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ProCoderNO LONGER DEVELOPED |
Canopus ProCoder is a Professional high-speed, high-quality encoding and conversion of video to all popular formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, Windows Media, QuickTime, and more. Whether encoding MPEG video for DVD production, producing Windows Media for streaming or transcoding between NTSC and PAL, ProCoder 3 makes video format conversion quick and easy. Encode a single source to multiple targets simultaneously, run multiple conversion jobs back-to-back in batch mode, or use drag-and-drop preset icons to start conversion with a single click.
Full description. |
Payware ($500)  Win  Released: Size:1MB |
8.0/10
25 votes Guides Similar tools |
Read 25 comments 20424 views this month 4135708 total views |
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Latest version: 3.0 (April 28, 2007) Developer's site: Visit developer's site Sponsored software: Supported operating systems: Windows
Sections/Browse similar tools: Video Encoders / Converters, Video Encoders (AVI/WMV), Video Encoders (H264/MP4/MKV), Video Encoders (MPG/DVD) |
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User options: Email me when it has been updated Report this tool (dead link/new version) Version history:
Canopus Procoder 3 View full changelog This new version of ProCoder features a number of enhancements for today’s multi-format production needs: * More Mobile Video Format Support — With the addition of H.264 encoding and decoding, ProCoder 3 is ready to convert and produce for popular mobile video devices such as the Apple iPod® and Sony PSP™. * Added Assistance for EDIUS Production Workflows — The Canopus HQ codec is now included with ProCoder 3, allowing standalone encoding and decoding of Canopus HQ files without requiring Grass Valley EDIUS software installed on the machine with ProCoder. * Support for the AVCHD Camcorder Format — AVCHD decoding capability allows the conversion of video footage from the new generation of compact camcorders for editing, streaming and DVD production. * Encoding Speed Enhancements for Multi-core Systems — Grid Encoding support for MPEG-2 (Transport Stream) provides even greater encoding speed on modern multi-core and multi-CPU computer systems. This feature is automatically engaged when you choose the 'Preview DVD Target' or 'HDV Target' formats for encoding. * Dolby® Digital Audio Support — Common in DVD production as well as retransmission, ProCoder 3 supports Dolby Digital audio encoding for enhanced audio quality in less space. ProCoder 3 also allows you to add, swap, and remove individual channels of audio within the target format with the inbuilt channel mixer. All features / Full description: Professional high-speed, high-quality encoding and conversion of video to all popular formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, Windows Media, QuickTime, and more
Microsoft Windows XP and Vista compatible Grid encoding for MPEG-2 (transport stream, program stream) Support for multiple CPUs within one PC (including quad-core) Watch folder function for automated encoding Job queuing manager with priority functions Stitching of multiple source files to create a single file Multiple color-space support including YUV and RGB Aspect-ratio and NTSC/PAL conversion, frame-rate interpolation, and automatic adaptive deinterlacing 3:2 pulldown and inverse telecine Multi-pass VBR processing Full HD support for MPEG and Windows Media VOB file and DVD-video image creation with chapter points Save droplets for quick, drag-and-drop conversion Separate audio import/export options including multiplexing and audio mapping Export plug-in for Grass Valley EDIUS® nonlinear editing software Includes presets for Blu-ray authoring software
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Nice easy to use interface; encoder is a little slow though (I get about 12 fps on one source file -> PAL DVD, whereas with either MainConcept or Cinecraft I get more like 26-28fps for the same source and target settings). Apparently lacks a feature to take a source video and produce an output at a different frame rate without interpolating or doubling frames (i.e., like TMPegEnc's "do not frame rate convert" setting), but then most encoders seem to have this failing, so it's hard to hold it against them.
