Video codec Comparison..?

[Gunnar1979]

I have recently run into an interesting dilemma. I used to think that in terms of video compression for general distribution use, it doesn't get much better than the MPEG series of codecs.

But it seems that some have really taken to this RealPlayer8 video codec, claiming better compression with better quality than MPEG1/2. One person even says that MPEG4 is the only competing codec.

Question is, if a piece of video had to be encoded for good compression and good quality would one use MPEG-1 (in my case, but any of the other MPEGs too) or this RealPlayer codec? I have always preferred the MPEG codecs, but has it been beaten? I am ignoring the enormous benefit of being able to create a vcd. Codec comparo only...

I can't find any white papers concerning the real player compression algorithm, has anyone examined this "dvd quality" compression with supposed small files sizes?

Thanks.