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If this is your first time encoding, you'll need the following software[#1], roughly in the order you will need it:

# The means to create a distinctive [EncodingGuide/Logo|logo] for the encode (this is usually image editing software such as [http://www.gimp.org/|Gimp] or [http://www.getpaint.net/|Paint.NET] for Windows users).
# The ability to play back the site's input files.  See [Emulator Resources] for information on where to obtain the emulators used.
# For Windows-centric emulators, a lossless (preferably RGB) VFW codec. For a comparison between several codecs that fit the need, see [/Forum/Topics/12390|this forum thread]. Most commonly used right now are:
## The [http://sourceforge.net/projects/camstudio/files/legacy/|CamStudio codec];
## The [http://lags.leetcode.net/codec.html|Lagarith (LAGS) codec];
# One of the following (sets of) software packages:
## [http://www.mplayerhq.hu/|mplayer/mencoder], a popular and powerful media player and encoding suite; or
## For Windows users, [http://www.avisynth.org/|AVISynth] (in particular, the scripts in use in this guide require a [http://sourceforge.net/projects/avisynth2/files/AviSynth_Alpha_Releases/|2.6.x alpha]; [http://avisynth.org/mediawiki/Syntax_Highlighting|different] AviSynth syntax highlighters are very useful as well; for __Notepad++__ get [http://code.google.com/p/feos-tas/downloads/detail?name=userDefineLang.xml|this one]) and [http://www.virtualdub.org/|VirtualDub].
##* The AVISynth scripts presented here employ duplicate frame removal through the [/Forum/Topics/12065|ExactDedup plugin] (note that there are some external dependencies presented at the bottom of that page).
# [http://komisar.gin.by/|x264], the site's standard software for heavy duty video encoding - Windows builds are available, for example, [http://komisar.gin.by/|here]. List of available parameters is [http://mewiki.project357.com/wiki/X264_Settings|here].
# Audio encoding software; the site normally uses
## [http://www.geocities.jp/aoyoume/aotuv/|aoTuV], for vorbis audio (not generally compatible with MP4 containers); or
## [http://www.nero.com/eng/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php|Nero AAC Codec] (builds for both Windows and Linux), for AAC audio; or
## [https://sites.google.com/site/qaacpage/|qaac] 
# [http://sox.sourceforge.net/|SoX], for removing a delay from audio tracks introduced during the encoding process (AAC audio only)
# An audio/video multiplexer (muxer); either
## mkvmerge from [http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/|mkvtoolnix], for muxing to MKV; or
## [http://www.videohelp.com/tools/mp4box|MP4Box], part of the [http://gpac.sourceforge.net/|GPAC] project, for muxing to MP4.
#Having a relatively recent desktop computer is recommended for the sake of encoding speed, but not absolutely required.

Configuration of this software will be addressed during the rest of the guide as it is needed.

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Next page: [EncodingGuide/Logo|Logo]

[1]: Packages for most of these pieces of software are available for most Linux distributions; instructions for how to install them from there will be omitted.