vob to avi: final file size

[DaleMox]

I've encoded the whole of My Cousin Wedding using 'DivX mencoder' using 42 minutes to 350MB bit-rate (+/- 1022 kb/s).

Now, however, I thought of doing the My Sister Wedding using 'Xvid mencoder' instead, still with a 42 minutes to 350MB bit-rate (+/- 1022 kb/s), however I found some weird file sizes.
I believe this is because several frames (probably a few minutes worth) have significant amounts of black areas (when the camera pulls back and shows different scenes occurring in real time).

However using divx and mencoder, and 1 and 2-pass encoding on a 50 mins clip (should be 415MB), I get these sizes (from finder) and data rates (from quicktime):
DivX, 1-pass: 407.5 MB, 123.0 KB/s (+/- 984.0 kb/s)
DivX, 2-pass: 409.1 MB, 123.5 KB/s (+/- 988.0 kb/s)
Xvid, 1-pass: 340.4 MB, 099.9 KB/s (+/- 799.2 kb/s)
Xvid, 2-pass: 398.2 MB, 119.8 KB/s (+/- 958.4 kb/s)

I wanted to point this out, and then ask whether I should use the DivX mencoder to get file sizes that correspond (more or less) to what they should, or if Xvid is doing a better job and is wasting less bytes with the same quality.

Thank you in advance for you help.

P.S. I'm using 'High Quality', 0,0,10,6 cropping, 16:9 aspect ration and 560 x 320 size, in all 4 attempts.

Dale

[DaleMox]

So nobody has any idea if xvid is doing a better job by having the same quality for a smaller file, or if divx is doing a better job by encoding to the proper file size?

Please, I would like to finish these before I need to return to the U.K. for university.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. *bump*

Dale

[Case]

Only DivX mencoder allows for three-pass encoding. That's your best bet for getting the desired file size.

[DaleMox]

Only DivX mencoder allows for three-pass encoding. That's your best bet for getting the desired file size.

Thank you. However, I, of course, would survive with the smaller files that mencoder xvid is producing if it is the same quality as the larger files 'mencoder divx' is producing.

I think I going to go with xvid, as playing both simultaneously in quicktime doesn't show much difference. Again, I'm all ears.

Dale

[devo]

Only DivX mencoder allows for three-pass encoding. That's your best bet for getting the desired file size.

this is not completely true.

may I refer you to my answerless thread. answerless help thread