If you’re not sure where to get the best results when encoding H.264 video, you’re in the right place. Online video expert Jan Ozer surveys the five most popular options to help you find one that delivers high quality and fits in your budget.
- Adobe Media Encoder
- Apple Compressor
- Microsoft Expression Encoder
- Sorenson Squeeze
- Telestream Episode Pro
Ozer shows video samples from each, so you can see the results with your own eyes.
I am just curious why you didn’t also take the time to look at the free tool, FFMPEG ?
I could not get to the web link for the alternative apple codec, alas.
I’ve been using DV Kitchen, which seems pretty good; allows bitrate control for one. Love to see it compared.
Yes and Mpeg Streamclip too?
Umm, what bout free/open source encoders?? That included would be a more interesting review of landscape.
Wow, a lot of interest in free H.264 encoders. You’ll be happy to know that Jan is already working on that story. We’ll have it up soon.
Excellent comparison. I’ve read elsewhere about AME’s stellar performance. Apparently PP CS5 is taking the lead in the NLE front, reportedly driven by DSLR native editing.
How can Apple let FCP and Compressor lag so far behind? There are many hold-outs who’ve used FCP for several years and want to continue to use it, hoping this spring’s “jaw-dropping” revision will put FCP back on track.
Free encoders are soooo much more complete and updated much more often. Take a look at StaxRip or MeGUI.
how a comparison with Google ON2 replacement – WebM?
Hi, would be nice add Free OpenSource comparative, like FFMPEG, Memcoder or any other… and more like this work from Server Side and we can do batch process without GUI interface…
am goning to do a project based on h.264. so it helps me lot