Encoding Video Files To Portable Devices

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ve taken my original RockPod 2008 and combined it into RBT2009. I’ve added extra features not seen in RockPod 2008, such as the ability to encode at different frame rates as well as change the level of the audio track. There are also other changes, but without going into them all, the ‘Video Encoder’ section is aimed at quickly getting your audio and video files into any one of a range of formats.
The first thing you should aim to do here is choose your video codec. As I said up front, the video codec really determines just about everything in a video file – 90% of the data in an audio/video file is video, and it sets the file container and audio codecs that can be used with it. You can choose wither by codec or by device, whichever is easier for you. However, learning the codec options is far better because I can’t include every video-capable device on the list.
Where possible, selecting the video codec will automatically select a suitable corresponding audio codec. For example, if you choose H.264 video encoding, the audio codec option automatically changes to AAC and the file format when you save will default to MP4 – all three will combine happily to ensure you get a workable file at the other end of the process.
You’ll notice that for most settings, the default option is ‘Use original’. That’s because the key to fast encoding is to do as little as possible with the original video on its way through to your desired format. And really, mucking around with it is unlikely to make it better. The only case where that might not be true is when using the Deinterlace switch. Deinterlasing combines interlaced half-frames into single progressive frames to get rid of the comb effect, and it can make a difference on LCD screens.
The last thing that may need some explaining is the audio level shift option. I’ve set the audio amplification factor by default to 0dB, which means it won’t change anything. Move the slider into positive territory and you’ll increase the audio level. Move it to the left and it will reduce the audio level. Don’t go overboard in either direction because too much amplification (or grain) will cause overload distortion and make it sound dreadful.