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Now, just because I gave it ratings of 10 all around doesn't mean I don't have some issues with the software. But the main issue might really be with my computer. I am humbled with a 1.3ghz Celeron and 256megs RAM. A 41-minute MPEG2 video takes slightly over 6 hours to convert from NTSC to PAL. So, if I had a CPU twice as fast (or better) and twice as much RAM (or better), conversion time could be significantly affected. In any case, while I will surely find other uses for this software, my primary reason for buying it (Procoder Express, not the 2.0 version) was to do NTSC-to-PAL conversion without jitter ... and with audio/video remaining in sync. On that score, Procoder Express does the job in spades ... which isn't bad for a $59 piece of software. Notes before you buy. Be sure to download and install DirectX 9 or newer ... and Quicktime 6.4 or newer. Both programs are needed for Procoder Express to work. And, some brief comments on earlier comments made here and in the forum. Yes, you do have to "activate" this software online much in the same way Windows XP requires it. This applies to both Procoder Express (what I have) and its expensive big brother, Procoder 2.0. It used to be that if you significantly upgraded your hardware, Canopus gave users a lot of grief about reactivation - and possibly even "stiffed" them. They now have a new policy (according to a sales call I made prior to buying it). All users are given 2 activation codes. If you reinstall it on a new computer, the first reinstall is a "gimme" ... and should activate without problem. But if you have to reinstall it a 2nd or subsequent time, you must first call tech support. They will verify your user account and "delete" the prior activation code ... so a new reinstall will have a new activation code provided. One final point. Initially, I downloaded a "demo" version to try it out. The demo version did not recognize AC3 audio. But, the full Procoder Express version does. Still, there's one niggly. When converting from NTSC to PAL, your source file might have M2V and AC3 components ... but the conversion will give you an M2V/MP2 result. It's just the nature of the beast. In short, those who want AC3 audio after such a conversion will have to demux their MPEG2 files and separately convert the MP2 file back to AC3 with ffmpegui or something similar.
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For me, re-registering Procoder after getting a new computer was not merely a pain; it was impossible. Canopus steadfastly ignored all my attempts to get a new registration code. I am now unable to use the software that I paid Canopus directly for. I have to rate Canopus as the most user-hostile publisher that I have ever encountered, and I certainly will never buy aything from them again.
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I have been using Procoder Express for several months now and it has worked flawlessly. The 'Watch' folder option is very useful. When I want to convert my PVR250 mpeg2 files to WMV or DivX I just direct the capture to the watch folder and it gets converted once the recording stops. This works especially well for multiple captures. The mpeg encoder is a quality encoder and is fairly fast. Not as fast as CCE Basic but still quite fast compared to TMPGenc. DivX 5 Pro does a good job as well. Re-registering is a bit of a pain but that is the wave of the future, more and more software is going that route.
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Ease of use - I gave it a 10 because it's simple to use. But I don't like it's walk-through that it does. I would just like to open it and set the settings and get the job done. Functionality - Here I gave it a five because I don't like the setup (walk-through). Value for money - A 7 here's as I wouldn't have spent my money else where if I knew what the setup was like. (it's not like the demo version) Overall score - 5 because of the childish walk-through and if you change your hardware, you have to update your registration key for it to work again. If you don't mind these things it will be great for you. Otherwise, you CCE Basic.
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Please don't post questions, this is NO support or discussion list. Use our forum for that. We will ban you from the forum if you post questions or other offensive comments here.
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Hello! I have problem installing Canopus Pro Coder 2.0 on my computer, which runs on WIN XP. After installation is done, the software gives me a warning message:" DO NOT FORGET TO DONGLE YOUR USB...", etc. And I get another ERROR MESSAGE after installation and by clicking on exe. file:" USB KEY NOT FOUND (-3). Please help me with this issue. Thanks.
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If you are converting from DV to DVD, this is the encoder for you. TMPGEnc does not convert DV to DVD well. The user interface looks refined, is in fact clumsy, and encoding time is long, but if you have a DV source, either a DV camera or a DV capture card, this is the only way to get the same input as output quality onto a DVD. Great product, but only for this specific application. Otherwise TMPGEnc wins hands down. BTW, if you have borders and letterbox from the source video that needs to be clipped out, have no fear. This encoder provides this functionality while expanding the picture to full size and maintaining aspect ratio. This is a great feature to crop noisy borders or to remove original letterboxing from a 16:9 VHS tape, for example. Highly recommended for DV enthusiasts.
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I have Procoder Express 1.0 and I never had to re-activate" it after the first installation!?!? But, if that's the problem of many users (I was not aware of this issue until I read the comments below) I can feel the pain. In any case, I still find it a nice piece of software which can deliver a quality level still unsurpassed (IMO) by the competition. I have not tried them all. But I have tried many and still Procoder shines among those I have tried. Just my 2 cents!!!
