Record Directly To H.264

[BTJustice]

I did a search for "264" by topic and none turned up so I hope I am not asking an old question.

Is there any PVR software packages available that can record directly to H.264?  I am tired of recording to .MPG files just to have to convert them to .MP4 video files.

[Miller]

Well since analog uses mpg2 as its standard if you're using an analog tuner then you're kind of stuck. If you're using a digital tuner then the file is just written in the format it is sent in. The only thing I know of that uses h.264 and the mp4 container is the HDPVR. It's for recording analog HD from a cablebox. If that's your source then the switch would be fine. Otherwise you're stuck. You can set shows to automatically transcode for you though if you want with most pvr packages. Just curious, but why the need to have mp4 files?

[BTJustice]

After a lot of experimentation, the H.264 videos look better than XviD and look the same as the original .MPG recording, but are smaller.

[Craig]

It would be easier to buy a bigger Hard Drive. 

[Miller]

Not to try and change your mind, but I use xVid at 75% quality using AutoGK for my conversions and I can't tell the difference on my monitor or my 42" tv.

[BTJustice]

@Craig: I did that, lol.  All my recordings are on a 1 TB hard drive.

@Miller: Yes XviD is not bad, but H.264 is better.  The only thing that really sucks about H.264 is the time it takes to encode something to it properly.  Two pass is a must.

My TV card is a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1800.  It is a great TV card, but if something better comes out that does H.264, I would get it.

[Miller]

Yea, I used Handbrake to create h.264 files as well, I just wasn't convinced the extra time to encode and resources needed for playback was worth it. Each to their own though.

[BTJustice]

Yeah I agree.  I am hating the time it takes to do it right.

[BTJustice]

Just an update.

I have been using MCEBuddy to convert my .mpg recordings from GBPVR in the background to .mp4 files.  1000 video bit rate and 160 audio bit rate using the original fps look great.

Here is the code I am using in MCEBuddy (mencoder.conf) if anyone is interested.  I am not doing HD recordings.  If I was, I might use a video bitrate of 2000 or more instead of 1000...

[H264MP42P-1-1]
profile-desc="H.264 MP4 1000/160 TV         (No Resize, 2 Pass)"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=bitrate=1000:subq=6:frameref=6:qcomp=0.8:b_pyramid=yes:weight_b=yes:me=umh:partitions=p8x8,i4x4:bime=yes:brdo=yes:nodct_decimate=yes:trellis=1:direct_pred=auto:level_idc=30:nocabac=yes:threads=auto:pass=1
oac=faac=yes
faacopts=br=160:raw=yes:mpeg=4:tns=yes:object=2
of=lavf=yes
lavfopts=format=mp4
sws=9
#FileExtension=mp4
#Remux=yes
#Pass2=H264MP42P-2-1

[H264MP42P-2-1]
profile-desc="H.264 MP4 1000/160 TV         (No Resize, 2 Pass)"
vf=pullup,softskip,pp=fd,hqdn3d,harddup
lavdopts=threads=2
ovc=x264=yes
x264encopts=bitrate=1000:subq=6:frameref=6:qcomp=0.8:b_pyramid=yes:weight_b=yes:me=umh:partitions=p8x8,i4x4:bime=yes:brdo=yes:nodct_decimate=yes:trellis=1:direct_pred=auto:level_idc=30:nocabac=yes:threads=auto:pass=2
oac=faac=yes
faacopts=br=160:raw=yes:mpeg=4:tns=yes:object=2
of=lavf=yes
lavfopts=format=mp4
sws=9
#FileExtension=mp4
#Remux=yes

[Miller]

Thanks for that!!