I know the recommended one is Sorenson 5.0 but I've had so many issues with Sorenson in the past and I've heard mixed things about how well it works with multi-core processors.  I've got a rig with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 CPU.  Can anyone recommend an encoder that will make good use of all the cores, gives me a lot of different formats to encode in, and has reliable performance?  Or has Sorenson improved drastically since Squeeze 4 (which is what I currently use)?

I have used Sorenson since 4 and report no issues with it. I always give myself enough time for encoding in any project. If the client is looking for DVD deliverable - I allow, minimun of 48 hours on DVD encode, burn and test. Although it is much less after my initial DVD coaster design service days . I just keep the 48 hours from the "Scotty" method.

TMPGEnc 4 Express is my do everthing encoder.  I love it - it just works!  I do use Sorrenson if I need to create flash files, otherwise it's TMPGEnc for everthything else from converting just about anything to Avid Quicktimes for import to creating just about anything from Avid Quicktimes.  It's reasonably priced and the lastest version update now supports MOD files, ACVHD etc.

Even for non Avid stuff its great, eg I often use it when a client supplies a bunch of DVD's to re-author or compile to one DVD, TMPGEnc can demux the Vob files which then go straight into the DVD authoring program - no need for recompressing the video - 101 uses!!

Sorenson for everything except mpeg2 has worked good for me. Squeez 5 has impressed qualitywise on me. Even the mpeg2 seams much better.

Alternatives: Cinema Craft Basic for mpeg2 and Canopus Pro Coder for everything else.

 I use Autodesk Cleaner XL for some compressions, but I use Rhozet Carbon Coder for most of my critical work. It is pricey ($4,995), but it allows you to make H.264 quicktimes or .mp4 files (along with every other type of file )while being able to manipulate the gamma levels. I can set a gamma shift while outlining the black level range I want to modify (ex: from 10 to 192 on an 8-bit scale), so I can keep the blackest black levels but really open up the contrast ratio of a compression.

I have a client who swears by bitvice for Mpeg-2 encoding.  He is quite critical, and it passes his strict standards.

BitVice

bastian:

TMPGEnc 4 Express is my do everthing encoder.  I love it - it just works!

I'm with Bastian. TMPGEnc rocks. And it's very cheap.

Squeeze is my standard encoder (QT, MPEG, Flash,etc).

MediaCoder for everything else. It does MPEG 4/H.264 well. It can do burn in subtitling. Thus, perfect for my iTouch. It is well threaded. It is also free.

http://mediacoder.sourceforge.net/

 Hi

I saw at one palce there are using Carbon Coder.

It is the same as ProCoder (same programmers I think) but Carbon Coder can use multi core CPU!

MalachiX:

I know the recommended one is Sorenson 5.0 but I've had so many issues with Sorenson in the past and I've heard mixed things about how well it works with multi-core processors....has Sorenson improved drastically since Squeeze 4 (which is what I currently use)?

We have a video tutorial on the Expert Connections Blog about enabling Multi-Core Compression with Sorenson Squeeze 5. Let me know what you think.

I'm giving TMP a try but all my files end up playing at a rather choppy framerate which doesn't make any sense given my specs (and the facts that other 720p files never slow down).  I'm not sure exactly what the problem is but it always looks as though there's something wrong with the FPS.  It doesn't chug or slow down, just looks jerky.  Could it be that TMP has a problem with 24 fps?

Ok, tried TMPGEnc again and now it seems to be working fine.  When I did my first batch, I set the FPS to 24 instead of 23.967 so that might have been what caused the animation to appear off.    Everything is easy to use and fairly powerful so it looks like I may stick with this sucker. I'm especially glad that it supports the higher end SSE4 processes of the new Intel Processors.

One thing which I have found a bit odd though is my CPU usage.  I've got a Intel Core 2 Quad 9450 in there.  When encoding a Windows Media Player file, it looks to be making all four cores work as my CPU usage reads between 78-90%.  However, with Quicktime files and MPEG2's, it only ends up using about 35% of my total CPU power which tells me it's probably only using one core (yes I know that's technically 25% but apparently the Pyren processor's overclock one core when the other's aren't in use).