1. Installing and Updating:
Necessary codecs and programs:
Download links: .net framework 2.0 (if you don't already have it installed)
Megui needs Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 to work properly.
Code
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en
If you don't have .net framework installed you will probably get these errors:
1. megui.exe - Application Error - The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.
2. .Net framework initialization error. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack:
Code
http://www.codecguide.com/download_k-lite_codec_pack_mega.htm
Codecs, maybe the most important thing in this process...
Download them first and install. Avisynth:
Code
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/AviSynth.htm
Avisynth, the second most important thing. Nero Audio Codec:
Code
http://www.nero.com/eng/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php
Audio codecs (Nero Digital Audio) Third most important thing, you will be using this codec a lot. Explanation on how to use it, below. meGUI (main program):
Code
http://sourceforge.net/projects/megui/
install MeGUI, update it. (Update is a MUST! then load all profiles offered during the update!) Latest x264.exe version:(it has more and advanced options for encoding than the one during the meGUI update, just replace it in C:/meGUI/tools/x264.exe)
Make sure you download the proper version for your Windows (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7) check if it's x86 (32bit) or 64bit, of course that depends on your processor (CPU). 64bit processors have more operations than x86 (32bit) ones, allegedly meGUI works faster with 64bit x264.exe (library), but I haven't tried it yet, although x86 version of x264.exe works fine on 64bit systems, 64bit x264.exe does not work on x86 (32bit) systems. I can't bother with 64bit system (Windows) it's a pain in the ass mostly because of 64bit drivers for every single component Smile.
My present profiles that I use (HQ-Slow, Slower etc. included):
Code
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=871Q5Q35
2. Opening and Creating Avisynth
When you run the program, File/Open your source film,
(SOURCE MUST BE GOOD QUALITY -- HD, HDrip, DVDR, DVDrip or atleast R5 LINE --, don't bother with low quality sources) it will ask you to create AVS file, its mostly needed for resizing, cropping,filter information, and source path of course. Just untick/unselect the Resize, cause if you temper with the resolution it doesn't turns out quite well, so original resolution is fine without resizing.
Only HD and DVDR need to be resized and cropped!
3. x264
Make sure that codec is x264 and container/extension/File Format is MKV. Use HQ Slower profile (it takes some time to encode, for me its like 3.5hrs, and on dual core processors its around 2hrs.) or even HQ slow (not much faster but with less command lines). Experiment with it, look at other people rips (especially Adzapper's, then compare to your own), maybe you find even better profile than HQ slower.
I was testing Sharktooth's custom profiles that can be found here:
Code
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=101813
Latest profiles in newer MeGUI versions:
Code
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=139765
Does not means that they are better, I still use old profiles. 4. Audio
Select codec to be NDAAC (Nero Digital Audio Codec) Use profile NDAAC-HE-64kbs, then select Adaptive bitrate and set from 30-50kbs (thats enough for decent audio quality and extremely high compression!) or you can use LAME MP3, go to config, there is not much things you can do here just change the bitrate from 128 to 80 (below that, the sound isnt very good) click OK.
NDAAC (Nero Digital Audio) is one of the best codecs, probably even better than LAME cause it can do high audio compression while preserving decent audio quality at small bitrates.
When you download nero audio codecs, copy all the files (neroAacDec.exe, neroAacEnc.exe, neroAacEnc_SSE.exe, neroAacTag.exe) from extracted directory (win32) to C:/Program Files/MeGUI/. Do not copy the entire directory, only files.
5. Final Step
In the lower right corner you have "Autoencode" tab. Click on it.
Select a Container to be MKV (if it isn't already). This is where you decide the entire outcome/bitrate of the movie. Click "average bitrate" option and type the desired bitrate (example: 500kbs total, 450kbs goes to video 50kbs to audio, of course if audio is set to 50kbs if it is set to higher bitrates then it will lower video bitrate), that is depending on movie duration your size and bitrate will vary. Aim to get the size 1MB BELOW the targeted size, if its 300MB rip, aim to 299MB, if its 400MB rip, aim to 399MB (this is because of compressing with winrar so you dont get fourth rar file on 300MB rips that is like 1-2MB's)
Also you should cut the end credits of every movie (source), there are a lot of programs that can do that easily.
It's not about the size, its about entire quality of the movie outcome.
Those 5-10 minutes can mean A LOT to entire picture quality on final result.
I did this regulary, just forgot to mention. Cheers!
6. Encoding
In autoencode window click Queue. In upper left corner you have the tabs Input/Queue/Log. Click on Queue. Click Start. If no workers exist program will offer to create one!
And thats it. Now you have to wait , in my case 3 hrs.
