Help with encoding captured videos

[{7}21|Gef.Jupiter]

I'd like to learn the best way to encode videos captured with fraps.

Any suggestions?

[[ATOW]BarmyArmy]

I use AutoGordianKnot, gets me compression down to less than 10% of 'raw' size on a good day. Its pretty simple to use too.

BA

[{7}9th|GinSoakedBoy]

Are you editing the captured footage in any way?

If not you could use VirtualDub, and the XVid codec (both of which you'll need to download).

I use the H264 .mp4 codec a lot as it has great compression while still maintaining good quality, you'll need Quicktime to encode it.

You could also use Windows Movie Maker to encode into .wmv format, if you play around with the options a bit you can sometimes get a fairly satisfactory result.

There's also DivX but I'm not a big fan of it, it's faffy to encode.


Hope that helps.

[[DI]I|Cpl.Dren]

btw should i encode fraps clips before editing them in camtasia?
as sometimes the end result is bit wierd

[[ATOW]BarmyArmy]

I would say EDIT first then encode, especially if you will be mixing or merging video files.

Cutting is less of an issue.

FYI AGK is a simplifed verion of GortdianKnot which is a front end for VirtualDub, and just makes things simpler.

BA

[[IRT]Super64]

Ive made quite a few video game vids. For the sake of simplicity and cost I capture the vid with FRAPS into the uncompressed .avi format. Then open Windows Move Maker, import the .avi, do my editing, then export in the "Large - High Quality" option. Depending on where you upload it, you'll get different results. If I upload to Livevideo.com, it stays very sharp and clear. If i upload to youtube, lesser quality.

[{7}9th|GinSoakedBoy]

If you're going to be editing them, Windows Movie Maker is a bit poo to be honest, Adobe Premiere is much better and if you have a Mac Final Cut Pro is the industry standard.

But if you're not dishonest or made of money I've heard Sony Vegas is ok, but personally I think it's crap, never liked it.


Edit: I've made a LOT of videos from FRAPs footage so if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[[IRT]Super64]

If you're going to be editing them, Windows Movie Maker is a bit poo to be honest, Adobe Premiere is much better and if you have a Mac Final Cut Pro is the industry standard.

True premiere, final cut and vegas are all great editing programs. But you have to buy them, then learn to use them. There's a learning curve on all 3. If you just want to put some clips together to music, Movie maker is there, its free and its a piece of cake. I even have premiere and I still chose movie maker because of how simple it is.

[{7}9th|GinSoakedBoy]

I disagree, Premiere etc makes a lot more sense, and once you know the workflow it's the same for Final Cut, Avid etc, but then I'm a film student :p

[[IRT]Super64]

lol, yes being a film student will give you a leg up on the editing workflow.

[[7]9|LtCol.JimmyTheDeath]

But if you're not dishonest or made of money I've heard Sony Vegas is ok, but personally I think it's crap, never liked it.


I have been editing and working in the industry for the last 8years, i must say right when vegas came out it was not that good but now that 8pro is out, i must say i use it exclusively, i have use all the editors and i have found that you get allot more for the $$ out of vegas than any other suite, if u don't know how to use it i could see why u might think it is crap, SO if any one is using it and u need a little help just give me a buzz and i shall help u any way i can.


Jimmy OUT!!!

[{7}21|Gef.Jupiter]

Great, thanks all for the information overflow =) You guys ROCK!

Now i have another question, anyone know how to stream a video from a server instead of uploading to youtube etc.. ? I tried to just access it directly by url (embedding on this forum in the [ media ] tags) but the browser crahsed probably due to the several megabytes download.

[[IRT]Super64]

Why stream it yourself when there are several sites which you can do this for free from?

[{7}21|Gef.Jupiter]

Normally that wouldnt be a problem but i'd also like to post some stuff privately for the russian forum, besides id like to learn it just for the sake of academic curiosity... =) Anyways, thanks for all the tips!

[[IRT]Super64]

OK then for the simplest way to host vid or other media from your own pc, fast and restrict who views it, check out ORB. (http://orb.com/en)

Very cool app! Also very powerful. And free. :D

[{7}9th|GinSoakedBoy]

You could always not give people the link publically :P

If you host it on Filefront say people are unlikely to find it, and you could also RAR it and put a password on it.