Best Apple TV conversion program

[Jammers]

I currently convert AVI files from the internet with iSquint which is free and very good. However it only ever uses 40% of the processing power of a dual core iMac. On my latest iMac a 45 minute program takes about 28 minute to encode and "go nuts" settings optimised for TV.

If iSquint used both cores the encoding time would be significantly shorter. Does anyone use anything better?

Cheers,

J:apple:

[Rich1963]

I would say Handbrake, but I don't think you're going to gain much in time. It will peg both cores, but depending on the quality level, would probably take just as long. But the quality is nothing short of gorgeous on a standard DVD encode when played on my 50". Oh, and it's free...

[waw74]

you could look at the turbo.246 HD (http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/Turbo264HD/product1.en.html) from elgato.

it's a usb device with a hardware encoder, just plug it in, and it handles all the processing of the conversion, leaving your main processors to do other things, and it can speed things up.

Here is a good comparison of times and a review on gizmodo
http://gizmodo.com/5204310/elgato-turbo264hd-video-encoder-lightning-review