FreeEnc: New High Quality MPEG2 Encoder

Hi Everyone, I just created a new libavcodec based encoder. This encoder takes AVS input and outputs MPEG2 like QuEnc, but the main difference is that every parameter is tweakable, plus it comes with the optimized parameters of MencodeMe, which are known to produce great quality. Download here: This encoder is also compatible with QuEnc command-line options, meaning it can replace QuEnc in any app that suppots it. Just rename the executable to QuEnc.exe and overwrite. Enjoy! :D EDIT: 0.2 is out changes: - Fixed the P4 crashes by disabling SSE2 code in avcodec. Finally! Thanks Mean from doom9 for pointing the problem. - It's now possible to use different .ini templates - new command-line option "-template". Usage: -template FreeEnc (do not put the .ini in the end, it's added automatically) - New Status bar that shows if it's in first or second pass (to avoid confusion) - Added Incredible KDVD alpha settings

Great to see yet another new tool, thanks. But, after a few tests, I have found that it doesn't respect the average bitrate (I'm not sure why) - I originally set it at 2113, but the output (according to VirtualDub / BitrateView) was reported to be approximately 1300.

Hi Paced, This is knows as the "can't quantisize more" libavcodec feature. The encoder simply is already using the lowest quatisizer possible in every area of the video. You may want to tweak the parameters scplx_mask and lmin to get higher bitrates, since the encoder comes tweaked to lower bitrates (you can find it in freeenc.ini) In the old mencoder forum, you'll find tons of info and tests about libavcodec:

Well, I tried an avs from DVD-RB that gave me the error "could not locate libavcodec mpeg2" (or something like that), and "could not open avs" when I click go again. Here's the avs in question: #------------------ # AVS File Created by DVD Rebuilder # VOBID:01, CELLID:01 #------------------ LoadPlugin("C:\DVD Backup\DVD-RB\MPEG2Dec3dg.dll") mpeg2source("C:\DVDS\KATAKURI\AUDIO_TS\D2VAVS\V05.D2V",idct=7) trim(0,6443) converttoyv12() This was actualy output for cce, I just added the "converttoyv12()" (works fine in QuEnc). Also, its 16:9, interlaced, 23.976fps.

Very wierd, this error should not happen. But I don't understand this: "Also, its 16:9, interlaced, 23.976fps." Interlaced 23.976 fps? Maybe this is creating some trouble. :confused:

It's a hybrid source. A lot of it is progressive, but RB encodes the whole thing as interlaced, and sets the flags on rebuild. I still seem to get the error when I try to encode as progressive, however. I tried it again, with some different settings (1 pass, progressive) and got the error "could not read from avs line 6". Line 6 is the "converttoyv12()" line (my avs changed a little since my last post, switched to dgdecode- still works with QuEnc, though). After that, I get the could not open avs error, and the program crashes when I cose it.

I also did some tests, just changing the size and fps of blankclip(). Often, I would get errors, and it would not encode or it would get through the first pass then give an error at the beginning of the second. Also, some clips that I did encode had missing frames (300 frames->297 frames). This was a problem in QuEnc, that Nic was able to solve. You might want to check into what the issue was there. Edit: I had the most trouble with 720x480 23.976fps content. I was able to encode 29.97fps ok (for blankclip(), anyway).

Well, looks like the initial error is related to this 23.976 interlaced source. I'll test later with this. But there's something really wierd here: messages regarding specifically the avisynth script like this "could not read from avs line 6" are generated by avisynth itself, FreeEnc just detects that Windows failed to open the script video source and gets the error message from AVISynth. The crash must be because I forgot to free the pointer in case of error... My mistake, I'll fix later. EDIT: Indeed, 23.976 interlaced causes the error message, I just tested. EDIT2: Even 29.97 interlaced crashes. I must have enabled a wrong flag. EDIT3: Yes, I did enable the wrong flag, just fixed. Now let's see the missing frames problem.

Don't know why I got that avs error. Same script works in QuEnc, VirtualDub, MPC, etc (although I only got the error in FreeEnc once). Surely that's a problem on my end, rather than in your program.