The process of taking a raw uncompressed file and compressing it to an encoded form while maintaining the quality. It is the process of transferring audio, video, etc, into a specialised streaming format, such as RealPlayer, Windows Media or Quicktime, so it can be viewed by the end user in the most efficient and highest quality. It refers to doing something to a video into a particular format (as in "encoding a video into a particular format). Usually refers to compressing to a particular compression format (as in "encoding video to DivX"). Decoding is the opposite of encoding.
Encoder
1) A circuit or program that encodes (and thereby compresses) audio or video; 2) a circuit that converts component digital video to composite analog video. DVD players include TV encoders to generate standard television signals from decoded video and audio; 3) a circuit that converts multichannel audio to two-channel matrixed audio. Encoding Options - The number of speeds and file formats available for encoding.
Before you read on: Currently true multipass encoding is available only for WM8 and MPEG-2 (SVCD & miniDVD). M4C is not true multipass encoding (and read the M4C guide to find out what it is and how it works). An encoder that supports multipass will in a first pass analyze the video stream to be encoded and write down a log about everything it encounters. Let's assume that we have a short clip which starts out in a dialog scene where we have few cuts and the camera stays static. Then it leads over to a karate fight with lots of fast cuts and a lot of action (people flying through the air, kicking, punching, etc). In regular CBR encoding every second gets more or less the same bitrate (it's hard to stay 100% CBR but that's a detail) whereas in multipass VBR mode the encoder will use the bitrate according to its knowledge about the video stream, that is the dialog part gets of the available bitrate and the fighting part gets more bitrate. The more passes the more refined will the bitrate distribution be. In single pass VBR the encoder has to base his decisions on where to use how much bitrate solely on the knowledge of the stuff it previously has encoded.
ALL-IN-ONE SOFTWARE
Download Musicmatch Jukebox Plus 8.2
MUSICMATCH is the Internet's leading digital audio jukebox. Rip music off your CDs, vinyl, and tapes to download it on CD-quality MP3s, create customized CDs, print and design jewel case covers, organize all your music files in an easy to use library , and listen to over 25 of the best programmed internet radio stations ever. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! Price: only $19.99
This is the ENHANCED version of MusicMatch Jukebox, the best integrated, digital music-management software that combines a CD ripper, MP3 encoder, playlist maker, ID3 tag editor, and media player. It has all the jukebox basic features PLUS : Fast MP3 recording from CDs vinyl and tapes, Fast CD Burning (24X), Multi-session CD burning, Customize and save equalizer settings, Create and print custom CD labels and liners, Custom visualizations, and many more. New features : MusicMatch Burner Plus, Drag & drop burning, smart split, and DVD burning.
