I am planning to move from Liquid to Edius and although both NLEs offer authorting I still wish to author my DVDs and BDs in AW4. What is the ideal file format I should output from Edius so as to get the best quality from AW4? I'm originating 1920x1080i on EX1Rs at 35Mb/s.

Any Blu-ray compliant MPEG-2 stream should work well and smart render in TAW4. Audio should be AC-3 or LPCM.

I use Edius print to file in Canopus HQ format, and let AW4 do encoding for DVD and BD. I find the results meet my needs nicely

Some folks say using TVMW5 to convert the Canopus HQ to DVD and BD elemental streams can give a slightly better final result.

Check the Edius forums at GrassValley.com for more discussions on this topic.

tkrave,

I read numerous posts in this forum and many others about this that TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4 can only accept MPEG-4/.h264 input files but has to fully encode to MPEG-2 for Blu-ray (thus no Smart Rendering).

I read one user saying TMPEGEnc TAW 5 "sucks" and "should go back to the 1980s because they cannot output to MPEG-4 Blu-ray which almost every other software can do this easily."

While I wholeheartedly disagree with this user, I think that user does have a point and many other users are wondering the same thing.

Why can't TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4 output to MPEG-4 Blu-ray while other software including Sonic Scenarist can?

I also want to note I think TMPEGEnc TAW 4 is the best software in the world but with this glaring weakness.

What are your thoughts about this tkrave?

It would also be great if TMPEGEnc TAW 4 can author 3D Blu-ray like Scenarist can now too.

I'm a bit dumbfounded as well as to why they left out h.264 BD output. I'm pretty sure this was a highly requested feature before TAW4 came out, so why they decided not to put it in is beyond me. Not very forward-thinking on their part.

Their decision not to support DTS is a similar issue. If other consumer-level software supports it, they damn better support it too.

I was hoping they'd release an update with h.264 output, but I don't think that's going to happen now that they've switched from using Main Concept to x264 for their h.264 encoding (in TVMW5). I'm guessing they're reworking TAW to use x264 which will then become TAW5. This is all speculation on my part, but I think it makes sense.

tkrave,

I always thought you worked for them behind the scenes! So can't you put in some words to them?

I agree with with you. It is almost really DUMB on TMPGEnc part that they don't have h.264 BD output and DTS support while almost every other software has it.

How much better is the x264 vs the standard TMPGEnc encoder in terms of video image quality?
So is it just better compression for x264 and at the same bitrate, both encoders produce the same video image quality?

Do you think TAW4 will ever do 3D Blu-rays also?

There is, of course, a "slight" difference in price between AW4 and Scenarist.

No, I don't work for them, I just post here a lot. I set this page up as a default tab on my browser, so when I see a question I know the answer to, I typically answer it.
I have emailed them quite a bit over the years as well, so the info gleaned from those exchanges may also make it seem like I have some sort of connection.

It's safe to say that x264 is one of the best, if not the best, h.264 encoder. This is mostly based on what many people are saying about x264 and also independent studies like this one:
http://compression.ru/video/codec_comparison/h264_2011/

They rank x264 as the number 1 choice, with Main Concept's at number 4. So Pegasys' decision to switch was a good one in the big scheme of things since quality encoding is a big deal to them (and most people, I'd assume).

That report also shows some nice average bitrate/quality comparisons. If I'm reading it right, Main Concept would require about 31-55% more bitrate than x264 to obtain the equivalent quality level.

As for BD3D, I'm not sure. I have a feeling they won't be doing it for the next version, but I could be wrong. That's just my gut reaction though; I have not heard anything about it.

I have TAW4 and TVMW5 and would like to author some VCD Karaoke Discs containing approximately 15 videos each. Can I use TAW 4 to author a VCD Disk with a menu, or is TAW4 only for authoring DVD disks? If TAW4 won't work, then I will probably use Nero 11.

I frequently get the following message when transcoding a DVD or Blue Ray: "The selected disk contains titles with audio that cannot be decoded". Yet other transcoding products I own can handle the source content without complaint. Why is the more expensive Mastering Works program not able to handle what cheaper programs can't?

That's strange. Besides DTS, all of the audio formats for the DVD and Blu-ray standards are supported. Do you know what the actual audio format is?

>That's strange. Besides DTS, all of the audio formats for the DVD and Blu-ray standards are supported. Do you know what the actual audio format is?

DTS it is and its very common on BRs I've seen and it is handled by less sophisticated transcoding programs. Given what I paid for TPMGEnc products I expect better. Is there any option for plugions for DTS in TPMGEnc?

