Problems with H264 AVCHD Encoder vX4 v14.2.0.23 Final SP2

[Juan]

In the past, I always used to handle mi videos with Ulead, sorry, Corel Videostudio, but since I bought a 1080p Pansonic Full HD Cam, I had to switch over to Magix Video deluxe, as this prog was one of those able to encode in 1080p and not 1080i modus. Furthermore, the Magix encoder is separately configurable, so for example you can choose CAVLC instead ov CABAC, when you would have problems with "stuttering" playable videos, for example on a WDTV Media Player, where it´s wellknown better using the CAVLC option with 2 reference frames instead "CABAC"

Since I´ve been told that the newer version of Corel Videostudio X4 also is able to encode 1080p (50p) Videos, I tried it out, but:

1.) The X4 encoder is not manually configurable, it always encodes with 2 reference frames using "CABAC". This causes problems with some media players.

2.) The quality of the H264 AVCHD encoder is very poor, only up to 16000 kbps (the Magix one up to 20000 kbps is "small" yet, as original mts H264 clips are compressed
around 26000 kbps).
The 2-pass encoding results are not such as good as using 1-pass, all moved clips became unsharp while 2-pass.

3.) No 50 frame Modus possible while using a foreign encoder, like X264, and only for packing into *.avi, no *.mkv, no *.mp4.


I´m very disappointd about the results, and I think that this quality of encoding is not acceptable.

If COREL one day offers a similar, manually configurable and good H264 AVC Codec like Magix does (Mainconcept, no doubts about quality ...), I would try the prgram once again, but by now I will keep with Magix, allthough I´m more used to work with COREL ...

Rgds

[aljimenez]

Search the forum for fddshow. This encoder does what you want and even higher bitrates... Al

[Ken Berry]

No 50 frame Modus possible while using a foreign encoder, like X264, and only for packing into *.avi, no *.mkv, no *.mp4.

In fact you can produce AVCHD/mpeg-4 50/60 fps video in X4, but at the moment only in 1280 x 720p format. Please see: http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php ... 56#p235156

[Kingston]

You can Share to .m2t, AVC/H.264 Dolby/LPCM, 1920x1080p 50/60.

In Share > Create Video File > Custom > Options, if you clear the checkmark next to AVCHD, you can then enter up to 20000 for maximum bitrate. When the AVCHD option is selected, then the maximum bitrate is 18000.

Sorry your video isn't satisfactory. My source 1920x1080p 30fps MP4 video that I shared (without smart render) to M2T using either 18000 or 20000 looks very good.

[teknisyan]

You can also try creating your own movie template by going to SETTINGS > MAKE MOVIE TEMPLATES MANAGER... From there you can create the file format and other configuration that is not available via SHARE > CREATE VIDEO FILE / CREATE DISC.

You can also visit http://pnoy.me/1F for more information.

[Ken Berry]

Abiel and Kingston -- neither of your posts is relevant at all to the OP's video which is AVCHD 60 full frames per second (i.e full progressive) at 1920 x 1080. But if you can prove me wrong, I would be more than happy.

[Kingston]

Ken, I was trying to point out that Juan could get 20000 kbps bitrate instead of the 16000 kbps as he stated in his item #2.

These are the custom settings I can select for 1920x1080 progressive 50fps 20000 kbps AVCHD:

1 of 3

2 of 3

3 of 3

[erdna]

That's new...but congrats Kingston. I have been using (and liking) 1080p50 with VSX2 in high bitrate mpeg2 mode (Arik's method), but now...the H264 solution! I verified if it is real 50 individual frames per second using a 1080p50 file with counter(one increment /frame) and it does what it says: 1920x1080 progressive!

[Ken Berry]

Hmmm.... you're right, and my apologies to Kingston.

But this is very weird! In my first post above I included a link to another post on this subject. And when I tested that before posting it. when I selected Frame Based and 60 fps (or 50 in my case), the only choice was 1280 x 720. This was also in accord with out findings on the matter several months ago. But now, I too can set it to 1920 x 1080 Frame Based at 50/60 fps... I am naturally wondering what happened in the meantime to change things.

As for the 20,000 kbps bitrate which is available if you use the AVCREC setting on the Compression page, I thought AVCREC was only available/(used?) at the moment in Japan... But then again, since many or most Blu-Ray players are made by Japanese companies (even under licence elsewhere, such as China), I guess they would happily also play AVCREC elsewhere in the world...

The 18,000 kbps upper limit for AVCHD is of course the current international standard for AVCHD hybrid discs.

[Kingston]

Apology accepted. No problem, Ken.

Another point about working with 50 or 60 fps progressive video is that when your source video is 50 or 60 fps progressive, to turn off Smart Proxy, or if you keep it on, then turn off the Auto template option and create your own Smart Proxy template so it includes 50 or 60 fps progressive. If you don't, then VideoStudio will use a standard 25 or 30 fps template. Then on the timeline, after the smart proxy file is created, you won't see but every other frame of your source video. I believe the smart proxy file also affects sharing to a video file.

That won't matter unless you set up your project to have a 50 or 60 fps timeline clock. Just remember to save your project and then close and open it up again before proceeding, otherwise the timeline clock will still be at 25 or 30 fps.

[Dirk Jan]

@ Abiel
Thanks fotr the tip working with a new template. How simple!
Leaves a question. As far I can see, I can set the frame speed to 50 fr / sec. But when I look at the video I've made with VSX4 and with the new template, it shows 25 fr/sec.

[sherjam]

Does anyone know if the project properties -> editor format is set to 25fps, but the source videos are 50fps, and I export in 50fps, will that be the original quality of the videos or will the editor have converted everything to 25fps then just duplicated frames on sharing to get back to 50fps?

...as in, if the editor is lower frame rate than the source, but you want to share at a frame rate matching the source, do you lose quality or does the editor fps have no effect?

I'm asking because as mpeg I can still only edit at 25fps but I could choose avi at 50fps if I have to for the editor.

Sharing will be 1920x1080 at 50fps as described by your posts.