Quality, speed, formats & scalability
Quality
Best-in-class video processing, a 10-bit encoding engine and fine-tuning compression combine to allow you to generate pristine picture quality. Episode produces brilliant "true to the original" results for simple transcoding jobs as well as more complex encoding jobs such as standards conversion. In addition bumpers, trailers and watermarks can also be added to enhance and protect your video content.
Speed
Episode's multi-threaded encoding engine is capable of utilizing the full power of multi-core workstations. In high volume workflows, Episode Engine maximizes throughput with unlimited simultaneous encodes. When encoding speed is critical, Episode can meet the demand with its unique Split-and-Stitch® distributed encoding.
Split-and-Stitch technology, available in Episode Engine, enables distributed and segmented encoding for any supported format, taking advantage of all available CPU power. Whether on a single workstation or across a cluster of machines, Split-and-Stitch
is able to achieve truly remarkable encoding speeds.
Formats
Episode supports the widest range of formats in its class allowing you to repurpose media for websites, mobile devices, television, archiving, disk authoring and more. Whatever your encoding needs may be, Episode can handle them.
Workflow 
Episode was made with the creative professional in mind. Extensive control of codec and filtration parameters, along with a real-time preview, gives you complete hands-on control. In file-based workflows, automated and shared transcoding are a must and Episode can easily be configured to automatically pick up and deliver files to network shares and FTP servers. Episode can also be easily integrated into larger workflows via its command line and XML-RPC interfaces.
Flexibility
Equally at home on a laptop, in the field, or working as part of a cluster of dedicated machines, Episode can be reconfigured quickly and easily to meet the needs of the day, or the hour. Episode's unique one-click clustering and file sharing capabilities make "prep and submit" encoding workflows easy.. Episode's new visual workflow builder simplifies the encoding process and helps identify functions being performed and the status of work in progress.
Scalability
Collaboration and clustering are at the core of Episode's design. Easily join multiple machines together, both Mac and PC, and share encoding work among workstations. There is no need for costly add-ons or IT assistance. Episode's built-in file sharing system makes offloading work from one machine to another a snap. Simply prep your encoding work, send it off to the cluster and get it back when it's done.
See below for a feature comparison between Episode, Episode Pro and Episode Engine.
| Features | Episode | Episode Pro | Episode Engine | Comments |
| Extensive format support up to HD resolutions for new media, web, post-production, DVD/Blu-ray and more | X | X | X | MPEG-1/-2/-4, WMV9, VC-1, DV, WebM, 3GPP/3GPP2, M4A, MOV, ProRes*, other QuickTime codecs, and more. Optimized Flash 8+9 support. |
| Graphical workflow builder | X | X | X | Drag-and-drop interface makes building encoding workflows simple. |
| One-Click Clustering with built-in file sharing | X | X | X | Allows any computer on the network, Mac or PC, to automatically join a transcoding cluster, with simply a click, for maximum flexibility and full scalability. |
| Monitors | X | X | X | Monitor local, network, or FTP folders for fully automated workflows |
| Automatic file deployment | X | X | X | Automatically deliver encoded files to local folders, network shares, FTP servers, and YouTube |
| Command Line Interface | X | X | X | Enabling custom integrations |
| XML-RPC interface | X | Enabling control over IP networks | ||
| Full 4:2:2:4 and 4:2:0 support, 10 bit 4:4:4:4 for pro formats |
X | X | X | For optimized picture quality |
| Choose from many professional templates or flexible custom settings | X | X | X | Full set of pre-built settings templates for ease-of-use. No compression knowledge needed. |
| Support for up to 24 channels of audio | X | X | X | Channel mapping filter for 24 channels included. |
| Fully configurable advanced preprocessing filters | X | X | X | Video: black and white restoration, HSV and gamma correction, noise removal, image sharpening. Audio: Including normalize, balance, fade in/out |
| Powerful preview | X | X | X | Before/after comparison |
| Bumpers and trailers | X | X | X | Add intro and outro movies to your content |
| Picture-in-Picture | X | X | X | Add a picture, animation or a movie as a watermark |
| 2-pass encoding | X | X | X | For maximum quality (H.264, WMV, MPEG2/4, H.263) |
| Support for metadata | X | X | X | Add copyright and file info |
| Closed captions | X | X | X | Pass-through of EIA-608 and eIA-708 in ATSC A/53, SCTE-20 and VBI in-band Close Captions when encoding MPEG-2 video; conversion of NTSC-CC types including VBI in-band to EIA-608 or SCTE-20 |
| Support for alpha channels | X | X | X | Transparency, blue/green screen and Flash encoding |
| Advanced standard conversions | X | X | X | Comparable to hardware |
| Advanced deinterlace filters | X | X | X | Produce the best possible progressive output even when the source material has been edited and cut |
| Full field order handling | X | X | X | Change field dominance |
| Hinting (streaming) | X | X | X | According to IETF, ISMA and 3GPP |
| Automatic input format detection | X | X | X | Video codec, audio codec, color sampling, frame rate, pixel aspect, audio sampling |
| Resizing and resampling algorithms | X | X | X | Give the best quality for small-screen, low-bandwidth display devices and when upscaling from SD to HD |
| Frame-rate conversion | X | X | X | NTSC to/from PAL; 3:2 pulldown, 2:3 pulldown |
| Inverse telecine | X | X | X | Even when the source material has been edited and cut |
| Transcode while ingest | X | X | X | With Pipeline |
| Unlimited batch processing | X | X | X | Prioritize encoding and add files and settings to the batch while running; create bookmarks to source folders. |
| Support for surround sound encoding 5.1, 7.1 |
X | X | X | Transport Streams, and more |
| Parallel encoding, number of jobs: | 1 | 2 | Unlimited | Speeds up encoding by allowing multiple jobs to be processed in parallel |
| Professional format support | X | X | MXF, GXF, IMX, MPEG-2/-4 Transport Streams, and more. | |
| Split-and-Stitch® distributed encoding | X | Enables distributed and segmented encoding | ||
| Pro Audio option | X | X | X | Separate purchase option that adds support for Dolby AC3, AAC-HE, AAC-LC, and AMR audio codecs |
| EDL conforming | X | |||
| Episode Developer API Kit Option | Optional | Provides API technical support plus early access to new features. |
* ProRes encoding supported on all Mac versions and on Episode Engine for Windows on Windows Server 2008.