[mythtv-users] The Final Nail in MythTranscode?

[Paul Gardiner]

"Michael T. Dean" 
>a) transcoding is lossy (generational loss at minimum, and if you
>really 
>are using smaller bitrate--to create smaller files--can result in even 
>more losses, depending on CODECs (where, generally, cutting bitrate 
>without losing quality requires going to a more-efficient CODEC, that 
>requires even more power--and potentially multiple passes--when 
>transcoding))

But usually the results are good enough that you'd really struggle to see the difference.

>b) transcoding takes a lot of CPU power--and, therefore, electricity 
>(generally worth more than the hard drive space you save) and more hard
>
>drive space may not take any additional power (can actually take less 
>power by replacing older, less-power-efficient drives with newer, 
>larger, more efficient drives)

Transcoding uses CPU once providing a file that will from that point onward forever be cheaper to store. Transcoding doesn't prevent you upgrading drives, it just gives you more flexibility as to when to do so, and will always leave you needing less drives, unless your alternative is deletion.

>c) transcoding wastes a lot of human time--the time required to edit
>the 
>recording and ensure cuts are where they should be (and blindly
>trusting 
>the commercial detection to place flags is a bad idea for destructive 
>process, such as cutting while transcoding)

Yes. Wastes a huge amount of time, mostly on trying to work out how to fix mythtranscode when it gets broken.

>d) in many locations, such as the USA, DVRs can be used only for time 
>shifting content--meaning delaying the viewing of broadcast 
>content--therefore, you don't own the content, and, really, are not 
>allowed to keep it/archive it after viewing (and, some strict 
>interpretations of the time shifting fair use rule say that there's a 
>"reasonable" time limit associated with time shifting, some people 
>claiming it's as short as "within 30 days of broadcast")

Not here.

>e) if it's really good enough that you would be willing to waste your 
>own free time editing the recording and spend money on electricity to 
>transcode it down to a smaller size, just buy it on DVD/BluRay and get
>a 
>good copy without the advertisements/bugs/logos/rating boxes/weather 
>alerts/news flashes/interruptions/...

On a disc you have to find and insert before you can watch it, and with adverts for other shows that disallowed operations will try to force you to watch.

>f) mythtranscode only transcodes into MPEG-4 (or the useless RTJPEG) 
>inside NuppelVideo container--which is completely wrong.

Unless you use --fifodir mode, in which case you can have pretty much any format you desire.

>So, if you must transcode (i.e. to watch content on some 
>limited-functionality device, such as a tablet or phone), don't use 
>mythtranscode to do it--use a real tool that was designed by a project 
>specifically focused on creating transcoding tools.

When mythtv's transcoding feature works, it is perfectly serviceable. The OP wasn't asking for new features only what used to work in 0.25.