Ever since the first software encoders came out a couple of years ago I have been using them. The two in question are Berkeley Encoder and the Stanford Encoder. I have used both under UNIX and Amiga enviorments.
Using a combination of an Amiga 3000, a 24 bit digitiser (GVP IV24) and a Panasonic AG-7350 SVHS VCR with a serial port, I wrote a script that automated MPEG encoding. It consists of C code and REXX code. The VCR is paused, digitiser activated, the frame is scaled to one of several MPEG sizes and saved to disk, then the VCR is frame advanced and so on.. After this the MPEG encoder is run and compresses all the files, which have been batchprocessed from IFFs to separate YUVs.
Also using the genlock of the Digitiser Board I wrote a program that controlled the VCR using onscreen icons >> ,<<, > etc. It was programmed in C.
I have used Sigma Designs ReelMagic MPEG playback card on a PC and I have viewed these MPEGs with the Board. In the Future I hope to get experience with OPTIBASE Hardware MPEG encoder.
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