Where could I find a VQF codec?

[Szech]

I just discovered VQF, and I like it. I like it a lot. However, I can't find a codec for it anywhere, only stand-alone compressors. I'd like to be able to compress my DVD's with VQF instead of MP3, but I can't find any way of doing this without the codec. I'm using FlasKMPEG, and DivX, BTW.

Thanks http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[RobRich]

I generally prefer the Windows Media Video/Audio 8 codec for personal archiving. WMA-8 can privde near VHS quality video and audio with a single 250 Kbps stream or near DVD quality at 500 Kbps. Here is more info:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/compare/quality.asp

However, for more VQF info, check out the official VQF page:

http://vqf.com/

Good Luck,
Robert Richmond

[Szech]

Hmmm... Well, the only problem with that is that I archive them to CD-R. MP3 at 128Kbps barely fits, so 250 would definitely push it over.

I've scoured www.vqf.com (http://www.vqf.com) to no avail. Kind of a downer.

[RobRich]

I meant Windows Media 8 can handle BOTH VHS quality video AND audio within a SINGLE ~250 Kbps file/stream. I didn't mean that it is 250 Kbps for audio, then another 250 Kbps for video. This is an impressive codec, as it would take Real Media or QuickTime well over twice as much bandwidth to perform the same task.

WMA-8 is a superior compression format to both MPEG-4 for video and MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP-3) for audio. However, if you still want to use Divx for your video feed (why bother?), then you should still be able to use WMA-8 for audio. Just download the beta encoder from the link above to install both the video and audio codecs.

For just audio, a 64 Kbps WMA-8 stream can provide basically CD-quality sound. 96 Kbps is nearly equivalent to a 192 Kbps MP-3. Needless to say, this standard far exceeds VQF, Quicktime, and even Real Media for both clarity and compression.

Hope this helps,
Robert Richmond

[This message has been edited by RobRich (edited 02-22-2001).]

[otheos]

The WM8 codecs are not bad. I have compared it with DivX (MPEG4) and it's a fair alternative, but MPEG4 gives better quality and compression (i.e. in same size files the MPEG4 gives better quality). With 500kbps you get away with a decent quality in WM8, and in low bitrate cases WM8 may be the way to go. With 1150kbps (or even 800) MPEG4 give a better quality and same (if not smaller) size. Also DivX is more flexible as you can adjust keyfames, smoothness, plus you cannot use anything else to encode other than Media Encoder.

I think microsoft went a bit over the top with the nearVHS quality at 250kbps (noway near) and nearDVD at 500kbps (that's even funnier).

Personally I encode at 3000kbps with 96kbps audio @720x576, and this gives me 3CDs per 2 hour movie at DVD quality (ok near DVD but there is absolutely no difference).

as for VQF, it's good, but not to common. I find these new formats (like some picture formats) very interesting and use them, but when it comes to convince someone else to dowload a codec or viewer to open one of your files they go: just send me an mp3...