MPEG Encoder

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Mixolydian

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
Not sure if this is the place to post it but since it's "A/V" related I'll give it as shot.

I'm looking to purchase a hardware MPEG encoder and could use some recommendations. My only requirements is that the unit is rackmountable and that it uses standard protocol (i.e. viewable in VLC, nothing proprietary).

I have my eye on this one, but at $3k it's a bit much. I'm wondering if there is anything cheaper that would do the job.

http://www.blondertongue.com/products/mpeg-2-sd-encoder/
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
Depends on what you're doing. Those encoders you've listed are meant for a professional broadcast environment. On the fly encoding of HD video for transmission.
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
Ok, I have to ask: why?

Consumer-level hardware encoders are a relic from the olden days when PCs didn't have enough umph to encode on the fly. Now not only can almost any decent CPU encode up to 1080p on the fly, but a Haswell Quicksync-enabled Intel CPU can do it 3 times as fast as software encoding. I can't imagine anything hardware specific beating that honestly.

Seeing as how a Haswell system can be bought and rackmounted for WAY less than $thousands is there any reason to have dedicated hardware?
 
Mixolydian

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
poofyhairguy said:
Ok, I have to ask: why?

Consumer-level hardware encoders are a relic from the olden days when PCs didn't have enough umph to encode on the fly. Now not only can almost any decent CPU encode up to 1080p on the fly, but a Haswell Quicksync-enabled Intel CPU can do it 3 times as fast as software encoding. I can't imagine anything hardware specific beating that honestly.

Seeing as how a Haswell system can be bought and rackmounted for WAY less than $thousands is there any reason to have dedicated hardware?
Click to expand...

Reliability. Tried to do it several times with programs like VLC and it just keeps crashing after a few hours. I want a "turn-key" solution.

No OS bullshit. No Application bullshit. No Driver bullshit. Just plug-n-play. Unless it can be done - though I haven't had much success with it yet.
 
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poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
Mixolydian said:
Reliability. Tried to do it several times with programs like VLC and it just keeps crashing after a few hours. I want a "turn-key" solution.

No OS bullshit. No Application bullshit. No Driver bullshit. Just plug-n-play. Unless it can be done - though I haven't had much success with it yet.
Click to expand...

VLC is deep down using an open source software encoder. So that's all relying on the stuff you don't want to rely on.

That is why I mentioned quick sync, that is basically hardware encoding endorsed by Intel and supported by their now very solid drivers. If you have something Haswell sitting around give it a try, here is a complete writeup:

https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/harnessing-handbrake

Other options include using a PI:

http://www.raspberrypi.org/new-video-features/

That is another hardware encode solution that can be hacked together.

Or if you are doing things professionally or you don't have the time to ah heck with anything that's not turnkey there I always those pro devices you started with.
 
Mixolydian

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
Aside from not having a Haswell rig not laying around, if I did I'd have to purchase the hardware to go with it. I mean I'd be open to it but up until now I just haven't been able to achieve any reliability with the setups I've tried so far.
 
C

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,313
7
81
There are lots of cheap hardware encoding solutions for $50 to say $300. Which mpeg to you want to encode? Or I should say, what exactly do you want to do?
 
C

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,313
7
81
You can use something like the Elgato Game Capture, Hauppauge HD PVR2, etc. Camera out to the game capture, then use something like Xsplit to broadcast it out. Xsplit might even just do everything you want and leverage your CPU's MPEG2 and H.264 hardware encoding functionality. Do you want to stream on some site like Twitch?
 
Mixolydian

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
I have both an Elgato device as well as a Hauppauge device. Spent months working with both of them, pulling my hair out. Was using VLC to stream it but couldn't get it to work reliably. I can't seem to find any decent software options out there. Just want to stream over a network and have clients view the stream. Nothing fancy.
 
C

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,313
7
81
You can try XSplit out for free. Its what most people use for live streaming. Either that or Open Broadcaster. Just to be clear, this is for a live stream right? Not just a video on page that they will click and watch whenever they want.

I have the Elgato, which I was using to record PS3 gameplay. It worked fine. If I have time tonight I'll check out Xsplit or OBS. I never used it, but I know thats what most people on twitch seem to use. In fact, the Elgato should fully support Xsplit. It should just appear as an additional camera.

http://help.elgato.com/customer/por...capture-hd-for-windows-and-xsplit-integration
 
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