NEWBIe needs help

[trustngo1]

Okay this may sound like a stupid question, but im really a newb so i dont know...What is better divx file? or a VCD? Im talking about quality wise... I ripped it from the DVD now i just want to see which one should i convert it to.

[Dave B]

DivX is a more efficient compression algorithm than MPEG1 (VCD) so will typically look better than an MPEG1 encode at the same filesize.

You can however burn a compatible MPEG1 file as a VCD and play it on most DVD players - something that is impossible to do with DivX.

[trustngo1]

well...ya see this is the problem...i downloaded a divx...and it was really good quality..the size was 640x304. And when i fullscreened it...the quality was really good. I then tried to rip a dvd with smart ripper & encoded it into divx with FLASKMPeG. and the size was 352x288 & when i fullscreen it..its pixelly, not as good as the divx i downloaded. THey are the SAME size (578Megs). So what did i do wrong?

[Dave B]

You need to learn more about DivX encoding and digital video in general. I suggest that you look at http://www.doom9.org and read some of the DivX guides.

In the meantime here are a few pointers to help get better quality.
1) Ditch FlaskMPEG and use GordianKnot or VirtualDub.
2) Encode your DVD rip into a higher resolution. 640x304 is good for panoramic widescreen movies.
3) Use 2 pass VBR to encode your movie.
4) Use a bitrate calculator to ensure that the movie fills a CD (or two)

Hope this is enough to get you started.