What's the Best Video Codec?

[EL1TE]

I was wondering what is the best video codec because i have been testing some codecs, but some look the same thing to me (file size, quality).

Basically i want what all people which want to convert video want, best quality at minimum file size, but i don't know what is the best video codec, does anyone can know a link to a review of codecs or a comparison of codecs?

(If you can explain for yourself would be great appreciated too)

Thanks in advance! :)

[ahmz]

x264

Use meGUI ;)

[GusValentine]

The current standard is H.264/MPEG-4 AVC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264

List of devices that support H.264/MPEG-4 AVC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_devic....264/MPEG-4_AVC

x264 Encoder:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X264

http://www.videolan.org/developers/x264.html

http://x264.nl/

[GrimReeper]

h.264 is awesome :D

[shtraue]

H.264 +1

I use the free x264 encoder.

It is the winner of the Doom9's Codec shoot-out 2005. Though it is 2008 now, and it sure would be nice to have a new codec shoot-out, I'm confident it is a good choice to bet on :)

Edited January 24, 2008 by shtraue

[Express]

I vote x264 for encoding videos too.

Nero's free aac command-line encoder is the best encoder for audio.

CoreAVC is the best video decoder around.

Use MeGUI as Ahmz055 suggested to help you get started.

[Conjured Pet]

On2's VP7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP7

[EL1TE]

Thanks for replying guys ;)

Well, looks like "x264" is the best.

I've used meGUI as recommended above, but it gives me errors when i try to start the encode process. :\

[shtraue]

I myself use x264 in the conjunction with FairUse Wizard. The author provides the full binary of the program for the price, but the full sources are freely available, and so you can build the full version yourself, or you can use the full binary version built by the celticdruid.

The internal x264 version is dated, in the program, so in order to use the newer external version of the encoder, you will need to get x264VfW version, available here.

[GusValentine]

x264.nl also recommends StaxRip:

http://www.planetdvb.net/staxrip

Also, check out x264 frontends on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X264

[Justin03248]

WMV9 Advanced profile/VC-1 must be pretty good since it is THE standard in Blue Ray and HD-DVD.

[david13lt]

x264 for now is the best in quality/size tests.

[Justin03248]

What tests are you referring to? There must be some reason Sony decided to stick with VC-1 even though H264 is supported in Blue Ray.

[shtraue]

This thread on the Doom9 is an interesting read - AVC vs VC-1 comparison?