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Regarding the 'periodic activation' issue with Procoder Express, Canopus refuse outright to acknowledge that there is a problem with the activation process - in spite of their own support people, on the Canopus forum, agreeing that it is an untenable situation. Basically, Canopus is saying that their paying customers are criminals and as such the activation process means the customer is on permanent probation. They then have the nerve to link the issue to their fight against software piracy - stubbornly refusing to accept that a customer who PAYS for software is in no way supporting software theft or piracy. Regardless of whether periodic activation is a hassle or not, it still means that the legitimate user is restricted in their own use of something for which they paid. It's my opinion that consumers should vote with their wallets and refuse to purchase Procoder Express - telling Canopus the reasons. The fact that Canopus do not go out of their way to mention the activation clause in any of the promotional pages is clear evidence that they know it will influence sales is customers know that they will be so restricted. But this in no way alters the fact that PCE is a great encoder. Just an opinion.
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Sorry, not my findings I have used the activation code on two computers connected through a router to the internet-works fine.
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I totally agree with the post below.Canopus Procoder Express seems to use the same sort of activation method as MS Windows XP.It goes by your PC's hardware and if you install onto a different PC the activation will fail. When you pay for software you expect to be able to use it for as long as you want and be able to install on a your upgraded PC. The Express version of this software has very few features and there is software out there that can do better,without the need for online activation. Sorry Canopus,but this is conware!
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Watch out: Canopus uses online activation, and the code they give you works only on the first computer on which you install. When you get a new computer, you cannot re-activate the program. So far, my attempts to request re-activation help from Canopus have produced _no response_.
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I have been attempting for hours on end to get a good quality video of my home movies from my Sony MiniDV cam. I finally had to give up on using TMPGenc Xpress as it just wouldn't do a good job. After reading all the articles here I decided to try a different program.... and Canopus Procoder 2.0 was the answer for me. I have found this app to do extremely well for the DV enthusiast. The quality and the time it takes to make your MPEG2 video is just wonderful. I am still experimenting with it... but have found it to be a good tool for the job. I am still in the process of finding the perfect answer for DVD authoring, but for now it's Uleads DVD Movie Factory 3.
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Canopus Procoder 2.0 which happens to be a great encoder but will not run unless Quicktime is installed. This encoder can be ran with the Quicktime Alt codec instead of the real Quicktime which is propietary trash in my point of view. Canopus Procoder is great when it comes to color accuracy.
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I have burned the midnight oil doing test after test with all encoders for DV to DVD. My eyes do not deceive me, the procoder render is the only one that at mastering quality with CBR8000 is the same as the DV footage.
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I will do a in-depth review on version 2 - but basicly this version really rocks .. it has dts (yes dts), ac3, vob , mpeg , avi (almost any type), image seq. (jpg, tga, bmp, png, tif) , frame serve , ts, tp , dif, swf, mp4, 3gp, 3g2, hd, wmv, qt (mov), dps, dvr-ms, dat, asf, xvid, divx and a lot more input capibility -- pretty well anything you can throw at it .. it comes with the DiVX 5.1.1 pro codec for encode/decode (all formats) and as well can encode to mpeg1 and 2 (any type and profile- canopus uses thier own encoder), QT pro codecs (see below) , Windows media, real media 10(including handheld), 3GPP (handheld format), image seq, windows media 9 (including HD), special archive formats and i may have missed some.. as well -- procoder 2 will encode for specific applications and hardward/software formats .. like edius, pinicle dv, premiere dv, avid express, FCP, Custom FLIX, JVC GR-HD1, Roku HD , mpeg2 transport stream broadcast compliant. It also can encode to 5.1 and 7.1 PCM wav streams - as well as mp3 and wav .. no ac3 encoding is present. the PAL to NTSC and NTSC convertor has been upgraded (it was really good before also) -- absolutly the best conversions ive seen, even compared with pro 25,000$ + hardware convertors. it has now a sliding % scale you can adjust for holding frame rate, in other words, lets say you have a 13fps source and you want to convert it to 29.97 , procoder will auto adjust playback rate to 15fps and then double the frame rate to 30fps .. improves quality a lot of course and also means you dont have to adjust 24fps to 25fps for pal -- its done automaticly .. this feature is really great for different conversions and when you have different output formats -- it will adjust each as it needs to... you can lock and unlock audio to any source - audio will follow and lock to video in frame rate conversions ... procoder now comes with a render que and can be loaded (they claim they have tested this) with over 1000 source / target combinations and just hit the go button and procoder will sort it all out .. you can monitor the que and change things while something else is rendering i understand (have not tried it). with the filters it now comes with -- well it looks like v-dub or tmpgenc pretty well.. any filter can be applied to the source or to the target or both - full preview in full size or small is given. color space shrink / expand. clamp to 601 or expand to 709 color space or convert the other way. black/white correction. blur (3 different types). color correction. color space safe level. crop (letterboxing and crop is adjustable global also). fade in fade out . gamma correction. median filter. pulldown (there is another pulldown listed on taget settings - not sure of diff. between them) .. rotate. sharpen. Temporal Noise Reduction Filter. audio fade, normalize, lowpass, volume. you can modify any preset filter settings as well as create your own presets and organize them .. you can still create watch folders and droplets .. i have not compared speed ..
