FAQ: AEC options in Nero Recode 2

[cynthia]

AEC options in Nero Recode 2


Introduction:

The following trick is posted by michi90 in the afterdawn.com forum.

Nero Recode 2 works by default with AEC-Mode 'sharp (default)' - as known from DVD Shrink 3.2.

Especially for transcoding interlaced material (video) the 'maximum sharpness' setting does a much better job (Unbelievable difference. Try the different settings at 60 percent - You won't believe your eyes).

Until now I have been using DVD Shrink 3.2 with the 'maximum sharpness' setting even for progressive material, because it's much more precise than 'sharp (default)'. And this question of precision ist the point especially for interlaced material.

Nero Recode 2 gets even faster (same way like DVD Shrink 3.2) with 'maximum sharpness'.

As known that Nero Recode 2 is faster than DVD Shrink 3.2, why should I still use DVD Shrink?
This benefit of speed in Nero Recode 2 has a little disadvantage.
The resulting picture is not as sharp as transcoded with DVD Shrink. But this is a very small difference.

It's like the difference between MPEG2Dec3dg.dll (last DVD2AVI version) and DGDecode.dll (DGIndex). So maybe the activation of 'maximum sharpness' in Nero Recode 2 is a good compromise between DVD Shrinks 'maximum sharpness' and 'sharp (default)'.

What is AEC?

Adaptive Error Compensation or "AEC" as it is more commonly known is a quality enhancement feature released in DVD Shrink 3.2 and Nero Recode 2.

AEC provides the user with different compression algorithms that may improve the overall quality of your backup in conjunction with a deep analysis.

In this FAQ you can read more about what it is.

How to change the setting:

You can switch in Nero Recode 2 to 'maximum sharpness' by changing a special value inside the Windows Registry:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
"CompressMode"=dword:00000002 (this is 'sharp (default)')

change it to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
"CompressMode"=dword:00000003 (now 'maximum sharpness')

You can export the different Registry Settings to your desktop - so you can switch it easily before starting Nero Recode 2.

Credit: michi90

The settings for the various AEC options:

• Sharp - default:
  
  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
  "CompressMode"=dword:00000002
  
  
• Maximum sharpness:
  
  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
  "CompressMode"=dword:00000003
  
  
• Smooth:
  
  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
  "CompressMode"=dword:00000001
  
  
• Maximum smoothness:
  
  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ahead\Nero Recode\Preferences]
  "CompressMode"=dword:00000000

[lovelywaz]

Registry Keys for current version is not available.

[cynthia]

What happens if you create the label 'CompressMode'?

Could be that it's created during the first running with the program. Sounds odd that they have deleted it. Even more odd if they also have erased the code inside the program for the other three AEC modes.

[Dashiell]

If I may be so bold...


The registry keys are not actually created until you use the feature once (successfully).

I ran the new version pure (on a new pc) and I too thought I was looking in the wrong place, because the registry keys weren't there. Shrink one project and select both options.

Go back into the registry after you close the program and voila... the 'compressmode' key is now present.


Hope this helps.

(@Cynthia) Correct once again, m'lady.

[cynthia]

(@Cynthia) Correct once again, m'lady.

And I was only guessing that it should perform the same as DVD Shrink...

(DVD Shrink only creates the registry settings when you actually have started the program for the first time).

Thanks for taking the time to do the test.

[lovelywaz]

Thanks for information, I installed fresh copy so will do a back first with default settings.

[lovelywaz]

Still the same, there is no "compressed mode" in regeidt. Here is the screenshot



I tried both settings, 1 pass and 2 passes. Some new reg entries appeared after this but not "compressed mode".

[cynthia]

The movie/DVD you did - was it in need of 'shrinking'? If it already was below what will fit on a single disc.

I have 47 items in that registry. See the attached file.

[lovelywaz]

The movie/DVD you did - was it in need of 'shrinking'? If it already was below what will fit on a single disc.

I have 47 items in that registry. See the attached file.

I have one Songs Collection DVD and I recoded selected chapters individualy into Nero Digital (MP4). Should I Recode the whole DVD to get these settings or These settings are available only for DVD to DVD convertion. I am converting into Nero Digital(MP4) Format.

Regards,

lovelywaz

[cynthia]

Those AEC settings are only available in the DVD to DVD convertion. I think that if you select the first option - full DVD backup - you will see that the program creates those options for you in the registry.

[lovelywaz]

Thanks for explanation . Is there any way to increase quality for Nero Digital Format because it seems to me that Divx6 and xVid is better than Nero Digital

[michi90]

@ lovelywaz

So why don't you use VirtualDubMod (with the compression codec of your choice) ?
I' ve come to the conclusion that is better to use intelligent filter settings and use 1-pass quality-based (quantizer=2) than to do 2-pass.

for example (vcf for VDubMod using DivX Pro 5.05 for PAL 384x288):

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[0].Config(384,288,3);
VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("levels");
VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[1].Config(0x0000,0xDCEB,0x00FFFE8F,0x0000,0xFFFF, 1);
VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("Unsharp mask");
VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[2].Config(3, 0, 5, 2, 2, 2, 2, 0);
VirtualDub.subset.Delete();

This way you can control the level of quality.
In our times (DVDs) it doesn't make any sense anymore to aim a special size.

You can try to use VirtualDubMod (with active filters) as a framserver and open it with Recode Nero Digital Section if you want to.

[lovelywaz]

@ lovelywaz

So why don't you use VirtualDubMod (with the compression codec of your choice) ?
I' ve come to the conclusion that is better to use intelligent filter settings and use 1-pass quality-based (quantizer=2) than to do 2-pass.

for example (vcf for VDubMod using DivX Pro 5.05 for PAL 384x288):

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[0].Config(384,288,3);
VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("levels");
VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[1].Config(0x0000,0xDCEB,0x00FFFE8F,0x0000,0xFFFF, 1);
VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("Unsharp mask");
VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[2].Config(3, 0, 5, 2, 2, 2, 2, 0);
VirtualDub.subset.Delete();

This way you can control the level of quality.
In our times (DVDs) it doesn't make any sense anymore to aim a special size.

You can try to use VirtualDubMod (with active filters) as a framserver and open it with Recode Nero Digital Section if you want to.

Thanks for detailed information Will give it a try

[fishbulb]

I've just started experimenting w/ Nero to see how I like it. Is there a way to change the AEC settings other than going into the registry each time? Is the option not available to choose Max sharp, Max smooth, etc. in Recode 2 or am I overlooking it somehow?

[cynthia]

You need to go thru the windows registry to change the setting.