VSS H.264 Codec Pro VFW Video Encoding Guide

I. Introduction

This document is to help you to get started with VSS H.264 Codec Pro VFW software. The idea is to use a standard video processing tool in combination with the codec to demonstrate high quality video encoding.

II. Video Encoding Instructions

1. Software Installation

Download and install the following software:

• VirtualDub is a freely available video capture/processing utility for 32-bit Windows platforms (98/NT/2000/XP), licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
  
• VSS H.264 Codec Pro VFW (vsshvfw.dll)

2. Start VirtualDub and open input AVI file

For the demo we are using standard CCIR15 "Flower Garden" sequence. You may open any other uncompressed video file in the AVI format.

Go to [File => Open video file], select desired AVI file and click Open to open the file.

3. Select VSS H.264 Codec for compression

Go to [Video => Compression], select VSS H.264 Video Codec from the list of codecs available and click OK button.

4. Setup VSS H.264 Codec for desired output quality

• Go to [Video => Compression], select VSS H.264 Codec from the list of codecs available and click Configure button.
  VSS H264 properties window is displayed with the General page activated.
• Select the type of the input video material. Leave this selection "progressive" if you do not know exactly or cannot determine input video type.
• Now select output target application. Playback means that you are going to prepare regular video clip. Streaming means that the video will be transmitted via network with limited bandwidth.
• Type "2500" in the bitrate editbox. The codec will try to achieve this desired limit. The default value of 1000 is not enought for processing of D1 resulution sequence.
• Keyframe interval means maximum number of frames between key frames. For typical video the greater the better, so leave "300" by default in conjunction with scene change detect mechanism enabled. Scene change detection feature is able to detect beginning of a new scene automatically if enabled. The codec will mark this place with a key frame.
• Choosing Operation mode:
  • live (baseline profile) Use "realtime - live encoding" mode for slow CPUs or when you need a very quick result or for live capture or streaming.
  • fast (baseline profile) This mode is a "normal quality fast encoding", which provides a bit nicer picture with a small performance penalty.
  • good (main profile without b-frames) This mode is designed for optimal trade off between performance / quality.
  • best (main profile with b-frames) "Best quality encoding" mode allows for maximum output image quality available.
• The other two tabs of the dialog are for advanced encoding so leave them unchanged.
• Press the OK button when finished.

Now you are ready to start the process.

5. Start the encoding process

• In the VirtualDub menu go to [File => Save As AVI...], and type desired output file name (e.g. "output.avi") in the File name editbox.
  Click Save to start the process.

• Current operation status including the speed of encode process (Video rendering rate field) will be displayed in the popup VirtualDub Status window.

• Wait till the encoding process process is finished.

6. Congratulations!

Now you can play the encoded video with any standard applicaton such as Windows Media Player.