Are there any inexpensive or free codec or plugin, other than ympeg, that will allow me to encode in mpeg2 from any application that accepts third party codecs (ie. virtual dub). Note I want one that gives high quality.

One of the best encoders is pretty cheap: www.tmpgenc.net

Yeah, I know about tmpgenc, but I am alloking for a codec or plugin that will let me have mpeg encoding from any program that I own without having to leave the program. ympeg does this but I am not really happy with it.

Well, to my knowledge there is no (really) good MPEG encoder
that does that. But depending on what kind of applications you
are running you might be able to frameserve from your application
(like Sony Vegas, Virtualdub and Adobe Premiere) to TMPGEnc.

But if that's not an option I don't see how you can not go the
external application route if you want better quality. It's just how
things are.

I thought Vegas had a built-in MPEG2 Codec?

Canopus allows direct work from within Edius with ProCoder of course but I don't think ProCoder plugs into any other apps at this point.

I've never really paid attention but I'm guessing from the conversation that MPEG2 Codecs aren't plugins like the AVI-based codecs one finds in something like After-Effects?

Vegas has indeed a builtin MPEG codec, however Dwight has only
mentioned Virtualdub thusfar. I assume he is not using Vegas.

As a side note: although Mainconcepts encoder (the one Vegas
and Premiere use) is pretty good, there are better encoders out
there (like TMPGEnc, CCE, Canopus ProCoder)

The problem is that those are not available as plugins, unless
you can go down the frameserving route (which you can with
Virtualdub, Vegas and Premiere for example).

Why do you need it to be a plugin Dwight?

Rob, ok so if frameserving is my best option, I have access to vegas, pegasys, and premiere (thought I generally use premiere). So what programs or utilities should I be using respectively to accomplish this goal? Which ones do you recommend. BTW, I think though I am not sure, that CCE has a premiere pulgin. I like virtualdub for the obvious reasons that it is free, easy to use and gives professional results (though not yet a full robust NLE).

Thanks

I would hardly call Virtualdub an NLE. I call it a digital video swiss
knife or something.

Personally I'm a big fan (like many) of Sony Vegas here, although
others have had good succes with Premiere. Work with the editor
that works best for you and your workflow.

I get your point about vdub (though it is better thought out for what it does than some nles out there). However, what I need to know is what programs, if any, are you using to frame serve with vegas and premiere.

I don't remember what I used back in the days with Premiere, I've
been an avid (heh) Vegas user for a while now. In the Vegas
forum we have a plugins/scripts notice in the top:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30426

Anyway, there is a link to Satish's site called debugmode which
has a frameserver for Vegas:

http://www.debugmode.com/frameserver/

check out procoder express

Thanks guys, I'll give them a try