LEOPOLDBLOOM  Funny that you're having so much trouble with RipIt. I know that most of the issues with Toast were supposed to have been fixed. I haven't had any problems with RipIt in quite some time. It rips everything and its output works fine for me in DVD2oneX and HandBrake (usually, though I also use Toast 10 occasionally).

Reviews on FastDVDCopy are very mixed, and it hasn't been updated since Nov. 2007, so, regardless of anything else, I could see it having issues with newer disks--DVD rippers need to be consistently updated in order to keep up with copy protection. Plus it's 100 bucks. Whatever works for you I guess, but I can't see that app being a viable alternative to RipIt for most people, considering the price and its apparent lack of current development.  
(Version 1.2.4)

CORPSECORPS  A long time since FastDVDCopy was updated, during which the movie studios have have been hard at work creating new tricks. You must be very lucky, or ripping old discs.  
(Version 1.2.5)

LEPPE  Heh??? You can adjust all the standard settings in Turbo.264 (and you can make your own presets) so you can improve quality just like like in Handbrake.

In Turbo.264 you have standard settings like "iPod High, iPod standard, etc." and if you press "edit" in the same pull down menu you are able to set things (quality, audio) just like you want.

For example:

Video settings in Turbo.264:

-Size: resolution

-Aspect Ratio: 4:3, 14:9, 16:9, wide

-Overscan

-Framerate: all the standards from 15 to 30 but also custom!

-Data Rate

Audio settings in Turbo.264:

-Sample Rate: 24000, 32000, 44100 & 48000 khz

-Channels: Mono/Stereo

-Data Rate: from 64 to 160 kbps

And it also depends on the source file...

What about speed?

I can't believe that Handbrake comes even close! Did you ever converted a 2 houres long high quality movie with both apps?

Never the less, if you don't like Turbo.264 you can always use Quicktime. The Elgato turbo 264 stick is fully integrated with Quicktime and gives you even more speed (just a few fps). And you also can use the x264 software based codec in Quicktime.

Handbrake is a good product and free. But you can't compare, in my opinion, both programs.

One program (Turbo.264) is for a hardware codec baked in a microchip (the Elgato turbo 264) and the other program is using the x264 software based codec.

If you want speed (64bits with more then 4Gb RAM Macs) in Handbrake you lose compability with iTunes, iPod, Apple TV...

A person is free to use what he thinks is the best.

I quote you: "But once I recently encoded a movie using Handbrake I will NOT go back to Turbo.264." end quote.

Did you even tried version 1.3?

Did you even tried other video/audio settings or even Quicktime?

Before I bought Elgatos Turbo 264 stick I tried many programs! Handbrake but also shareware with big promises... For me this is the best solution!

I converted my entire Video folder with Turbu.264. 60 Gb of video files I had collected over the years and in various formats in just a few days ;-).

I realy can't complain about the quality. It's well done and I also have much more extra space on my HD thanks to the program.

I wonder how long Handbrake would take for the same job?

With kind regards.  
(Version 1.3)

VUDUIMAGING  http://forums.elgato.com/viewtopic.php?f=85&t=2217  
(Version 1.3)

LEPPE  I can see what you mean now. A little bit more comment or info is sometimes very useful ;).

I understand from the link that this lack of sharpness only happens with the Turbo.264 program? But you still can use your Elgato stick with other programs? Or am I wrong?

I'm afraid that the Elgato hardware (the stick) is a program (a codec) in a microchip. So you can't change that... It's not a codec in a chip you can program (like a firmware microchip)...

And I don't believe there is even firmware.

I think this is just a software problem in the Turbo.264 program because it does not happens in other programs with the stick. Or am I wrong here?

Have you tested this version? The forum thread is from januari, so maybe and hopefully for you this is solved now?

Any feedback would be welcome on this issue!

I also own an Apple TV and never used the Turbo.264 for movies. Just for programs I recorded with EyeTV.

So feedback would be very welcome!

How is the feedback and support from Elgato?

With kind regards and thanks for the link!

BTW: The movies I converted with version 1.2 are sharp on my Apple screen. It's also sharp on my iPod Touch.

And the programs from EyeTV that I sync with the Apple TV are also converted with Turbo.264 and are sharp (the only thing I do is not converting from whitin EyeTV because of an ugly border on my PHILIPS LCD TV. Instead I drag the recordings from the folder to the software and then I don't have this issue).

BTW2: The bugs I have need to be checked with the new 1.3 version and the new 3.0.2 version from EyeTV!!!

So you see, I have bugs too :-). But for the moment only very small ones... Which I'm almost sure they will solve in time...

BTW3: I'm still convinced this Turbo 264 USB stick is a great product! The software is user friendly and is evolving...

I never used software which is bugfree. Bugfree software simply does not excist! Even the best OS on the planet has bugs ;-). And believe me, as a betatester for several companies I know about bugs... There is no such thing as bugfree software.  
(Version 1.3)

VUDUIMAGING  I absolutely LOVE the idea of having a hardware encoding module and that's why I initially bought it. Now in my experience I tried setting the setting to the highest possible and was getting about a 1.25GB to 2GB file from Turbo.264. Once I used Handbrake and compared the two outputs I could see what they where talking about in those forums. Although I have to admit in using Handbrake I could easily set the target file size (which I set at 3000MB). So in Handbrake I am getting 2.93GB files.

I never did a (for example) 2GB vs. 2GB side by side test.

Also a 3GB H.264 final file is good with me file size-wise. I could get about 635 movies onto one 2TB hard drive and all the movie be awesome quality. NICE!

I wanted to be able to get a bigger file size out of Turbo.264 but couldn't figure out how to get there. Maybe if it was possible to set a target file size (and that being 1GB larger than I could get) than the clarity would be better. But I just couldn't find a setting in the software to do that. Handbrake does take longer for certain though.

And another thing... I have an AppleTV and a 52" 1080p LCD TV. I am very impressed that I am encoding a SD movie (from DVD) and playing it on my 1080p and getting the results I am. I was looking through samples last night and viewing I AM LEGEND. There were parts where I could see all the pours on Will Smith's face. So I am NOT worried at all about going from SD DVD movies to a 1080p HD TV after seeing what I saw. In the beginning I did not think I would be getting that good results.

So... it would be nice to see them add TARGET FILE SIZE to the Turbo.264 software. Then I would love to try it again.

The issue is I have about 800 DVD movies that I am wanting to convert down to H.264. And yes it is going to be an ongoing project.

But it is so cool (and has been my plan for along time) to be able to sit down on my couch and simply scroll through my TV screen and hit play for any movie I own and it just starts right up.

-Josh  
(Version 1.3)