AN.ONYMOUS  A COMPARISON OF "MPEG Streamclip" (MPS) and "Hand Brake" (HB):

After hundreds of tests from VOB files, parametered using HB's profuse help menus, forums and links, I could NEVER reach the same quality as with MPS whose Multiplepass and B-Frames options were selected. This was aiming at the same quality level (70 % = almost perfect) for both HB and MPS.

MPS systematically provided better color rendition and contrast, whatever HB's parameters were. All was tested on 4 readers : MpegStreamClip, Movist, VLC and NicePlayer.

For comparable results, always with an advantage for MPS, it seemed that HB was a bit slower.

Moreover, MPS can (almost always) repair the timecode ruptures that are frequent and hang HB (sometimes causing an overflow of the disk space, because HB's log becomes enormous or its first pass stores endless information). On other occasions HB could also hang my Mac, forcing me to reboot, a most seldom thing on a MacBookPro with OSX 10.6.5 and 2G memory that never happened with MPS.

Finally, while my tests of HB often ended with unreadable files (typically when the Pyramidal B-Frames or the 8x8 BCT options were checked), MPS never produced an unreadable file.

Therefore, I now use systematically MPS and I recommend it.

HOWEVER, HB has some advantages over MPS:

- it does a better job when there are blocks of pixels. It can mould them into a finer grain, so that no block is visible anymore. For example, the 7 Gb of the DVD "The deer hunter" contains many scenes where blocks of pixels are visible. Using HB, they are no longer visible. However, it comes at the expense of a small contrast loss (a frequent and limited drawback of HB)

- HB can read and code.WMV files, while MPS is not able to read more than 3 minutes unless a complementary encoder is paid (Flip4Mac ?)

- HB has a good batch processing function. MPS does not offer this most useful possibility.

- HB might beat MPS when shorter files are aimed at. I did not test this hypothesis, because I aimed at the same quality as the original (or better quality when blocks of pixels where bothering in the original DVD).

- HB provides a good management of the subtitles. MPS is a disaster in this regard.

To sum, although HB should be able to provide the same quality as MMPS, provided that its parameters are "equivalent" to those (unknown) of MPS, I could never find this eventual HB parametering. MPS provides better results (contrast, colors, details) in a slightly shorter time than HB and is much more simple and safer to use.

If you are looking for quality and are ready to spend an average 3 to 4 hours per movie, without a batch capacity and loosing the subtitles, MPS is definitely the right application.

If you have doubts, I suggest that you buy this movie "City of Angels", with Meg Ryan and Nick Cage and test the scene of the sunset on the beach (6th minute) with MPS and HB, you will see...   
(Version 1.9.3b3)

AVIDMACSTER  This is by far one of the "must-have" software utilities to have

at zero cost, no restrictions! Especially if you youtube, use mp3's,

imovie, and video really, and tend to sometimes burn a cd/dvd.

It works with most firefox video download addons(just spotlight

after download completes, and click on file). It is an awesome

converter for any type, both video and audio. User interface is

incredibly friendly and to the point without confusing eyecandy.

I found my way around and even edited in and out points no problem

after playing with a bit. It can wipe sound off video and save

leaving you to dub over video or save as mp3 to listen to. I'm not

sure why you'd need separate mp3 converter when this covers it.

Quality is maintained when converting video to various other formats

and you have much control of parameters! (fine-tuning visual quality).

I personally like to save in MP4.

Before you download various software to start your own mac video

production for youtube, myspace, etc, try this one first! You may

find it does quite a bit alone! It follows the motto: keep it simple

keep it close to complete(not much missing), and keep it 100% FREE  
(Version 1.9.3b3)

AN.ONYMOUS  Version 1.9.b3 is now able to read entire large films in Snow Leopard. A most appreciated upgrade.

The only major drawback left with this excellent app is the impossibility to select the audio channel when editing .VOB files into .mp4 files. The edited file is exclusively saved into the first channel.

A preference enabling to choose the preferred output language, like in Handbrake, would be much appreciated.  
(Version 1.9.3b3)

DOUGSTER  Brilliant,reliable software that I use every day.And it's free.Excellent.  
(Version 1.9.3b3)

AN.ONYMOUS  A. I never said that MPegStreamclip attempted to edit MTS.

B. I prefer free softwares that do everything well, too.

C. As I found nothing satisfactory for MTS on the Mac (thank you Apple and the total mess they have achieved with QuickTime), I was very happy and still am to use MTSConverter.

To sum : I see nothing specific in Corpsecorps comments that would justify that I change my mind about MTSConverter.  
(Version 1.9.3b2)

AN.ONYMOUS  Since MPeg Streamclip is not able to read and convert more than 5 minutes of a HQ film in Snow Leopar and also because I needed an app. to edit MTS films (the new standard in HQ movie cameras, for which Apple has made very little effort until now) I have tried a new product called MTS Converter. MTS Converter is cheap, very easy to use and versatile. It converts almost every movie in almost any format. The only drawback is that it is much slower than Mpeg Streamclip (for those format available in Mpeg steamclip).

For those with DHCP movies to use in a Mac I recommend this MTS Converter app. I also found the support for this application both responsive and efficient.  
(Version 1.9.3b2)

MIKILC  Have just opdated to latest version and the installer refuses to eject from my desktop. Any suggestions how to remove it?  
(Version 1.9.3b2)

AN.ONYMOUS  In addition to its being free, this app has many qualities, in particular it converts from .wmv and .mov without the burden of so called "free" Flip4Mac and it can import HD, flv and .mp4 directly from a website. It is also quicker than QT 7 (not a surprise given the slowliness of clumsy QT).

However :

- the editing of the movie's saturation and hue is not available

- there is no real time static preview (image) of the quality editing

- MORE SERIOUSLY : MPEG Streamclip is not able to read more than a few minustes of a .WMV film on intel+10.6.2 Snow Leopard. Unlike with other configurations, it stops as if it had reached the end of the film.

It looks as if the latest upgrades of MPEG Streamclip were very limited.I hope that this nice product will soon be more completely updated.  
(Version 1.9.3b2)

MILA06  is the project is abandoned ?

i have many probleme to convert .ts vidéo from french adsl Freebox

the vidéo is from ArteHD channel

Vlc can read it

but Mpeg Streamclip cannot convert it

Sometime Handbrake can do it but not every time...

any help is welcome  
(Version 1.9.3b2)

HOTFUSION  Maybe it was just me. I just tried it again and it's working fine. I had a few niggling problems with a couple of apps after upgrading that seem to have been fixed with a permissions repair, so maybe that's all there was to it. Thanks though...  
(Version 1.9.3b2)