I'm not aware of any way to get DTS imported into TVMW5 and I don't know if support will be added, but I'm hoping it will be.

> I'm not aware of any way to get DTS imported into TVMW5 and I don't know if support will be added, but I'm hoping it will be.

tkrave: Why can TVMW5 not use the same techniques as TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress to pull audio tracks from stream files? I can pull DTS (HD Master Audio) tracks from an m2ts file using the DirectShow file reader.

I guess my point is this: I started playing with TVMW5 today to see if I wanted to upgrade. I'll grant you this much - the interface is much nicer than TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress, with wizards to process Blu-ray directory structures in place that replace my manual methods with 4.0. But, like a lot of your users, I'm a guy whose used to using command line utilities like eac3to - I'm more interested in functionality than fancy gui screens and wizards.

I'll wait to upgrade until all of the 4.0 functionality is there at least.

I never said there was absolutely no way to do it; I, personally, don't know of a way to do it. If you found a way in 4.0 XPress, then try it in TVMW5.

BTW, I hope you don't think I work for them; I'm just another user like you.

TMPGEnc 4XPress automatically sets a job's status to "Output Completed" once completed so it will not run again when the Encode button is pressed.

But I find there are often times when having completed a job, I want to alter some setting, perhaps alter an output file name or path slightly. Ultimately this resets the job status so it will run again, but there are times when I do not want this to happen.

All I can do is move such a job to the end of the queue, press "Encode" then abort the job.

Is there anyway to manually set job status to "Output Completed"?

So you want it in the queue, but you don't want to output it?

I would just not add it to the batch or remove it if you have no intention of encoding it.
Maybe I don't understand what the point is.

In any case, there isn't a way to set a job as completed. If you really have to have it in your queue and you want to output all the other files in the queue except that one, I would put it at the beginning of the list, start the encode and then click the Abort button for that file. The batch will continue to encode the following files in the list.

Hi,
We have videos that are 720p and want to encode to Blu-ray compatible MPEG for TAW4. I read below it is better to use bicubic in Picture Resize filter.

In Output format, we chose Blu-ray standard MPEG file.

1. But in the template configuration, do we choose 1280x720, 16:9, 23.976 fps (and not upscale the videos at all) or do we choose 1920x1080, 16:9, 29.97 fps (and upscale the videos to 1080p from original 720p) ?

Which would be the best setting the highest video quality?

2. Does upscaling video to 1080p from lower resolution help with image quality? Or do we also need to add filters or do something else to achieve the highest image quality? If so, can you let me know what else we need to do in Video Mastering Works 5?

Thank you

your better off just to leave it at 720p and let your Blu-ray player do the upscaling

Will TMPGEnc ever support Intel's Quicksync?
Thanks/

Good morning,

if your talking about the feature of the "Sandy Bridge" the reponse is Yes

BUT, YOU COULDN'T have ANY OTHER GRAPHIC CARD !!!! NOT COMPATIBLE WITH LUCID VIRTU
I have a i2600k with Lucid Virtu and a Geforce GTX560Ti and I couldn't use Intel QuickSync in Hardware

My mobo has the Virtu.
Intel Quicksync is at the processor.
I don't understand you.
I have the 2600K which has Intel Quicksync.

He's saying Quicksync is supported but not through Virtu.
You have to plug your monitor directly into the motherboard to use Quicksync, thus not using your Graphics card.

If you wan't to use hardware Quicksync you have to connect monitor to the motherbord. I don't testing this solution. I have on the motherbord a HDMI port and on my Monitor a DVI port

And how is then and MediaEspresso can see the QuickSync fine?

I have dual monitor setup at my Geforce and no VGA to Intel output.

Look, we don't know how or why one works and the other doesn't. All we know is that it doesn't work with Virtu.

I've already sent them an email about supporting Virtu so hopefully they will look into it.
For now, the only way is to plug into your motherboard if you want to use Quicksync. If you don't have video out on your motherboard, then you can't use hardware quicksync encoding.

Software that supports Virtu is limited, so I'm guessing special programming is required by Lucid, Pegasys, or both in order to add support to TMPGEnc software.

See supported software in this document:
http://www.lucidlogix.com/download/Virtu%20Release%20notes%20%201-2-106%20Aug%209%202011.pdf

If it will not be compatible with Virtu then it will be a huge miss as far as I concern. There are more than many Z68 motherboards like mine (Gigabyte ZX86XP-UD4).
My mobo has mini HDMI output thus an output.
But I have my main VGA at 2 monitors because I am editing with it.

