ENCODING of DVD Assets is the process of DIGITIZING the video program from tape to computer disk, and COMPRESSING the information using the MPEG-2 compression method (algorithm).

Encoding from Tape means converting the videotape program into a computer file containing the digitized and compressed video program in a relatively small size.

Encoding from Files (a.k.a. "Transcoding") has quickly gained favor, especially for video editing stations, as software products like Apple Compressor, Innobits' BitVice, Digigami's MegaPEG.X,
Popwire's Compression Master, Sorenson Spark and others allow any fast computer to process the digitized video files directly into MPEG assets, sometimes in near real time.

Hardware Encoding Solutions for videotape include the Sonic SD-2000, the Optibase MPEGMaster, and Wired MediaPress Pro,
as well as older Professional systems like Spruce MPX-3000, and several well-respected solutions on PC, like CinemaCraft and the
well-regarded software encoders Canopus ProCoder and TMPEGenc..