MPEG Encoder Mac 1.5

Q.: What can I do with the MainConcept MPEG Encoder Mac?
A.: With the MainConcept MPEG Encoder Mac, you can compress and convert your video footage in high-quality MPEG-1/2 for the common formats, such as VCD, SVCD and DVD. During this process, your multimedia files are converted into a different format, i.e. an AVI or MPEG clip can be turned into an MPEG-1/2 file.

Q.: What is MPEG?
A.: MPEG is a way to compress audiovisual data efficiently, with the aim of keeping quality up and file sizes down. "MPEG" is an acronym for the Motion Picture Experts Group, the organization that created the format.

Q.: What is the difference between MPEG video and other formats?
A.: In other formats, each video frame is generally defined in its entirety. Even if several adjacent frames are identical, each frame is still stored. In MPEG, only certain frames (I-frames) are defined in their entirety, while other frames (P- and B-frames) are produced on-the-fly by referencing previous or following frames.

Q.: What is the difference between session and project?
A.: A session is a conversion process for a single file in the main window. In a project you convert several files consecutively in a batch list.

Q.: What is the batch list function?
A.: The batch list function allows you to compress and convert several files at one time, without further input required from the user. This will produce several individual files, one for each file in the batch list. It is even possible to combine two or more clips to a single file if they all have the same format. The result is a video which contains all the chosen clips from the batch list.

Q.: Do I have the opportunity to watch the progress of the conversion process?
A.: Yes, the MPEG Encoder offers a preview option which enables you to view the first frame as well as the conversion process. It is even possible to watch the preview in its original size.

Q.: I want to create an individual user profile that I can use for future projects as well. Is it possible to save this user profile?
A.: Yes, you can create your individual user profile and save it, in order to use it in the future again.

Q.: I want to create a DVD with the MPEG Encoder. Do I have to adjust a lot of complicated settings? 
A.: Yes and no. Of course, there are a lot of parameters for creating a DVD. But the encoder offers numerous default settings, e.g. for DVD, VCD and SVCD. This way, even beginners can produce great results.

Q.: Can I burn CDs or DVDs with the MPEG Encoder?
A.: No, the Encoder only offers the correct output format. To create menus for VCD, SVCD and DVD, you also need authoring software. Then, you can burn the finished project on a blank CD or DVD then.

Q.: I already have a finished video clip but, I don't like the background music. Do I have to edit the audio track in a video-editing application?
A.: No. You can add a new audio stream to your clip with the MPEG Encoder. You can also combine a soundless video with your favorite music. The result is a video clip set to your favorite music.

Q.: Is the MPEG Encoder suitable for professional use or environments?
A.: Yes. It offers numerous advanced settings with many parameters for working in highly professional production environments (e.g. broadcasting).

Q.: Why does AudioVisual data need to be compressed?
A.: Uncompressed video footage would take more processor power and disk space than most computers can handle. Compressing video allows standard desktop computers to be used for editing and other production tasks.

Q.: I have heard that only hardware MPEG encoders produce professional results?
A.: This is a myth. Hardware encoders encode the same way that software encoders do. The main advantage of a hardware encoder is speed. However, on a reasonable computer, the MainConcept MPEG Encoder can offer similar speed and performance. In addition, the MPEG Encoder offers a much wider variety of settings than most hardware encoders, allowing you to achieve better results and customize your quality as well as speed ratio.

Q.: I have several files in the batch list, and want to merge them into a single file. Unfortunately, the necessary box is disabled? Have I done something wrong?
A.: Actually nothing. You can only merge files into one file which have exactly the same output format. At first, you have to turn the different files into a uniform format. Then you can merge them into a single MPEG file in the batch list.

Q.: I want to merge different files with the same format into a single file. Unfortunately, there are also other files with a different format in the batch list. Do I have to create a new list for the conversion?
A.: No, you don't. You can disable one or more files in the batch list. Select the files, you don't want to convert, and press the "Disable entry" button. When you have selected all files, which haven't the same format, enable the "Encode list to one file" checkbox. Now you can convert the desired files.

Q.: I want to check the settings of a file in the batch list again. What do I have to do?
A.: Select the desired file in the batch list, and press the "Copy to main" button. The file's settings will be copied to the main window. Now you can have a look at the parameters again.

Q.: What is VCD?
A.: A Video CD is an ordinary Compact Disc containing MPEG-1 video that can be played on standalone VCD players, many standalone DVD players, and on computers. The primary advantage of VCD is that CD burners and media are less expensive than DVD burners and media. The primary disadvantage of VCD is quality, which is significantly lower than that of DVD because in order to store video of useful length and support the drive speeds, the video is generally made at half the frame size of full screen video and is resized for playback.

Note that in VCD, the quality is not limited by the quality of the media (the recordable disc) itself, but by the type of video format that enables a significant amount of data to be stored on the disc. In other words, to fit enough video on the disc, quality has to be sacrificed.

Q.: What is SVCD?
A.: A Super Video CD is an ordinary Compact Disc containing MPEG-2 video that can be played on many standalone DVD players and on computers. The primary advantage of SVCD is that CD burners and media are less expensive than DVD burners and media. The primary disadvantage of SVCD is quality, which is significantly lower than that of DVD because in order to store video of useful length and support the drive speeds, the video is generally made at a lower bitrate and smaller frame size than DVD video.

Note that in SVCD (like VCD), the quality is not limited by the quality of the media (the recordable disc) itself, but by the type of video format that enables a significant amount of data to be stored on the disc. In other words, to fit enough video on the disc, quality has to be sacrificed.

Q.: What is DVD?
A.: DVD (known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is a kind of disc that can hold high-quality MPEG-2 video as well as any kind of data. For example, DVD-RAM is a high-volume storage format, but cannot be played like a DVD video disc.

DVD Video discs can also include MPEG-1 content, however MPEG-2 is generally used because it offers higher quality. DVDs are physically the same size as Compact Discs, and they can be played in standalone DVD players and on suitably equipped computers.

Q.: How can I improve the quality of my SVCD?
A.: In order to improve the quality of an SVCD, change the settings under Motion Search Region, User quantization matrices and bitrate range.

Q.: What is the difference between fields and frames?
A.: A series of pictures in video data can be stored in different ways. To begin, we must distinguish between frames and fields.

Every video consists of a series of individual pictures: frames. The TV format PAL uses 25 frames per second. These frames are often reduced to fields. In this process the frames are divided into lines. The top field consists of even-numbered lines, and the bottom field of odd-numbered lines, so you will have 25 frames per second and 50 fields per second. The result is that the fields are temporally shifted for 1/50 seconds.

If you now combine both fields to one frame, the picture will have a temporal offset or skip in each line. This phenomenon is called Interlacing.

On a TV monitor the picture is always interlaced, i.e. at first, there are the odd, and then the even lines. In contrast, PC monitors only display full frames.

There are different way to save this on a PC:

The MPEG Encoder can deode all three possibilities, but will only encode the first two options. The menu "Field encoding" in the Details settings window is responsible for that.

When there is video footage with field-based frames (bottom field first) - such as every DV material - there are two ways of saving it:

A) Field encoding: bottom field first
B) Whole frame

The first way generates a data stream which contains field-based frames. They include the field order: lower field, upper field, lower field etc. That means, frames will be created from both fields in the above mentioned order.

The second way generates progressive frames, which don't include field information. So whole frames will always be created, and the frames will be whole.