At my laptop that has Optimus TMPGEnc can render using Intel SDK Hardware.
Isn't this the same thing?

If your talking about Nvidia Optimus technologie, you have the same problem. Your Laptop have a Nvidia graphic Card ( geforce G....) and a Intel "sandy bridge" (Intel i3/5/7)

>At my laptop that has Optimus TMPGEnc can render using Intel SDK Hardware.
>Isn't this the same thing?

The end result of Optimus and Virtu might be the same, but how they do it is probably very different. I highly doubt NVIDIA and Lucid are sharing their techniques with each other. So just because it works on one does not mean it will work on the other.

However, it's good to know that Intel hardware encoding works with Optimus.

It's not only working.
It's razor fast.
I haven't seen anything like that!

>If your talking about Nvidia Optimus technologie, you have the same problem. Your Laptop have a Nvidia graphic Card ( geforce G....) and a Intel "sandy bridge" (Intel i3/5/7)

What problem are you referring to Rafael?

It works great here!

Why TMPGEnc MPEG Editor 3 not supported file .M2TS?

All other software supporting .M2TS

Do you have make a update later? Thanks for your answer? I purchase this software for working more with .M2TS files.

I'm guessing your video is actually MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 which is why TME3 won't accept it.
.m2ts is just a container format, so the actual video stream doesn't necessarily have to be MPEG-2.

The program crashes when I:

Import some files (sometimes no issues)
Create chapters
Play the simulation (plays for 6 seconds and then freezes)
Try to output files

I'm using AVI files.

I've used TAW4 trial version before and haven't had any problems with anything. And then after I bought the full version, nothing works.

Any ideas on what to do or what I'm doing wrong? I understand enough about computers to use one, but when it comes to the technical aspects, you'll have to really dumb down your explanation/questions.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help.

Has anything on the PC changed (new programs, new hardware, etc.) since you used the trail version?

No new hardware but I did install updated version of Divx, and some PC games.

If it worked before, try a reinstall.

Also it migh be one of the new programs you added cause an issue and yo cou8ld try uninstall them.

The reinstall didn't seem to work...bummer.

I'll try uninstalling some of the new programs I installed.

thanks.

What is your OS? Windows 7, XP, Vista?
How much RAM do you have?
How fast is your CPU?

You can check these things by right-clicking the "Computer" or "My Computer" icon and selecting "Properties" in the menu.

Have you run Windows Update lately?

Windows Vista Home Premium
RAM = 4.00 GB
CPU = 2.00 GHz

Ran Windows Update last night.

Thanks for the help, I kind of resolved the issues by converting the files to mpeg and worked.

I also contacted their support people. Hopefully, I'll get an actual answer.

Interesting. Maybe it had to do with the codec for your AVI file.

Do you know the codec used?
You can use MediaInfo to get information about your video file.

Yup, it was a codec thing. Thanks for your help!

Hello,
I made my first BD with this prog. All looked nice, in simulation all the menus worked .However, the burned disc on insertion to the SA (Panasonic BD75)only lists all the menus and actual footage as seperate streams .So 00001 m2ts is menu 1 00002 m2ts is menu 2 . Any ideas what i did wrong? Made many dvds with no problem in the past but this is my first BD authoring...cheers
Gazza

does cuda help divx in any way. i am converting dvd to divx. how can i get cuda to speed the process?
What is the equivalent to divx 720x480 at 2500 as far as using a code with cuda?

CUDA can help with filtering, but not with the actual divx encoding.

If you want to completely use CUDA, then you'll have to output as MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 and use the CUDA encoder instead of the x264 encoder.

As for an equivalent to divx 720x480 @ 2500, I don't know exactly. I would try a little less bitrate, maybe 2000 and see how it looks then increase or decrease based on that.

What is the best setting in the Picture resize filter when upscaling and encoding video from smaller resolution to larger resolution? Is it Lanczos-3 or bicubic or something else? I read in help that Lanczos can create ringing effect but not sure what that means. It does not say what effect for bicubic.

What about when downscaling video from larger resolution to smaller resolution as such when encoding HD video to dvd-compiant mpeg. Do I also set to Lanczos or bicubic?

Thanks

For upscaling, bicubic is better.

For downscaling, lanczos is better. Although some people use lanczos for upscaling and downscaling.

In the end, it's up to you and what you think looks better.

Ringing is also known as a halo effect.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_artifacts