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by Ralph LaBarge
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Figure 1: MPP2 Encoder Settings
(click figure to enlarge)
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Heuris MPEG Power Professional (MPP2) provides a number of improvements over the original MPP product, including faster performance, improved image quality, image processing capabilities, source file concatenation, and closed GOP support. MPP2 has a suggested retail price of $1,500 and comes in versions for both Windows and Mac systems. Heuris customers who own a previous release of MPEG Power Professional can update to MPP2 for $525. Optional support for DVD Video Object multiplexing is offered in the MPP2-DVD product that has a list price of $2,500 and an update price of $895.
The main user interface for MPP2 allows you to define one or more video segments for a project. Double clicking on a video segment brings up a dialog box where you define the basic parameters for that segment such as input and output file names, the type of encoding process (video, audio, still or multiplexed), and what template to use for the encoder parameters. You can control a wide variety of compression parameters in the "Encoder Settings" dialog box, shown in Figure 1, and save them as a template for use with other segments in the same project, or even other projects.
MPP2 encodes audio using the MPEG standard. Support for three audio modes (Mono, Stereo and Dual Channel), three sample rates (32 kHz, 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz) and a wide range of compressed bit rates (32,000 bits/second through 384,000 bits/second) provides enough flexibility for almost any project. I prefer to use AC-3 rather than MPEG audio compression for DVD titles, since all DVD players are required to support AC-3, but MPEG audio support is optional for NTSC players.
MPP2 encodes video using the MPEG standard. You can control a wide variety of compression parameters, probably more than you will ever need. Supported formats include MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and Half-D1 MPEG-2, at the full range of resolutions, frame rates, and television standards called out by the MPEG standard. Both constant bit rate and variable bit rate compression are supported, and there is a good selection of motion vector search techniques (Auto, Logarithmic, Hybrid, Two-Pass and Complete) and search distances (Auto, Short, Medium and Long). Four different global filter settings are provided (Auto, Median, Non-Linear and FIR) as well as support for Inverse Telecine processing. The Source Crop option allows you to remove unwanted content from the source prior to compression. Finally, you can control detailed compression parameters such as GOP size, closed or open GOP, reference interval, aspect ratios, VBV size, frame rate, and field/frame (Interlaced or Progressive) encoding.
In the Multiplex window you can control the target data rate to match your delivery media (CD, DVD, or custom), set the type of multiplexing used (System, Program, Transport or DVD VOB), set stream IDs and even control the Initial Clock Reference. If you are not sure what any of these compression parameters are used for then you should just use the default settings. For StarGaze I used a variable bit rate compression with an average of 5.9 Mbps, and a maximum of 6.9 Mbps, a resolution of 720x480 pixels/frame, a frame rate of 29.97 frames/second, a 16:9 aspect ratio, a Complete search technique, closed GOP with a size of 15, and a reference interval of 3.
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Figure 2: Encoding in Progress
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Since MPP2 is a software encoder, its performance depends on several factors, including how fast the CPU in your computer is, and what specific compression parameters you are using. For my test segments it typically took about 2 hours of computer time to compress 1 minute of video. If I had used the "Auto" search technique this would have dropped to about 30 minutes of computer time for each minute of video. I was using a 500 MHz Pentium III system running Windows NT 4.0 (SP 4) and 256 Mbytes of system RAM. Figure 2 shows the display generated by MPP2 while an encoding process is underway. This display provides all the information you need about the status of the task, as well as a small video window so you can check to make sure that the correct video file is being encoded.
I found the documentation, on-line help, and technical support for MPP2 to be quite good. MPP2 includes an Installation Guide and a User"s Manual. Both are well written, and easy to understand. The MPP2 application program includes an extensive on-line help function, and off-line support is provided for all registered users by the Heuris technical support team. MPP2 comes with three CD-ROMs, one with the application software, a second disc includes a tutorial and the third includes demo material. As is the case with many high-end software tools, MPP2 uses a hardware key (dongle) connected to the computers printer port to make sure that only licensed copies of the program can be used.
In summary I found the Heuris MPP2 software MPEG encoder to be an excellent product. It supports a wide range of MPEG formats and encoding parameters. The DVD option generates Video Object (VOB) files directly, which can save time during the testing phase of a DVD project. Existing MPEG Power Professional (MPP) customers should seriously consider upgrading to the new version (MPP2). For those readers looking for reasonably priced, high performance software MPEG encoder, I suggest you take a look at MPP2. While MPP2 is not the cheapest software encoder on the market, it is clearly one of the best. DVD developers who choose to use MPP2 as their in-house software encoder will be pleased with their decision, and the high quality MPEG video streams that will be generated by MPP2.
Related articles:
— Video for DVD: Understanding MPEG-2 Compression
— Software MPEG Encoders: Ligos LSX-MPEG Suite
— Software MPEG Encoders: Cinema Craft Encoder Lite
Related sites:
— Heuris Logic Inc. (www.Heuris.com)
Ralph LaBarge is an award winning DVD title developer based in Gambrills, Maryland. He has completed over 200 DVD projects to date, including AVIA Guide to Home Theatre, Coral Sea Dreaming, Mars: The Red Planet, StarGaze and the NAXOS Musical Journey series. Mr. LaBarge can be reached via email at rlabarge@alphadvd.com.
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