Entertainment 2.0 Blog by a VMC Evangelist
  • Dec
    6

    Encode 360

    Filed under: Apps and Add-ons;

    If you’re like me and you use the Xbox 360 as an extender, you’ve learned all too well that Microsoft has created a beast which does what it does well, but not perfectly.  One of the major flaws is that the 360, while using the Media Center UI, won’t allow you to stream many common video codecs from your media PC.  You’ve all heard me complain about this so it’s not a new topic.

    Today I want to help.  While the process does involve an extra step and while it takes a little time, it will allow you to view your video files on any extender in your home as well as other Media Center devices.

    I recently contacted Dan Cunningham to do an interview for the podcast regarding his Encode 360 application.  Unfortunately, due to scheduling, neither of us were able to come up with a good time to speak.  The good part is that Dan was willing to answer some questions via email and I of course wanted to share them here! 

    1. Where did the idea for Encode360 start?

    I originally had a chipped X-Box with XBMC. After upgrading to a 360, I was in a bit of a bind as regards watching pretty much anything that wasn’t WMV. I found Transcode360 which did a great job at the time, although there were some issues around streaming and in general, quality. Then when I upgraded my home machine to Vista, Transcode360 didn’t work!

    So I looked into re-encoding options and found a small batch script that Bernard Maltais had been working on (http://happybeggar.com/2006/11/09/new-method-of-transcoding-based-on-windows-media-encoder-9/). From there, the project grew from a simple command-line batch file into a fully-fledged .NET UI.

     

    2. How long did it take to get the program where you were ready to release it?

    There were a lot, a LOT of iterations of Encode360. From initial script to the first beta was about 2 weeks back in November 2006, with most of the development taking place over the next 6 or so weeks as I really got stuck into how Windows Media Encoder worked and the automation objects. I had very little knowledge of video encoding prior to then, and to be honest, I’m still utterly baffled by most of it :)

     

    3. With the release of the EncodeHD beta, you’re moving away from the 360 a bit. Was this planned from the beginning and will Encode360 be updated with more changes?

    Encode360 is officially dead in the water I’m afraid. Microsoft no longer supports Windows Media Encoder, and there’s just too many problems with using this as an engine to drive encoding. The support forums were littered with issues I had absolutely no control over, so it was either kill Encode360 with nothing to replace it, or move onto something new. EncodeHD is the something new! For X360 users, it may not be exactly what they want, as right now, there’s no 5.1 support, and no subtitle support. This might change, if Microsoft decide to place nice.

     

    4. Do you think that Microsoft will ever support a majority of codecs on the 360? Why or why not?

    I think Microsoft is still pushing WMV as the ‘format of choice’ - it’s evident with the X360, Zune, and now Silverlight (MS’s Flash alternative). They’ve built a whole suite of tools to take advantage of the WMV format and I think they’ll always limit their implementation of other formats to protect this investment. Add to that, licensing costs, development time, and support; I think you’ve got your answer right there.

     

    5. Do you think they should?

    Hmmm, I can see why they wouldn’t. I suppose it comes down to the customer deciding whether to buy their product as a result of the limitations. I pretty much knew what I was getting myself into when I bought the X360. It’s a game system first, media player second. From the outset it was clear what formats were supported. If I had wanted a media center, I would’ve bought a HTPC. Basically what I’m saying is, I’m not blaming Microsoft for not supporting the file format I want. If they add it in an update, that’s great though.

     

    6. Do you have any other apps in development along the same lines?

    Is EncodeHD not enough?! :) I’m currently playing with Cocoa (Mac) development. I have some interesting ideas for the iPhone in the Enterprise that I’d like to proof-of-concept. Objective-C is tough stuff though when you come from a VB background.

     

    7. Will you be updating Encode360/EncodeHD to work on Windows 7 when the time is right?

    Well, EncodeHD is based on FFmpeg, which is constantly in development and has been for years and years, and is used by literally dozens of open-source applications (see here for a list: http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/projects.html). I expect that FFmpeg is going to work out of the box on Windows 7, as will EncodeHD. Encode360, hmm, not so sure. It’s already a bit flakey on Vista, and particularly flakey on 64-bit OSes. EncodeHD shouldn’t suffer these problems.

     

    8. Can you give any tips on how to get the best performance possible while encoding as quickly as possible?

    With Encode360, it’s difficult to say and depends on the quality output you’re looking for. To encode pretty decent quality video (say, from a TV show), I always stuck with the defaults - and definitely wouldn’t use WVC1.

    For EncodeHD - that’s simple:

    Step 1 - Drag and drop in your files

    Step 2 - Select your target device

    Step 3 - Click Start

     

    You may see throughout the interview the mention of EncodeHD.  This is Dan’s latest application which is currently in beta.  EncodeHD introduces some new features and moves away from the 360 but is still shaping up to be a great app.  One of the changes is that EncodeHD converts your files to MPEG-4 and H.264. 

    Also, while exchanging emails with Dan, his new site went live.  If you head over, you’ll find pages for both Encode 360 and the all new EncodeHD. 

    Personally, I use Encode 360 quite regularly.  Weather I’m changing AVIs or MKVs, the application handles it without issue.  Converting files formats is a long process no matter what application you use.  One of my favorite features is the ability to batch process.  I can setup as many files to convert as I want and walk away.  This is great for converting full TV seasons from archived DVDs.  Another excellent feature is the ability to choose the quality and resolution of your encodings.  Higher resolutions of course take longer to convert but Encode360 does an excellent job.  Depending on the source file (of course), I’ve been able to get HD quality WMVs.  These look excellent on my 57 inch HDTV.  No pixelization or distortion like I’ve had with other encoding options. 

    Dan has been good enough to include an option specifically for encoding your files for the Zune as well.  Anyone who has a Zune knows that the software can take a long time to convert files and, again with MS, only handles certain file types.  Encode360 converts faster and will allow you to put any format you’d like on your portable device.  Mine is currently running to convert all seven seasons of Star Trek: TNG for use on my Zune.

    All in all, I have yet to find an application that will convert your video as easily and with the quality of Encode360.  Quality of course is always tied to your source file but, much like other things in life, you’ll get out of it what you put into it.

    Thank you to Dan for taking time to answer my questions.  Also, thanks for the work you put into this great application!

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