Which AVC mp4 codec to encode with?

michael-fox wrote on 5/1/2017, 11:57 AM

Hi, I had been using the Mainconcept mp4 encoder in Vegas but recently I got a new camera, and it seems like I am getting more artifacts in constant color areas, such as skies, more than I used to, for a given bitrate. I don't know if it is related to the video format of the camera or not. It is a Sony FDR-AX100, using both 1080 and 4k. For example, I used to encode around 5 Mbps for 720 and 8-10 Mbps for 1080 with excellent results. That doesn't seem to cut it anymore, not sure why.

I then tried to use the Sony mp4 encoder and I am getting better results. I looked at the output files using MediaInfo and they specs are very similar between the 2 codecs. I can post the MediaInfo screens later if needed, I don't have them handy. Both are AVC. With the Sony encoder, 5 Mbps 720 looks much better in those constant color areas.

Is there a way to summarize why I would use the Sony vs. Mainconept? The Sony encoder seems to have a lot of templates for Blu-ray with interlaced, such as 1080i.

I am using latest version of Vegas Pro 14.

Thanks.

Comments

3POINT wrote on 5/1/2017, 12:28 PM

Also my opinion and experience, Sony AVC gives better results than Mainconcept AVC, especially with lower bitrates. I always use my own SAVC render templates. SAVC renders also quicker. MAVC can be more fine tuned and can also be used for 4k renders.

Musicvid wrote on 5/1/2017, 12:52 PM

At the bitrates you are talking about, x264 as in Handbrake is worth a look.

michael-fox wrote on 5/1/2017, 9:03 PM

Thanks for the input.

Musicvid - can you tell me more about x264 in Handbrake? I took a look at the Wikipedia post about it, and I get the impression that it is another AVC encoder with more options. Can I use it from Vegas or do I need to use Handbrake? I would prefer to render from Vegas I think.

NickHope wrote on 5/1/2017, 10:16 PM

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-can-i-improve-the-quality-of-my-avc-h-264-renders--104642/

peter-ilyk wrote on 5/1/2017, 11:11 PM

Hi Nick

This may be a bit off topic but I don't know where else to look.I wonder if you can help me with a problem I have with Vegas Pro and transitions. I've just updated my computer equipment and have reinstalled Vegas Pro 14. The program installed successfully in the new computer. But now I have some problems that I never had in my older, less powerful computer, when working with Vegas Pro 14. My new system uses Windows 7 Ultimate (I didn't want to go to Win 10), with a 1TB SSD C Drive (Samsung SSD 960); with an AMD Ryzen 1700X 8 core CPU and 64 GB RAM. The Graphics Card is a Radeon RX 480. The Old system was running Win 7 Ultimate, but had a normal 7200 1TB HDD; intel Core i7 4770CPU at 3.50Ghz and 16 GB RAM. I can't remember what the graphics card was - but it was also an AMD.

 

With the new system, when I play a project in Vegas Pro I get a lot of stuttering at transitions. When I insert a transition (eg crossfade) the previews stops at the point of transition, pauses momentarily and then continues. If I then go back just before the transition and play it again the delay is shorter and then if I do it a third time then the preview plays fine and shows the transition properly. Sometimes it may take 4 plays! If I go back to the start of the project video, the transitions are jerky again - but becomes smooth again if I back up before the transitions and play it again.

Is this something to do with settings in Vegas? This is an annoying issue that never happened in my old system where the transitions played properly as soon as they were inserted. Would it be something to do with my new graphics card AMD RX480 or the Ryzen CPU? The video is fine when I render out the video - it's just while working inside Vegas. As the new computer is considerably faster with significantly more RAM I'm not sure what the problem is - but it is annoying and makes working on a project very frustrating. I upgraded to be able to eventually work with 4K - but at the moment I'm still just using HD files and rendering to HD.

 

Is it the Ryzen CPU (AMD Ryzen 1700X 8 core CPU ) that may be causing this or the new Graphics Card (Radeon RX 480). Nothing I have tried seems to fix this (except prerendering - but this is not very practicable). Any help would be appreciated. No one on the Forums seems able to help.

NickHope wrote on 5/1/2017, 11:56 PM

@peter-ilyk It would have been better to start a new thread as your issue is unrelated. Anyway, work through this first: https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-can-i-make-my-video-preview-play-smoothly-in-vegas-pro--104624/

peter-ilyk wrote on 5/2/2017, 2:31 AM

Hi Nick

I tried all those suggestions - but that hasn't solved the problem. There must be some disconnect between Vegas and Ryzen or Windows and Ryzen, Not sure where to turn to now!