Sorrensen Squeeze or Handbrake.

[warensn]

I definately want a better encoder than iMovie has, but I don't want to spent 500 bucks for Sorrensen. Does anyone know of a great encoder for less $$?
Also, how does Handbrake compare? Does free mean crappy, like it usually does?

 

[warensn]

Oh, I would like to use it to post some home movies to the web. I also want to create high def stuff to play back on my PS3. I have a Cannon HF 100, and I love it!

 

[ppc_michael]

I swear by ffmpeg. There's a good frontend available (free!) from http://www.ffmpegx.com/.

 

[warensn]

Thanks, that looks good for ripping my DVD collection. However, I also want to compress AVCHD, and that doesn't seem to be supported. I wonder if Handbrake supports it...

 

[albusseverus]

might have to be a 2 stage process

Thanks, that looks good for ripping my DVD collection. However, I also want to compress AVCHD, and that doesn't seem to be supported. I wonder if Handbrake supports it...

AVCHD isn't really supported anywhere. It's getting a really bad name for too much compression spoiling the video. A lot of the Blu-ray players don't support it & it's in the 1.0 Blu-ray spec.

You might have to import into iMovie, then reprocess, simply because AVCHD is poorly supported.

Sony invented AVCHD, see what software they have - but their software has been dreadful in the past (and usually PC only). Given Apple has done their own AVCHD conversion, you can bet nobody else wants to support it, either.

 

[aloofman]

As I've mentioned elsewhere on these forums, Handbrake is pretty good, and best of all, free. I personally use VisualHub at home and really like it. I use Sorenson Squeeze at work for professional work and it's definitely better, but for home use either of the first two are more than adequate.

I don't know of any software app that encodes to AVCHD. Honestly, I don't know why you'd want to do this anyway. Since your camcorder records directly in AVCHD, it makes for seamless transfer to Blu-ray discs, which is great if you plan to author in BD. At this point AVCHD is not well-supported by non-linear editors. It's going to take a while.