hdr or gpu rendering.

crown2020 wrote on 8/26/2020, 10:17 AM

@fr0sty, That is a good point. I will keep that in mind. At the moment, I do not process a great deal of video that requires those features. Mainly SD analog to digital stuff captured through a DV card.

fr0sty wrote on 8/26/2020, 10:41 AM

GPU rendering (NVenc, VCE, or Quicksync/QSV) can speed up the render of any resolution of video.

Last changed by fr0sty on 8/26/2020, 10:42 AM, changed a total of 2 times.

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