What's the best mpg decoder for the Mac? at DVinfo.net

William Velasquez · September 30th, 2003, 12:14 PM

I'm making lots of DVDs with iDVD 3... ad I'm using the decoder included with QuickTime and iDVD3. Is there a better mpg decoder out there that I can use to get better picture quality?

MrV

Thanks

Heath McKnight · September 30th, 2003, 11:27 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by William Velasquez : I'm making lots of DVDs with iDVD 3... ad I'm using the decoder included with QuickTime and iDVD3. Is there a better mpg decoder out there that I can use to get better picture quality?

MrV

Thanks -->>>

The Apple Compressor that comes with Final Cut Pro 4 and DVD Studio Pro 2.

Otherwise, you can buy one that MacAddict says got beaten by Apple Compressor in their tests called Discreet Cleaner (www.discreet.com, $549). For that kind of money, buy DVDSP 2 for $500 and get the Apple Compressor FREE! (Or buy the FCP 4 upgrade, unless you don't have it).

FREEBIE FREEBIE FREEBIE! Zip, zero, nada!

heath

William Velasquez · October 1st, 2003, 09:16 AM

Thanks Heath for your reply.

I am thinking about upgrading to FCP4 and DVDSP 2 soon.... so I guess I should see the a better picture quality then.

:)

--MrV

John Locke · October 1st, 2003, 09:59 AM

William,

Are you exporting raw DV files from FCP, then importing them into iDVD? If you do that, the image quality should be fine. (select "Export" then "Final Cut Pro"...then just drag and drop that file into the iDVD project window)

If you're exporting as Quicktime, then importing into iDVD, you'll see a drop in image quality.

William Velasquez · October 1st, 2003, 12:07 PM

Hello John,

Yes!!!!

I'm exporting raw dv as quicktime then droping them in iDVD3.

Thanks! I'll start exporting from now on as FCP Movie and get a better picture quality.

WOOOO HOOOO!!!

off to export!

Thanks John :)

--MrV

Jake Russell · October 1st, 2003, 02:13 PM

IMHO(and many many others) that(the old QT) encoder isn't that good as you're finding. You have to keep the bitrate up and it washes your footage out. Compressor as mentioned is good but IMHO BitVice is better a lot of the time. http://www.innobits.se

Jake

Jake Russell · October 1st, 2003, 02:30 PM

I guess I should mention that if you get dvdsp you can use any 3rd party encoder you like. From free(pc) to very expensive $$$$$ and there are afew mentioned here not all mac though http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#5.3.1

Jake

September 30th, 2003, 12:14 PM	#1
William Velasquez Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles California USA Posts: 64	What's the best mpg decoder for the Mac? I'm making lots of DVDs with iDVD 3... ad I'm using the decoder included with QuickTime and iDVD3. Is there a better mpg decoder out there that I can use to get better picture quality? MrV Thanks __________________ Thank you for sharing your world with me.

September 30th, 2003, 11:27 PM	#2
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Re: What's the best mpg decoder for the Mac? <<<-- Originally posted by William Velasquez : I'm making lots of DVDs with iDVD 3... ad I'm using the decoder included with QuickTime and iDVD3. Is there a better mpg decoder out there that I can use to get better picture quality? MrV Thanks -->>> The Apple Compressor that comes with Final Cut Pro 4 and DVD Studio Pro 2. Otherwise, you can buy one that MacAddict says got beaten by Apple Compressor in their tests called Discreet Cleaner (www.discreet.com, $549). For that kind of money, buy DVDSP 2 for $500 and get the Apple Compressor FREE! (Or buy the FCP 4 upgrade, unless you don't have it). FREEBIE FREEBIE FREEBIE! Zip, zero, nada! heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

October 1st, 2003, 09:16 AM	#3
William Velasquez Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles California USA Posts: 64	Thanks Heath for your reply. I am thinking about upgrading to FCP4 and DVDSP 2 soon.... so I guess I should see the a better picture quality then. :) --MrV __________________ Thank you for sharing your world with me.

October 1st, 2003, 09:59 AM	#4
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	William, Are you exporting raw DV files from FCP, then importing them into iDVD? If you do that, the image quality should be fine. (select "Export" then "Final Cut Pro"...then just drag and drop that file into the iDVD project window) If you're exporting as Quicktime, then importing into iDVD, you'll see a drop in image quality. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

October 1st, 2003, 12:07 PM	#5
William Velasquez Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles California USA Posts: 64	Hello John, Yes!!!! I'm exporting raw dv as quicktime then droping them in iDVD3. Thanks! I'll start exporting from now on as FCP Movie and get a better picture quality. WOOOO HOOOO!!! off to export! Thanks John :) --MrV __________________ Thank you for sharing your world with me.

October 1st, 2003, 02:13 PM	#6
Jake Russell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 177	IMHO(and many many others) that(the old QT) encoder isn't that good as you're finding. You have to keep the bitrate up and it washes your footage out. Compressor as mentioned is good but IMHO BitVice is better a lot of the time. http://www.innobits.se Jake

October 1st, 2003, 02:30 PM	#7
Jake Russell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 177	I guess I should mention that if you get dvdsp you can use any 3rd party encoder you like. From free(pc) to very expensive $$$$$ and there are afew mentioned here not all mac though http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#5.3.1 Jake