Badaboom - Faaaaast video transcoder
Refefer
Posts: 1,280
Hey guys, it's been a while.
Thought everyone here might be interested that higher end Nvidia video cards for the computer, 8800GT and faster, are now capable of transcoding DVDs to H.264 at a much, much, much faster speed.
I started transcoding my Live Free or Die Hard DVD from it's regular resolution of 720x420 to 1280x720 (I upconverted it to 720p). On my Q6600, which is a quad-core, relatively high end computer, it could convert at roughly 15 fps. The entire encoding of Live Free or Die Hard took roughly 4 hours to complete with excellent video results and a file size of 812 mbs.
Now, I decided to use Badaboom, a program designed to offload the compression on to the video card. I use an 8800GT, which is essentially the entry level card that supports this type of compression. After setting essentially identical results, I started the compression.
The results? It compressed it at 140 FPS. Essentially that I was able to take 2.5 hour movie, upscale it, and convert it in roughly 30 minutes. I'm really tempted to buy a "current" gen nvidia card now since apparently it's roughly twice as fast.
Oh, it looks great btw
There are some downsides right now to it: first off, it's in beta, so it hasn't been released to the public yet. Secondly, the beta was meant as a kinda public demo: you can compress videos, but not straight from DVD AND the videos you compress has an annoying watermark.
Of course, when they release it next month for $30, none of that will be there.
You better believe the second it comes out, I'm gonna pick this baby up. I can finally start converting my 1000 odd DVDs for use on my htpc without waiting a couple of years to do it.
Thought everyone here might be interested that higher end Nvidia video cards for the computer, 8800GT and faster, are now capable of transcoding DVDs to H.264 at a much, much, much faster speed.
I started transcoding my Live Free or Die Hard DVD from it's regular resolution of 720x420 to 1280x720 (I upconverted it to 720p). On my Q6600, which is a quad-core, relatively high end computer, it could convert at roughly 15 fps. The entire encoding of Live Free or Die Hard took roughly 4 hours to complete with excellent video results and a file size of 812 mbs.
Now, I decided to use Badaboom, a program designed to offload the compression on to the video card. I use an 8800GT, which is essentially the entry level card that supports this type of compression. After setting essentially identical results, I started the compression.
The results? It compressed it at 140 FPS. Essentially that I was able to take 2.5 hour movie, upscale it, and convert it in roughly 30 minutes. I'm really tempted to buy a "current" gen nvidia card now since apparently it's roughly twice as fast.
Oh, it looks great btw
There are some downsides right now to it: first off, it's in beta, so it hasn't been released to the public yet. Secondly, the beta was meant as a kinda public demo: you can compress videos, but not straight from DVD AND the videos you compress has an annoying watermark.
Of course, when they release it next month for $30, none of that will be there.
You better believe the second it comes out, I'm gonna pick this baby up. I can finally start converting my 1000 odd DVDs for use on my htpc without waiting a couple of years to do it.
Lovin that music year after year.
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II
Post edited by Refefer on
Comments
-
Wow, reading back on that post it almost sounds like I was doing a sales pitch.
Yeah, I am no way affiliated with them Lovin that music year after year.
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II -
What would be the point of upscaling AND compressing? Will H.264 be able to preserve the original quality and make the size smaller? Can Badaboom do coding on the fly? Store it as 480p and play it back in 720p or 1080p.
-
What does all of this allow you to do?
-
All good questions Sami.
I wonder how good the quality is? Is this is a transcoding program instead of a true encoding program? I've yet to find anything that works better than DVD-RB, which is an encoding program. It takes a little longer to run, but the results are very good. -
What would be the point of upscaling AND compressing? Will H.264 be able to preserve the original quality and make the size smaller? Can Badaboom do coding on the fly? Store it as 480p and play it back in 720p or 1080p.
A couple of good questions there. Alright, let me try to tackle them
1. Lets you take SD DVDs and use a better upconverter than on-the-fly ones built into upscaling dvd players.
2. The key for compressions is to that you can use it on xbmc, playstation 3, Apple Airplay, iPhone, etc. However, on lower compression settings, it takes a couple of looks to notice any quality differences. On the lowest compression setting, which is still significantly less than the size of a ripped DVD movie, I cannot tell the difference.
Basically, for my purposes, it lets me rip my dvds to play back on my home theater pc without having to dish out for several terrabytes of hard drive space and still maintain good quality.
3. H.264, in theory, should allow for that, yes. While I haven't tried it myself, from what I have been hearing on forums is that you can upconvert a SD DVD to 720p in software for about the same size as the original mpeg-2 with no noticeable quality loss.
4. Badaboom can't do on-the-fly H.264 encoding, though it certainly is fast enough. It'd be fantastic to build it into a HTPC for capturing recording tv shows.Lovin that music year after year.
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II -
AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »All good questions Sami.
I wonder how good the quality is? Is this is a transcoding program instead of a true encoding program? I've yet to find anything that works better than DVD-RB, which is an encoding program. It takes a little longer to run, but the results are very good.
Supposedly it is a true encoder. However, it only does transcoding in this pre-release.
Compared to the absolute best H.264 video codecs, there is no question that they are superior. That said, on lower compression settings (resulting in larger file sizes), I cannot notice a difference. I do admit however I'm not showing it on a 65" TV, so..
Best I can suggest is to check it out yourself and come up with your own conclusions. When the full version comes out, I'll be grabbing a copy for myself and I can post watermark-free video samples side by side with the ones I used when I worked with AOL.Lovin that music year after year.
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II -
I just don't get it why upconvert. Compression is going to pack it into smaller space, but it is going to make the quality worse. Upconversion on the other hand makes the video larger, and in theory gives you better picture (which should be more than negated by the compression). On-the-fly coding would solve the storage issue.you can upconvert a SD DVD to 720p in software for about the same size as the original mpeg-2 with no noticeable quality loss.
What would be the point? If the quality is worse, and the size is same, I'd rather take the 480.
I use Handbrake (free) myself to convert DVD's into format PS3 understands. Speed isn't an issue, I just batch them and let run overnight. It's not DVD quality but for these DVD's I don't care. -
What would be the point? If the quality is worse, and the size is same, I'd rather take the 480.
I use Handbrake (free) myself to convert DVD's into format PS3 understands. Speed isn't an issue, I just batch them and let run overnight. It's not DVD quality but for these DVD's I don't care.
The upconverting algorithm they use is higher quality than the on-the-fly ones. They can do all sorts of neat tricks that before were too time constraining to be able to do in real time. Basically you get a higher resolution video for the same hard drive space with no quality loss.
With no upconverting, depending on which settings you use, you get an excellent quality video at much smaller file sizes, with very little compression time due to the GPU doing all the work.
I'm with you on handbrake, that's what I've been using for a long while. But at 3.5 hours to convert a DVD to H.264, according to my math would take me well over a half year running 24 hours a day to get it done. With Badaboom? a little over 2 weeks. That's a huge speed up.
That being said, if you don't mind batching it overnight, than no worries. If it ain't broke don't fix it Lovin that music year after year.
Main 2 Channel System
Polk SDA-1B,
Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
Rotel RB-980BX,
OPPO DV-970HD,
Lite Audio DAC AH,
IXOS XHA305 Interconnects
Computer Rig
Polk SDA CRS+,
Creek Audio 5350 SE,
Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
HRT Music Streamer II
