Divx Quality after conversion?

[mick.ca]

How much quailty do you loose in backing up a dvd to divx?

How does a divx back up compare to a dvd-r using dvd-shrink?

I am wondering if you can really notice much of diffence for picture quailty?

Does anyone know what percentage of picture quailty you loose?

I have never seen anywhere on the net where it says how much picture qauilty you loose. Like for example do you loose say 20 percent picture qauitly or so?

I just got a Divx certfied dvd player the LG LDA-530. Backing up to divx would have advantages like fiting on 5 moives to one dvd. Im just wondering how the video looks compared to using a dvd-r with dvd-shrink? My tv only has composite video out (no svideo or componet , but i might get a new tv that has component

thanks in advance for any info

[junkmalle]

How much quailty do you loose in backing up a dvd to divx?

It depends on how much compression you ask for.

How does a divx back up compare to a dvd-r using dvd-shrink?

Again, it depends on how much compression you ask for.

I am wondering if you can really notice much of diffence for picture quailty?

Again, it depends on how much compression you ask for.

Does anyone know what percentage of picture quailty you loose?

Once again, it depends on how much compression you ask for!

I have never seen anywhere on the net where it says how much picture qauilty you loose. Like for example do you loose say 20 percent picture qauitly or so?

I think you get the drift by now.

With Divx or XVid you can usually compress a movie to one half to one quarter of the DVD size and have results that are visually nearly identical to the DVD.

[mick.ca]

well generally a 90 min movie would fit on a 700 meg cd-r, but on the orginal dvd it would be about 7 or so gigs (less the menus and audio tracks you dont need etc.) so that would compress it a lot! given that compersion rate 7 gigs to 700 megs, would you loose alot of picture quailty? if your compressing is 50 percent then i could just use dvd shrink?

i started using dr divx. as it is the easyiest to use. is this a good progam for good qauilty? any other user freindly programs you could recommend?

thanks\\

[redwudz]

IMO, the program you use for DIVX doesn't make much difference, the quality adjustments are in the codec settings. I use VirtualDub as it has more options and filters.

[Krispy Kritter]

All of the movies that I've seen that fit on a single cdr are not very good quality..I'd say VHS at best...usually worse. They are watchable , but not even close to being DVD quality.

Also, there is no set size for a DVD movie. I've seen 2 hour movies that are on a single layer disc and I've seen 90 minute movies that use most of a DL disc. So there are no set standards or ratios that you can use to make comparisons.

With that said, I've seen 1 - 1.4 Gb xvid files that look remarkably good on my big screen.

[edDV]

given that compersion rate 7 gigs to 700 megs, would you loose alot of picture quailty?

yes you would

remember the MPeg2 DVD has already been compressed 10-20x.

7 gigs to 2 gigs may be adequate. Take a test movie try the different compressions and make your judgement. Remember, in the future, you will be watching on a superior TV. Compression artifacts will be more visible.

[adcvideo]

That is actually a very interesting question. But I would ask more along the lines: is there a point where a further increase in bit rate equals diminishing returns? And would a 4.3 GB Divx file be better than a DVD-V processed by DVD Shrink?

I find that, assuming a 2 hour movie, that a 650 MB Divx file is far worse in quality than a 1 GB Divx file.

I expect it would also make a difference if the screen size is going to be lowered, or if it is kept at something similar to full D1 resolution? Wouldn't that require a higher bit rate?

[mick.ca]

from what i have seen movies that are 2 to 3 hours are about 1.4 gigs on 2 cd-r's. amd movies that are 90 mins or a bit tend to be on files 700 megs, i cd-r. i guess using a dvd-r you could make the divx bigger yet.

im converting a movie now using dr divx, (im a newbie so this is the only program that makes sence to me at present) anyway the only setting i used is to pick from low, good and high quailty. the vob files for the main movie equal 4 gigs on this movie. when i selected high quailty it said the file is to be around 800 megs and change. so i guess i will wait and see what i think of the results.

if anyone one knows about changing setting in this program or any other programs to enhance picture quailty, please post

thanks

[redwudz]

I haven't used Dr Divx for a couple of years. Saw no purpose to it when VirtualDub does the same thing with more options. If you open the Divx codec, at least in VD, all the adjustments are there. Don't know how you do this in Dr Divx. The codec is what does the work, not the program using it.

[edDV]

I used to understand Divx when DVDR blanks cost $2 ea. but isn't the concept obsolete now that DVDR blanks are under $0.19* and falling?

Even with faster computers (which cost much more than media in money and time) and the upcoming H.264/RC-1 shift, isn't Divx obsolete?



*ref. Staples deal.

[SCDVD]

I used to understand Divx when DVDR blanks cost $2 ea. but isn't the concept obsolete now that DVDR blanks are under $0.19* and falling?

Even with faster computers (which cost much more than media in money and time) and the upcoming H.264/RC-1 shift, isn't Divx obsolete?



