KVCD Encoder - It's about to happen.
 

@All,

Stay tuned for more details in the next following days.

-kwag

great news Kwag.

8)

cool
can't wait :)

Hya :),
Just keep us updated Karl :D .
And don't forget to give us all the details 8)
Hope it can beat what we have seen lately, especially from the libavcodec scene.
Cheers

@All,

Thanks :!:

Of course :cool: Not yet ;) We'll see about that :!:
All I can say is that I'm currently finishing tle CAL (Codec Abstraction Layer) code, which will permit several commercial/freeware Codecs to be selected.
Including libavcodec, and YMPEG (as I already got permission from Yusuf Motiwala about a month ago ( Thanks Yusuf) ;) ) to incorporate his Codec into the encoder.
Although the encoder will be able to use YMPEG, anyone who wants to encode MPEG-2 must purchase YMPEG, because as a commercial encoder (YMPEG), royalties must be paid to the MPEGLA group.
Basically, the goal of The KVCD Encoder (when it's completed, and reaches version 1.0 ) is that it will be a "Multi Codec" encoder, which will enable anyone to select from a set of external Codecs.
It will not be tightly bound to a single Codec, as the current encoders in the scene.
When will it reach version 1.0 :?:
I don't know, but I guess you all know how I spit out code ;)

-kwag

Hya Karl :D,
By going multicodec it will already be better than other encoders currently in the scene :D
Sure can't wait to see it in action :D

That is understandable, of course ;-)

Then that means by Christmas time we'll already be encoding with 1.0 :ole:
Just kidding :lol:
Cheers

Are you kidding 8O :!: :!: :!: :!::!: :!::!: :!::!: :!::!: :!:

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I should have a workable version in a week or so, and version 1.0 before the end of November (If all goes well!) ;)

-kwag

@Kwag: I don't understand, sorry.

DIKO use all you are saying and also can encode to mpeg2, for free.
(not YMPEG of course)
Except for OGG, RMVB and MOV files, but I don't know any capture card straight to those formats.
If here we now are talking only about dvd -> K or capture -> K, why DIKO is gone?
Doesn't KVCD Encoder will bring back here all that stuff that you are avoiding now?
How much will cost us KVCD Encoder?
Thanks.

Of course I knew you would give us a new toy before Xmas 8O
I was just checking if you were paying any attention to what I wrote :rotf:
But then we'll have to send you pain killer pills because your fingers and your head will hurt :lol:
Cheers buddy

@Pro
Hi buddy.
See, Karl wants to use severall codecs and not just limit the KVCD encoder to one codec.
That will give us one full featured wrapper able to use libavcodec or Ympeg or whatever codec we choose as the best of the best for K encodings.
More, DIKO was born as a DivX->KDVD encoder.
Now, since AVI captures are allowed at KVCD.net, Karl may even use an AVI parser for input but we will never allow the name DivX to be connected with the KVCD encoder as DIKO was.
More, I believe that the parser used for AVI input may even be programmed to ban DivX/XviD input.
Is this possible Karl?
About how much it will cost us I really don't know but remember that DIKO Gold is not free also.
And DIKO is gone because vmesquita put up his own forum.
Cheers Pro :)

Thanks rds.

No problem Pro, but I also would like to know Karl's words about it :)
Cheers

Check your PM :)

-kwag

Sure :)
But I won't cripple the input of the encoder ;)
Anyone is free to encode what he wants :)
Sure, the FourCC code, etc. could be checked and "blocked", but why would I do that :lol: Well, I think that the way registrations are going for KVCD.Net, that's one of the reasons I am "Highly Motivated" to continue on software development and tools :D
This registrations actually help pay for the web hosting, site maintenance costs, and also development time ;)
So the way I see it, The KVCD Encoder will be free, just because of this.
Or at least for a VERY long time, and many versions to come.
I have also looked into several commercial Codecs, which require royalties (again for MPEGLA), and maybe there will be a small charge for a "Professional Version", which bundles other less known Codecs, which some companies prefer.
Who knows. Time and many factors will tell.

-kwag

:D

@Karl,
Again thanks for clarifying things buddy :D
Now go back to coding the KVCD encoder :lol: (kidding you)
Cheers

batch encoding
 

will this kvcd encoder have batch encoding ability

Re: batch encoding
 

There are other priorities first, but there's a big block diagram full of features that will probably make some people go Berzerk when they see the first version :)

-kwag

Re: batch encoding
 

Hi Karl :),
Even if it is not born with it in v1.0 I believe this is one major feature that we're lacking since we started "abandoning" Tmpgenc.
Just remember to put it in a wish list.
BTW how about a wish list thread?
Not for the 1st Alphas but for being integrated in the first stable?
Cheers

Re: batch encoding
 

Sure, but after it's all functional and useable :) Not yet ;) A wish list thread will be opened, once the 1.0 is out.
I'm sure the wish list will be small, as all (most?) of our wishes will already be in the program ;)
I will also post a "TODO" list and a full "Features" and "Pending Features", when the first beta is out.

