DivX Encoding - What to do with audio?

[AndyJ]

So there I was, thinking I would encode some of the videos I have done in DivX format to compare with the Windows Media versions...

...and the audio selection was "Uncompressed."

What do people use?

[Andre]

MP3. I'd stick with CBR rather than VBR though. Maybe 160K stereo?

Andre

[AndyJ]

I've just installed the Radium MP3 codec, and it doesn't appear in my list of codecs to select in Premiere...?

I'll wander off and see if I can find another codec. Any suggestions?

[AndyJ]

It appears Premiere won't do mp3 encoding in an good fashion.

So, looks like I've ended up downloading VirtualDub in the end anyway

So, I did this (gathering Andre's info from other threads)...

Start VirtualDub
Open source video (Raw DV output from Premiere)
Video/Filters/Added "DeInterlace" then "Scale 2:1"
Video/Compression/DivX Set to "Home Theater" setting.
Audio/Stream Processing
Audio/Compression/Selected MP3 160
Save As AVI...

Where I learnt what AVI stands for today =) "Audio Video Interleave"

Cool. Now the result?

Three times the size of the Windows Media file, but it knocks the socks off of it.

[Andre]

Things you might want to consider...

Find a plugin called (I think) SmartDeinterlace which does a better job than the built-in one and is more configurable. (At work now, so I'd have to check the name tomorrow)

Set to do the de-interlace before any scaling or cropping

Rather than using exact 2:1 reduction, remember you need to allow for the difference between pixel ratios (computers are square, DV is 1.066666 for 4:3 footage). For example, a 720x576 video should be displayed as 4:3 - but 720:576 is actually 5:4, not 4:3. So from memory, if you want half-height video on a PC you should scale it to 384x288, NOT to 360x288.

Also, you may want to crop any junk off the edges first (but for DV camera sourced stuff you'll probably be OK). If you do crop at all, you'll then need to work out the exact scaled resoltuon again of course -arggh!

DivX has fine-tuning controls to set compression. Check that it's set to recieve a progressive source (as you've already done the de-interlacing work) and try different data rates - I use about 1000k/s for almost original size, so look at trying anying around the 500+ region, and see what the results are like.

Andre

[AndyJ]

Cheers Andre, I'll re-encode it right now.

Is this the Smart DeInterlacer?
neuron2/smart/smart.html

Boy is VirtualDub fast. Takes 1 minute 40 secs to encode a 4 minute film.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by AndyJ72

Is this the Smart DeInterlacer?
neuron2/smart/smart.html

See more...

Yes, 2.8 beta 1 is what I use.

VirtualDubMod is a bit 'geeky' (it has built up over the years and been added to) but when you get to grips with it it's quite a powerful 'hub' around which to hang filters, etc. Only really useful with AVI files though; it can sort of handle MPEGs a bit, but the version which handles MPEG better doesn't do audio so well. Hey ho, no real loss. It's also very good for quick & dirty trimming and cropping, and you can even using AVS scripts with it which can be handy. It handles video data on the fly quite happily, so the speed factor is then determined by what filters & codecs you are using. I guess it's the video equivalent of working with RAW files on still cameras.

Andre

[AndyJ]

Yep, once I got the basic idea from one of your posts it makes logical sense.

So here is the play off:

DivX/Mp3 version.
andyjpartridge/dd_divx.avi
Better quality, doesn't play as it downloads though.

andyjpartridge/dd_512k.wmv
Not as good quality, plays as it downloads, smaller file size.

[Andre]

You could compress the DivX video quite a bit further without too much loss I'd have thought. I'll have a look at the compression rates in the morning, but the data rates reported by Windows' file properties (yeah, right) don't make sense to me - they say the DivX should be smaller for the same runtime.

Andre

[DIBBadmin]

This thread has been automatically closed as it has not been posted on in 365 days.