Losslessness(?)

me_again wrote on 9/23/2024, 4:46 AM

Greetings,

I'm sure I know the answer to this but here goes anyway.

Is there any way, for example adding a line to a Magix cfg or ini file, to force MS2025 to use a codec such as H.264 or HEVC or AV1 to use Lossless encoding?

I know Avidemux, Xmedia Recode, and OBS have lossless settings for these codecs. The results with these are excellent and rapid utilising hardware encoding.

I know that MS can save as an AVI using Huff or Lags for example, but it would be useful to be able to save losslessly(?) with some HW acceleration. I've experimented with AV1 and HEVC in MS2025, winding up the settings to maximum and the results of that look better (on my screen) than when I use Lagarith for example, and the speed increase in comparatively phenominal, BUT I'm sure that those files are not encoded losslessly(?) - there must be a better word!

I started to read an article on 'tinternet about there being two types of lossless encoders but I got confused just after reading the title.

AndyW

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 9/23/2024, 8:53 AM

@me_again

Hi Andy

The simple answer is no this is not possible, however ......

You can create a custom export preset as shown below.

For true lossless compression you need to use AVI or if you require a MP4 file format change the setting shown in the above clip to I frames only - the downside is this will give massive file sizes.

HTH

John EB

CubeAce wrote on 9/23/2024, 3:54 PM

@me_again @johnebaker

Hi Andy, John.

I have been exporting my MP4 videos as I frame only for about three and a half years now. The files don't necessarily have to be huge depending on the use case. For just playing back on a PC or TV the export can be set up to roughly whatever the bit rates the original recordings were. After all if the files are in an editor you are probably changing them already by sharpening, or changing the luma or chroma or something else entirely.

For that scenario I have found making the minimum bit rate equal to the original files maximum bit rate and then adding a reasonable percentage to the maximum bit rate and increasing the CPB slightly plays back pretty much the same as the original file. At least I can't tell the difference even pulling the same frame from each to pixel peep inspect.

I get that result with the following changes.

The export in that case was slightly longer than the original file shown, hence the slight discrepancy in file size.

However, If I am uploading to YouTube, the file will get compressed but by how much depends on the file size I upload. Then that file doesn't do.

My YouTube upload settings for an I frame export is much larger. The resulting video is as Good as I can get it to upload and pretty much indiscernible allowing for variations in the accuracy of different web browser's playback abilities.

The TV and YouTube file size differences.

And the settings I use to get that result.

Your case needs may be different to mine as I'm not sure why you want to do this in the first place. YouTube does accept AV1 as an upload file but AV1 on my machine is painfully slow so haven't experimented. HEVC never seems to give me the desired results. No idea why.

Note when using I frames only and the settings are good there are no lower and higher bit rates recorded so no longer a variable bit rate file format as far as I can work out.

Ray.

me_again wrote on 9/24/2024, 9:27 AM

@johnebaker @CubeAce

Greetings and apologies for not replying sooner but MrsW found a few jobs for me to do.

I'd not thought about i frames, in fact the whole GOP side of things I've never really thought about. Just like chroma sampling i class it as a dark art and, like a cheap wine, is only for laying down and avoiding.

I've briefly tried the "i frames only" encoding and I agree Ray that the size is not necessarily huge, in fact from the small samples I've done while they are larger than an auto/default GOP encode they are at least 50% less than a Lagarith file.

I feel there is some mileage in this; more playing is required.

AndyW