I wouldn't reencode the files unless you have some reason with the originals. I've tried a few of their samples and I never had any problems loading them/tagging/playing that would warrant it.

Yeah i dont normally have any issues with the videos on mpeg4 format.
But i feel sometimes running them through to re-encode, takes off all the unwanted borders etc.

Trouble is, you're transcoding one lossy compressed file to another, you're always going to lose a bit of quality.

I would suggest you throw the files into MovieInfoBatch serato.com and if they're good, with enough keyframes and support internal metadata, then just use the original if you can.

Cheers mate, ill have a look into this.

Kind of went through different processes over the years, originally i was getting the DVD versions of the discs, which i was using dvd decrypter to get out the files etc.

Then went to the mpeg 2 versions, then finally settled for the mpeg 4 versions, as i thought they were much easier to 'handle'.

Dj Deano,

As this isn't specifically a help request regarding an issue with the software and more of a thread to gauge what other users do with files, I think you would be better having it in the Video discussion area.

I will move it there now :)

So if the keyframes are above 15-25, its best to re-do them with handbrake?

Sorry i meant if they are below 15, or over 25.

Re encode them?
Same with visuals also?

If you're running older/less-powerful hardware, or have keyframes set at some ridiculous value (or even have files encoded with NO keyframes at all, which I've seen with files from some "lesser" services)....then it's maybe worth worrying about.

I've used a setting of 24 for my own encodes for a long time, and they play just fine.

If you're not having playback problems, and you're seeing "reasonable" settings when viewing the files' characteristics in MovieBatchInfo, you'd probably be best off leaving the files alone.

If your main motivation is trimming the borders, you could re-encode the video and remux the new file with the audio from the original file (MPEG Streamclip can be used for that). That way you at least avoid degrading the audio.

Its just that i've been checking some of the videos and some are coming back at about 10 key frames.

I know when i used some visuals through ME it comes up with the 'higher' key frames so i would imagine these need doing.

A keyframe every 10 frames is more than strictly neeeded, but fine. Better too many than not enough.

My MixMash music videos were all fine but their visual loops definitely don't have enough keyframes, I had to re-encode all of those.

But are you actually seeing any playback issues?

Very low keyframe settings can cause more CPU load, but I'm guessing that with reasonably modern hardware that setting probably works okay.

The only keyframes scenario I've seen actually cause problems is some files I have from incompetent services (ones I haven't subscribed to in years). Some of them had no keyframes at all, or a ridiculously high setting (like over 100). Those files would play fine if you just ran them from the beginning, but any skipping around in the file (needle-dropping, cuepoints, whatever) would cause things to seriously lag for some seconds. A couple of them crashed Video-SL (Mix Emergency seemed more immune to that problem).

Im not really using the files out 'live' at the moment. i just was wanting to get all the collections in order first.

Previous software i used handled VOB files without an issue, in fact it handled everything you chucked at it.

I've just re-encoded one of the files which had about 10 keyframes originally when put through movie info batch, and after looking at the file information, the only difference is that the picture size had cropped a bit, and they keyframes now average 24.
All the audio and rest of the other information seems identical.

It might seem identical but it's not.

It's like taking a 320mp3, editing it and encoding as 320mp3 again. The second generation has been encoded using only the lossy information from the original file.

One might not notice much difference, in audio or video, but the difference IS there and you should avoid it if you don't NEED to do it.

Bah, getting sick now.
Haha.
Think i'll leave them alone, and just re-encode al the visuals.

Think ill only do the ones directly from DVD vob format, which isn't that many now.

Whitelabel videos.

Now that would be good!

Maybe serato should take note of that.