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I have tried many softwares at their highest quality setting, including the acclaimed Main Concept MPEG Encoder 1.4.2 and, unless I have done it all wrong with all the others, IMO Procoder Express wins hands down for overall video quality in encoding DV-AVI to MPEG-2 for DVD (that's all I use it for). It's a joy to use this SW and I must say that this is the ONLY SW (among those I have tried) that I suggest to consider if picture quality is of concern. I am using it to make home DVD's from DV footage shot with my consumer quality digital camcorder and I am so thankful to my friend Craig who introduced me to Procoder Express. The DVD I make, when played on TV have the same picture quality as when I connect my camcorder directly to the TV thru the S-Video cable. Simply stunning! I am surprised how few reviews there are on this site about theis SW, as compared to those for "lesser" SW such as MPEG Encoder 1.4.2. Best 60 bucks spent as of late!
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I posted several months back about this high end encoder. My first impressions were that this is about as good as software encoders get. I still feel that the Video quality one gets here with the mastering settings, high bits rates, and good source material leaves nothing to be desired. Now that I have had a chance to do some comparisons with other encoders for an extended period of time, I have a slightly different opinion on the value for the the cost if this item. If the user needs no WMP or Quick Time file encoding, only VCD or DVD, then many of the features in this full version would simply be overkill. Money better spend on higher end capture card, editing software, etc. I previously felt that the sound quality Procoder offers is above what Tmpgenc (highly regarded, less expensive mp2 encoder) encoding results in. But after more extensive tests using both programs at their highest quality settings, I see no benefit in sound produced by either of these two programs. Both of these encoders do not offer AC-3 sound output. But Tmpgenc does have a $30.00 offer on AC-3 for its authoring package. Procoder as of this time has not mentioned a similar offer. So basically, with the lower cost alternatives gaining ground in quality, features, and obviously price. I can no longer say Procoder is the "cats ass" of encoders. But it is rather another tool to be seriouly considered if one needs more flexibility and features than found elsewhere. Canopus is going to need to add some AC-3 sound, and get more competitive in pricing if they desire this product to become as popular as their beautiful ADVC - 100, 300, and 500 line of DV converters has become. For the moment, it seems Procoder Express is a far better deal pricewise than this full version is. And Tmpgenc (rock solid encoder & authoring sw - with added purchased AC-3 sound), the heat is on for Canopus to deliver more value and bang for the buck.
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procoder version 2.0 has been delayed untill mid may 2004 at the earliest .. version 1.5 offers excellent results but the user interface for advanced options can be awkward to use .. and sometimes yields bad files (mpeg files that do not match settings used) if to many items are tweaked it seems ... preset settings always work to be sure... as reported - superb for interlaced sources - but slow in mastering mode. version 2.0 promises a lot of improvments -- one of which is the ability to load image files .. should be able to load mpeg files - doesnt always (no idea why - even using the canopus patch for just that problem) , works with vfapi and v-dub .. excellent for fast pal/ntsc conversions .. not mentioned often is that procoder can encode to many other types of formats - which you don't get in the basic version BUT is reported in the canopus forums that the basic version acually has a more advanced mpeg2 encoding engine than 1.5 .. support via the registered users forums (vs. the public forums) is first rate and ussually a question is answered very quickly .. some canopus people hang out here also on this forum..