*ref. Staples deal.

For that application, that is a reasonable observation. But I use XVID (essentially the same as DIVX) movie files on a 300 MB hard disc in a system that I have attached to a Pinnacle Show Center that allows me to select any movie on the hard disc and watch it on my TV with the Show Center's remote control. You can get a lot of movies on a hard disc with DIVX/XVID movie files.

[edDV]

I used to understand Divx when DVDR blanks cost $2 ea. but isn't the concept obsolete now that DVDR blanks are under $0.19* and falling?

Even with faster computers (which cost much more than media in money and time) and the upcoming H.264/RC-1 shift, isn't Divx obsolete?



*ref. Staples deal.

For that application, that is a reasonable observation. But I use XVID (essentially the same as DIVX) movie files on a 300 MB hard disc in a system that I have attached to a Pinnacle Show Center that allows me to select any movie on the hard disc and watch it on my TV with the Show Center's remote control. You can get a lot of movies on a hard disc with DIVX/XVID movie files.

I agree with that but processing can take eons.

Even so, hard drive cost per GB is falling even faster.

[junkmalle]

from what i have seen movies that are 2 to 3 hours are about 1.4 gigs on 2 cd-r's. amd movies that are 90 mins or a bit tend to be on files 700 megs, i cd-r.

Yes, but they don't use a full 720x480 frame size. They're usually more like 600x336 (16:9 picture aspect ratio) or less. The smaller frame size allows for a lower bitrate. You can reduce the frame size to 480x272 or so before you start noticing a big loss of resolution on standard TV.

[vhelp]

I'm not exactly sure why anyone *would* want to backup a dvd to divX
or Xvid, etc.., except for when the user wishes to view on their pc.

In my experience with divX (for instance) I've had much problems with
the pixels showing up. Granted, I have an LCD monitor, but I can still
see the pixels (or, chizels) specially in stationed or plain background
scenes. Even at highest bitrate, I could see them. Now.., on a regular
pc monitor (tube type) you will see lessor of this, but only because of
the darker look from the tube (can't put it in words - sorry) which has
the advantage of "hiding" these pixels. But, I can't see much use out
of backing up dvd's, and watching on pc regularly.., with the exception
of being stuck somewhere's (like in an office, doing boring work on pc)
but other than that, I still prefer the good old MPEG-2 standard (or x
for that matter) when it comes to dvd transfers, etc.

IMO, the advantage of having an LCD (vs. a PC) is on account of being
able to fine-tune one's encoding practices, due to the ability to *see*
the details (blocks, etc) from the LCD higher gamma. (I think that gamma
is what I am refering to, else, feel free to correct me)

I'd love to see a good Xvid vs. divX shoot-out (from dvd sources) just
for curiousness though. fwiw, I did see a good Xvid of a cartoon, and
I was pleased (for pc viewing, even on my LCD) but I have never seen any
really good encodes from a DVD source to *justify* a dvd archive to Xvid
or divX for that matter Maybe I'll try it out on my "Incredibles"
DVD hmm.. This is just my OT. Anyways.

And last.., is SuperBit dvd's..

I know that these are a bit better. You could try working with these, if
you have some. My "Fifth Element" always comes out great. Anyways.

When encoding from a DVD source to MPEG (based on my experience) you
mostly have to utilize a good size bitrate to duplcated (w/out blocks)
the source. Problem is, this don't always happen very well in quality in
a dvd_DL to dvd, because most dvd's are 8gigs (DL) and currently (thanks to
high prices) DL writers medias are still too $$$ pricy. So, squeezing a DL
disk down to a 4.3g disk is hard enough.., let alone, to a 700mb cd-r disk.
..you almost *feel* the blocks, hehe. Anyways.

mick.ca, I am curious how you viewing these divX files though.
for instance, widescreen vs fullscreen; ivtc vs. not; resolution; etc.

-vhelp 3349

[skidog]

I don't like encoding something i actually want to watch under 1100kbs video divx or xvid alike. Most movies i tend to encode to 1.35gb (double cd size). You see this alot with tv shows to, with 175mb, and 350mb for 22 and 44min shows respectively. They work out to ~1100kbs Just seems like a good trade off. H.264 seems to be changing things though.

To answer the question though, unless you're storing movies on your computer or transfering them over the web (non-copy writted dvd's of course ), then just use dvd shrink and rip to a dvdr, it wil be more compatible if you take it to your friends house to watch. and it will take less time.

For best quality of the movie, re-author, remove all the tittles, extra's, menu's bla bla bla, and cut the movie to end right as the credits start, shave's off another 5-10 mins of the movie. That can easily take your compression in dvd-shrink from 70 to 80%.

I Think dvd shrink still looks good until you start getting down to 55% and below, then it's time to start looking at divx or xvid in double cd size, but this should be rare if you follow the above.

sorry to bump..