Need to batch-convert videos to MP4 using same bitrate as source videos

[BLboy]

Hi,

I am looking for a video converter that takes the input bitrate of any video to produce an MP4 video with the same bitrate, without needing to specify the bitrate setting for each video. Or better still, I'd like to have the abilty to set the bitrate to be relative to the input using a variable % adjustment up or down.

I am converting a very large number of my AVI, WMV, MPG, and so on, to MP4 AVC/H.264 for online streaming. My intention to maintain quality while not increasing the download size.

Ideally, I would like to simply drop a bunch of video files in the converter and press the Convert button. Each video's properties are wildly different.

I am pushing for the devs at Winnydows to add this option to Xvid4PSP 6(beta), but might could take some time.

Thanks!

[redwudz]

I doubt you get satisfactory results with that method. Some may have too much bitrate and some too little. Bitrate is considerably different for different codecs at the same general quality. What might look good at 800Kbps with a WMV may look terrible as a H.264 with the same bitrate. And every time you re-encode you lose quality. Even re-encoding a 1000Kbps Divx to 1000Kbps Divx will result in quality loss. You usually need to up the bitrate to keep the quality the same even if using the same codec.

But you might try a simple program like Any Video Converter Pro. You can specify a bitrate and other settings and batch convert. It handles most input formats. There are probably other programs that will let you batch convert and keep the output settings you want. I would try a few test runs before you commit to this.

[BLboy]

I doubt you get satisfactory results with that method. Some may have too much bitrate and some too little. Bitrate is considerably different for different codecs at the same general quality. What might look good at 800Kbps with a WMV may look terrible as a H.264 with the same bitrate. And every time you re-encode you lose quality. Even re-encoding a 1000Kbps Divx to 1000Kbps Divx will result in quality loss. You usually need to up the bitrate to keep the quality the same even if using the same codec.

I know what you mean. Just now I made a 197MB WMV file turn into a 320MB MP4 file when using the same bitrate. In 99% of cases though, using the same bitrate maintains the quality perfectly. With MP4 (H.264) requiring less bitrate, I can safely use the same bitrate and quality while not increasing the file size. I have tested this on hundreds of videos.

But you might try a simple program like Any Video Converter Pro. You can specify a bitrate and other settings and batch convert. It handles most input formats. There are probably other programs that will let you batch convert and keep the output settings you want. I would try a few test runs before you commit to this.

Unfortunately, a batch process will only work when you set a blanket target bitrate, whereas each of my videos is different and therefore need to use the source file's bitrate to generate the output.

I frequently use Any Video Converter (not Pro), AviDemux, VirtualDub, Xvid4PSP (both v5 and v6beta) and VideoCharge Studio, but none of those will do what I need. Some have a 'lossless' option, but I've experimented with that and the result is always a much larger file size. I don't know how lossless works but I think it's based in the dimensions, right? A lot of my videos are pretty sad quality for the dimensions, so in my case the dimensions should not determine the bitrate.

I hope my response helps clear up any ambiguity from my initial post. I have literally thousands of videos that need converting and it's just impossible to do without some kind of bitrate automation.
Thanks for your reply.

[DB83]

'Quality loss' is not a visual perception. Just because it looks good it does not mean that the quality has diminished. 'Quality Loss' when it is used here, unless I am very much mistake - so pls correct me if I am, means that the re-encoding removes data bits which can not be recovered even by using codecs that are less lossy.

[BLboy]

'Quality loss' is not a visual perception. Just because it looks good it does not mean that the quality has diminished. 'Quality Loss' when it is used here, unless I am very much mistake - so pls correct me if I am, means that the re-encoding removes data bits which can not be recovered even by using codecs that are less lossy.

I stand corrected. The videos I work with are very poor quality to start with, so when I say "quality loss" I base it on appearance only. Having said that, the quality loss you refer to is so minuscule, our viewers wouldn't even notice or care

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, is there a converter out there that will do what I need?

[Gavino]

I know what you mean. Just now I made a 197MB WMV file turn into a 320MB MP4 file when using the same bitrate.

I don't think you do understand, as that makes no sense.
Since filesize = bitrate * duration, using the same bitrate will keep the filesize the same.
What will probably change is the quality of the result, especially if you use a different codec with less efficent compression.

[Des]

I believe XMedia Recode will allow you to set different bitrates for each file in a batch job.

--dES

[BLboy]

I believe XMedia Recode will allow you to set different bitrates for each file in a batch job.

--dES

Thanks a bunch! I'll try that.