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I bought the Canopus Procoder encoder after being very dissapointed with tmpgnc's audio quality while using the free trial. I could not see spending cash on a program that is well liked in general, but has major shortcomings in the audio dept. Since I am doing Laser Disc conversions to DVD and VCD of music concert material, audio is as important as the video. I can say that Canopus Procoder delivers much higher audio quality than other encoders I have tried including tmpgenc. For video quality, I find the two to be nearly equal, Canopus may have a slight edge, but not by much. This program is for users that want (however small) that very slight edge for video quality, and the MAJOR leap in audio quality. A beautiful interface that is clean and slick. I bought the full pro version. It can be found for $400.00, which is less than most listed prices of this item. It appears to be very stable and I've yet to have any freeze ups or errors of any kind. Sometimes you get what you pay for. If you spend all that time capturing, editing, encoding, authoring and designing a menu, and then burning, why skimp on the most important part of picture/sound quality? At least give the "light" version a try if you are not happy with whatever you are currently using.
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Already having TMPG plus 2.5, I ofcourse put Procoder to the test. Using a 15 second mpeg2 file at 6000kbps, I used both programs to encode a constant bitrate compliant VCD, with both programs at their maximum quality. I found Procoder to be exactly one second faster (and slightly smaller), but found that the TMPG file was much better quality wise. Procoder can perform most of the functions of TMPG plus, however I found nothing in Procoder for TMPG's GOP structure (Group of Pictures) or the Quantize Matrix (no need for VCD anyway)to tweak the value for luminance and chrominance. ProCoder is a great program, but in my opinion it is just not as good as TMPG plus (which is also cheaper). It is much more user friendly than TMPG plus and one heck of alot prettier...but. As a final note I chose the encode to mpeg1 VCD because quality really stands out, kinda like TMPG plus.
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I mainly use procoder for the following functions: Converting DV (home video from digicam) to DVD mpeg2. Converting captured, processed huffyuv captures (from a VHS source) to half D1 DVD mpeg2 or SVCD. After conducting an extensive series of 'fair' (as possible) tests comparing all the major mpeg2-encoding contendors, Procoder was my personal preference for quality, regardless of speed. I felt it outperformed other encoders, especially in high motion scenes. The quality when converting DV to DVD on mastering quality is unrivalled by any other software I have tried. For VHS conversions, where quality is less of an issue, I choose to speed up the encoding time around 5-10X by encoding at 'best' quality rather than 'mastering'. It does have a hefty price tag, but it's incredibly versatile and worth considering if you have repeated demand for such an application.
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Procoder absolutely shines with complex interlaced footage such as DV. It has a field based encoding function specifically for this, and I have yet to find such an option in any other software encoder. Procoder is extremely easy to use and its filters work very well at their default settings. The downside to Procoder is its speed. At normal settings it is at least 3 times slower than CCE or MainConcept, and at its highest quality settings (Mastering quality) it is off the charts. It takes me about 40 hrs just to encode 1 hr's worth of footage in 2-pass VBR at mastering quality, but for DV footage its well worth it.
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I find Procoder to offer excellent MPEG1 results for VCD with perfect compliancy and at full-D1 resolution (720x480) for MPEG2 DVD. The encodes are extremely fast, much faster than many other encoders, including TMPGenc Plus, and the quality is absolutely incredible. It offers a large array of filters and accepts a wide range of file types. Now to the bad part... the encoder will not properly read half-D1 files, which was disappointing since I have so much 352x480 MPEG2 source, as well as the lack of easy-to-use noise reduction filters. What "noise reduction" it does have is limited to non-temporal blur filters. However, for source that does not need noise reduction or will not be used for 352x480 encodes, this is one program that every serious MPEG videographer should have. It absolutely blows away the competition, including CCE, TMPGenc, LSX, and Cleaner. The encoder comes with an ADOBE PREMIERE plugin for no extra charge! Both the standalone and plugin come together, unlike other encoders out there, and both are pretty easy to use. This single tool has made my video life much easier.
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