-kwag

hey kwag, will this run under linux?
thnx,
ren

Hi Ren :),
So far I know that Karl is going to do it most probably in PB.
And I know that there is already PB for linux and PB for Mac OSX is about to go public.
The problem will be basically with the inside codecs being or not multi platform.
Let's see what codecs he'll choose.
Right now I think it will be down to libavcodec which is in fact multi platform.
But there are a bunch of them that can be used as well.
Cheers pal

So whats this encoder then? In easy to grasp terms is it a DIKO for DVD only sources? If it's free, then will it eclipse DIKO GOLD (where you have to pay to convert properly from DVD)? If it requires payment then will it be a direct competitor to DIKO GOLD?

Sorry, I only ask cos to me its not obvious. :?

Hi figerbob :)
Here's what Karl thinks about being paid.
The frontend or GUI (like DIKO) will be free at least for a looong time.
But the codecs used inside may have to be paid like tmpgenc mpeg-2 encoding is paid but not mpeg-1 ;-)
So anything that the KVCD Encoder charges for is for th MPEGLA if it chooses to use commercial codecs.
That is not the case with libavcodec :!:
Cheers

Right so, its gonna be free for some time...

But what benefit is there in using this 'encoder' over something as good as DIKO? If it's cos it lets you encode DVD to KDVD/KVCD as accurately as DIKO GOLD but for no cost, then this just sounds like how DIKO was in the early days before VMesquita decided it was about time he made a profit for his labours.

If this 'encoder' proves popular (which, if its a Kwag product its bound to) then eventually he's gonna want to reap the benefits and then we're back at the same situation that DIKO reached.

Am I looking at this the wrong way :?:

@Karl

Go go go ... ;)
:crashed: :expert: :dark:

Basically you are.
If users come to register here and they pay the small amount for the registration it is most likely that Karl will let the encoder free for a long long time just as he said.
But I am just reading between the lines of what he wrote ;-)
Cheers

Can't wait anymore!

What? Still have to wait 2 week!?
:bawl: :bawl:

Salu2
Fabrice

Kwag, I dont think its about the royalties as much as greed.
I dont mean to bash YMPEG, I love YMPEG and have used it since it first was released. But I think to much is charged for it, if it was $10 or so, I would understand, but $24.95 is pretty ridiculous IMHO. Than again im not the guy who spent night after night coding my butt off on it, and it is his product, but these are the royalties due to mpegla.

Well, that would mean he's making around $20.00 (after PayPal charges), and that's still cheaper than TMPGEnc :)
I consider that a very reasonable price, for the efforts and time that are involved in creating an encoder.
I still think that TMPGEnc is too cheap, and commercial MPEG encoder prices should be around what MainConcept charges. CCE is just way too high.
I'm a little worried about how I will release this encoder, that is, the mechanics and legalities.
If I release the encoder bundled with avcodec/avformat, etc., I'm bound to be contacted by MPEGLA for royalties, because that's the law.
Unless I strictly disable all MPEG-2 encodings, and only supply the MPEG-2 version via a small purchase, which will cover the MPEGLA royalties, which I would have to send to them on every sale.
As I said before, I'm still evaluating other Codecs, so in the mean time, this is still in the design phase.

-kwag

Why or how then there is a lot of software freeware that plays mpeg2?

Guess :?:
Every software that produces MPEG-2 streams or decodes MPEG-2, by law, has to pay them royalties.
So I guess there's a lot of illegal encoders/decoders out there :roll:

http://www.mpegla.com/m2/m2-faq.cfm
And
http://www.mpegla.com/m2/


-kwag

If you dont distribute binaries you dont have to pay royalties.

So, I'm the one who sould pay royallties, if I compile mencoder (for example), to make my own encoding?!
Because I don't see anything about private use...

Salu2
Fabrice

Well, you could distribute source with code relating to avcodec/avformat commented out. It's out of your hands if people would compile it themselves with avcodec/avformat enabled :lol:.

You are not responsible for royalties if you are creating an interface for other encoders. That ofcourse does not apply to avcodec because royalties have not been paid for its use, and you would be treated as the distributor.

If you only distribute sources, you don't need to worry about licensing because you aren't distributing an encoder or decoder. Xvid and libavcodec use that trick all the time to get around license fees.

Hi Latexxx,
Does that mean that Karl could code it's GUI/Wrapper and include libavcodec sources with it, but he can't distribute it (libavcodec) as a DLL or as a EXE otherwise he or we would have to pay fees?
I'm sorry but I am not really understanding the way it works :roll:
Cheers

Thanks guys :)
Well, if that's the case, then I might just point to mplayer's site so people download the sources. Or to other sites that have precompiled dll's :lol:
I might as well do that, because I have no intention on modifying the library, so I can just point to their site, and I don't have to include sources because of the same reason I won't change them.
But as to releasing the actual GUI sources (it's going to be more than that :cool: ), that's out of the question.

UPDATE: I am almost done translating all needed C Header file definitions to PB, and last night I finally had a clean compile, calling several internal DLL calls :!:
Now it's 'Bug Time", finding out where I screwed up, specially in the structures, data types/pointer mappings to PB equivalents.
I hope to have a simple command line encoder soon, after I correctly validate all the needed DLL calls. So far, many calls succeed, and many blow up in my face :D (which was to be expected).
Once I get past that roadblock, the first GUI (version 0.0000001? :lol: ) should be out in a matter of days (hours?) ;) ;)

-kwag

Any progress?

Yes, but not ready for another couple of days :)
The last 2 days have been WORK, and no play :(

-kwag