Encoding HELL!!! Someone please help

[web_maven]

I have had it! I am at my breaking point. Someone please help.

I have an Xbox 360 soon I will have two of them (I love them please no PS3 comments). I would like to convert my existing DVD's to WMV 5.1 to play on the Xbox (Please note I own these videos I would like to have the videos in one place and free up shelf space).

I just want a simple program where I could select bit rate, screen size, aspect ratio and audio either stereo or 5.1 I would like all this in a WMV file. I know the Xbox support this but none of the software that I tired works. The ImToo Video converter looked good but I would select Xbox 360 from the profile and nothing worked (also it's default for an Xvid or MPEG-4 profile was .MOV why the Xbox profile would default to .MOV your guess is as good as mine).

I would like to use the WMV format with 5.1 but I just can't find any programs that support this. I would be willing to use MP4 but again I ran into the same problems select Xbox from the profile select 5.1 (where it's supported) and the file does not work. I must have downloaded every program from this site and not one of them can do what I want. I would prefer the WMV format I feel that it works best on the Xbox.

I have even tried using the MS Media encoder 9 and I have problems with that too. If anyone knows of a program or profile I could download for a program please let me know. Also tried AutoMKV which looked like it would work but when I click WMV as the file format the program crashes this is just another example of programs that don't work.

I am in Encoding HELL with a bunch of non-working encoders installed on my computer.

Thank you;
Ray

[poisondeathray]

Try encodehd (or encode360) or ms expression encoder

[web_maven]

Tried both EncodeHD and Encode360 both do not support 5.1

Expression Encoder Free version does not read AC3 converts it to Stereo I would have to buy the Pro version which is around $200. I also found that it is very picky with the types of files it will encode from. The program crashed several times.

Thanks for your input
Ray

[poisondeathray]

The free way that works for sure is to use avisynth + wmnicenc

Not the easiest, unless you are already familiar with avs scripts, dgindex, etc...

[smitbret]

Have you thought about setting your Xbox 360s up as Media Extenders? Then it's just as simple as ripping and playing back.

[_Al_]

I tried Expression Encoder, there was problem to start second project if I recall right, I had to always start from scratch for different encoding by opening new file. That way I got rid of crashing.

And another thing I was surprised it could read avisynth file.

I was testing Essential Encoder if I could get better result than from Sony Vegas, but not really or I couldn't do it rigt.

[jman98]

Expression Encoder Free version does not read AC3 converts it to Stereo I would have to buy the Pro version which is around $200. I also found that it is very picky with the types of files it will encode from. The program crashed several times.

Sucks to be you, but I didn't paint myself into a corner with the Xbox and WMV.

Sane solution - Just buy a streaming media player like one of the Western Digital models or something similar. Use H.264 and skip this WMV stuff. It's a LOT cheaper than buying Expression.

Insane solution - Continue down this path you're on.

[web_maven]

Problem solved!! (jman98: I guess I went down the insane solution)

Freemake Video Converter is the best of them all!! For any format!! It can create WMV in WMV3 or VC1 format with 5.1 audio. I also used it to create PSP videos (MP4 format) which also looked great. The quality is better then other programs, it's simple to use, fast, and best of all FREE. I have worked with a lot of different programs in the past to encode video and this is by far the best of them all.

If you are on the XBOX 360 use the WMV format with 5.1, the XBOX console is the best "media player/game" console on the market (sorry PS3 users).