Xvid to DVD video conversion questions. Guides help.

[gsandan]

I have two questions. Please help me if you can.

1. There are so many guides for converting Xvid to DVD. What is the best guide for converting Xvid to DVD that provides the best quality possible?

2. If the source video (Xvid .avi) is in widescreen format (source video not ripped from a DVD), when converting, what should I set the aspect ratio settings to? (i.e. 4:3 or 16:9, with borders, full screen, and other settings)

I would like to retain the aspect ratio and the quality of the video as best as I possibly can. Thanks.

[ChrissyBoy]

For 2) This guide is definitive :

https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?guideid=360#360

i use it in all my programs.

[jimmalenko]

http://members.dodo.net.au/~jimmalenko/AVI2DVD.htm might be able to help you with 1), although there's no real "best guide" IMO. All guides work and produce what they say they will, but some are written better than others to help you understand all the settings. If you say best quality possible then you imply using filters and a whole range of things, for which an avisynth script and/or virtualdub would possibly be used then frameserve to your favorite encoder. But give that first guide I linked to a go and see how you go.

[monzie]

Use FITCD (the lower half of the app)....this will GIVE you the best resizes available....use the RESIZE arrows to achieve the best (read nearest to the source avi's AR) REAL ASPECT compared to the source.

Set the resize between these 2 values: 640 to 688 wide (from DVD 720 or 704 wide...DESTINATION tab)....dont just stick with the default full (initial) screen size.....and use the ANOMORPHIC checkbox for .avi AR's of 1.77:1 and above ...then save the AVS file and open it with your encoder (and remember to set your MPEG encoders 16:9 flag if you've ticked the anomorphic box)....

PS. You'll also get a quick grafical representation of what to expect on playback ON A TV at any given size/flag...but DO note that TV's overscan by around 10% (ish) of true DVD resolution (cutting off some of the DISPLAYED image) hence my recommendation of resizing between 640 to 688 wide....oh and for most UPSIZES (from an .avi source) use the LANCZOS filter....also note that the anomorphic grafix is for 16:9 TV's and not 4:3's...

PPS. As for the BEST POSSIBLE QUALITY...the best you will get is same(ish)/similar to source...and how you set up your encoder...NORMALY a 2 pass will give the best results using a bitrate of around 3 to 4 times that of the xvid's video rate (3.5 X is a good figure).....going higher doesnt seem to gain anything in quality (imvoo) if using CBR go around 5X the xvids bitrate....and it should look as good as a 2 pass (or it does with CCE).

PPPS. The above is TRUE for xvid avi's with a WIDTH of 500 pixels and above and not for sizes below that...if its something small like 320 wide then use VCD/quarter DVD as you encoding size/output (but only available at 4:3 output).

[Jeremiah58]

I would recommend VSO DivXtoDVD.
The program is so simple that you do not need any tutorial. Freeware, too.
The best quality possible ?
Hmm.
Perhaps not, but I'm very pleased with the output video.