Best thing to encode (re-encode) things into?

[Gav]

I have a vast array of video files with different resolutions and codecs.

They go from 320x240 right up to 1080p, from Mono to 5.1/7.1 Sound

Thing is, they are encoded in everything from DivX to MKV...

What I want to do before I get rid of my* Octo Mac Pro (8x3.0Ghz, 16GB Ram - Getting rid of it due to financial burden!!) is encode them into one standard, that can be played back on everything easily. Storage is not an issue.

What should I put them into, and using what? Also, for future DVDs/Blu-Ray discs, what program should I use to rip from them in high quality...?

Many thanks,

Gav.

Everything = OS 9, OS 10, 2000, XP & Vista Natively. TV, PS3, XBOX 360, Media Streaming things and more...

*friends of the family's Mac Pro. Bit out of my price league

 

[Texas04]

What I want to do before I get rid of my Octo Mac Pro (8x3.0Ghz, 16GB Ram - Getting rid of it due to financial burden!!) is encode them into one standard, that can be played back on everything easily. Storage is not an issue.

Played back on everything? Such as DVD players and VCD? or Windows Meida, DIVX, Quicktime...

I think that the better question might be what will last the longest. And what kind of computer you will be replacing your machine with.

Personally I would do DVD's for everything or put everything on an External HD and encode it all into h.264 format as high quality as you can get.

 

[Gav]

By everything I meant device wise.

I try not to use DVD, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD discs if I can help it.