DivX encoding codec versions and guides

magnetik · 03-19-2002, 08:21 PM

With my recent purchase of a 5.6Inch TFT I am keen to get some Movie playback options added to my new mp3car software that is in the works.

For that I need some DivX movies - thus I wanna encode some of my DVD's to DivX's......

my questions are after doing some research are

What version of DivX Codec does everyone use? The hacked 3.11a version? DivX 4? Or possibly the new version 5.0?
Secondly, what are your steps to encoding? I have read many guides with the best ones being at www.doom9.org ,does anyone else reccomend a better set of guides? Basically I dont really want to waste 12-18hours on an encoding to find that my method used didnt give good results. Whilst I do wish to keep my encodings to under 1 CD (thus 650MB - 700MB is my limit) I do want it to be the best/close to the best that it can be

look forward to some feedback...

Raas · 03-20-2002, 05:49 AM

I always use FlaskMPEG for the job, using the 4.12 codec.
I have the new 5.0 but did not have the time to use this to encode a movie myself.

Have a look at http://www.how-to-create-divx.com
This is the page I started with...
And when my first encoded movie came out with a good result.. (100mins on 700mb) I decided to look no further, because this did what I wanted...

However.. with CDR /CDRW discs being so cheap these days I decided I wanted good quality over diskspace So when a movie is much longer than 1 hour and a half I put it on 2 disks...

The thing I like about Flask is that you can put subtitles in the AVI itself.. I know this is not good for the 'trading-value' of the movie.. But I'm only trading with some friends, and the like the dutch-subtitle...

Hope this helps you out. !
Greetz

mp3z24 · 03-20-2002, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Raas
Have a look at http://www.how-to-create-divx.com
This is the page I started with...

i completely agree here. this page is wonderful for most of the resources for getting started on DIVX creation. there are step-by-step instructions and links to the programs... however, you may have to DL some of the programs from file sharing (morpheus, etc) if you want the full features (you will need them). i started with this page as well and it hasnt let me down...the guys english is a little broken at times, but it still gets the job done!!!

just be sure to encode movies over night...they tend to take a while...

~mike

MikeHunt79 · 03-20-2002, 10:04 AM

jargon mode

For much better quality i use nandub, with the 3.11 codec . It takes twice as long to encode, but the results are worth it.

I used the doom9 guide for most of my info, but i also downsample the sound to 32khz, so i can encode it to a 80kps ABR (vbr really) mp3... this leaves more room for the video data, which means better quality....

I also overburn on 80 min. cdr's, so my movies tend to be around 720mb.

One last tip, if your movie is a few MB over your limit, just re-encode the sound at a few less kps.... re-encoding the sound is a lot quicker than re-encoding the video.

/jargon mode

hope u understood that ok

smashr2k · 03-20-2002, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeHunt79
One last tip, if your movie is a few MB over your limit, just re-encode the sound at a few less kps.... re-encoding the sound is a lot quicker than re-encoding the video.
[/b]

or you can just chop of the credits at the end. I have done that a few times before.

All the stuff ive done has been in the old 3.11a codec, but i have high hopes for 5.0. The 5.0 player seems to be able to play everything ive thrown at it, i would definatly try one with the 3.11 and one with the 5.0 just to see the difference.

magnetik · 03-20-2002, 05:17 PM

thanks guys for all the feedback....!!

I guess it is just personal preference with the CODEC versions, looking at the doom9 guides I will probably go for the 4.12 CODEC with Gordion Knot as the GUI/encoder tool proggy....

once again thanks....!

oh and smashr2k/others I havent been able to find any guides on using the 5.0 codec with all the new features, etc. does anyone know of one?

Looks like im gonna havta get that DVD-ROM on the weekend!

smashr2k · 03-20-2002, 07:33 PM

hrmm, ive read a fair amount about 5.0 at tom's hardware (www.tomshardware.com), but i have not seen a definitive guide for conversion yet. The guides are all basically the same... I would use flaskMPEG, just choose 5.0 codec instead of what the guide says.

Raas · 03-21-2002, 04:49 AM

One thing I like about 5.0 is that you can change the aspect ratio of the movie..
Makes the movie more enjoyable to watch on my widescreen

Greetz.
Raas

magnetik · 03-27-2002, 06:38 PM

Hey guys,

after lots of study/research I finally got my first DivX encoded with resounding success! yay!

Purchased a Pioneer 16X DVD-ROM at the weekend computer markets for $115 AUS, the purchase was influenced by the fact that the Pioneer DVD can be upgraded to have it firmware region locking broken......

Installed Power DVD, DivX 5 Pro Codec, Gordion Knot + 02.3 upgrade and vStrip.

Followed the DivX5 guide at www.doom9.org to the point.... used vStrip to rip the VOB files..... encoded the audio at 128kps VBR using LAME...

The movie used was Snatch, 99minutes of video fitted to a 700MB avi file..... at a resolution of about 540x340 (cant remeber the exact res)....

the results? fantastic! All DivX I have watched in the past was ones that wre downloaded - and were rips of handycam movies - not really the best way to test the quality of DivX!

All in all the setup works great, I am more than happy with the result. The only thing I may change is in Gordion Knot I may tell it I want the avi to be say 698/699MB in the bitrate calculator since the resulting avi is reported 700MB in windows explorer and it may be a touch over the size of an 80min CD-R.

PatO · 03-27-2002, 07:14 PM

Anyone messed with DVD-RAM? The drives and disc's are comming down in price every month... I'll be using one by summer's end, for sure.

I figure that divx offers pretty good quality at 1/13 the size, so a DVD-RAM disk at 1/2 the size would be nearly flawless...

zzsprade · 04-08-2002, 11:07 AM

Hey guys! I have been following this thread closely recently... you see I am very new to the whole divx experience. So the question I had to ask you was if anyone could comment on the way to creat a divx as described at http://www.how-to-create-divx.com. Quality, ease of use, any better ways or suggestions with the programs and methods this gusy suggests. Cheers guys!

-Alex

ppgt94 · 04-08-2002, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeHunt79
jargon mode

For much better quality i use nandub, with the 3.11 codec . It takes twice as long to encode, but the results are worth it.

Using FlaskMPEG I get some pretty good results using divx 3.11 slow-motion video. Besides they'll be watched on a screen with a size <7" so I don' think it's that big an issue.