Dvd to Divx.. I've tried it all.. still need help!

[X-treme]

After searching for the best possible guide, I have heard many people having success with AutoGK, and Guardian Knot. I personally have had no luck with converting my first dvd into divx/xvid using either guide.

After following the prompts carefully, I end up with 2 videos in my output folder. One is twice the size of the other, but both are the completed encoded movie. When I play both on my pc, they look perfectly fine; however, when burning to dvd and playing in my divx stand-alone player, the picture is all distorted/fuzzy/garbage.

I understand that resultion/bitrate makes the video become great or poor quality, but even after I follow the correct steps (suggested from the guides), the video is still garbage.

I have a friend who download's a xvid/divx movies every once and a while, and his movies are PERFECT. Well, not 100%, but they are 100% than what I can produce.

Any suggestions?

[aguillon]

I guess you are encoding Divx to a format that is not supported by your Divx set top player - it could be as simple as that.

Go back to the manual of your player and check what formats are or are not supported, and make sure you are using the right codecs / parameters when you encode. Gordian Knot or AutoGK are good tools.

Better even, post the name of your player here and I m sure some other users will offer some advice as to what works/does not work with it.

[X-treme]

My player is the Philips 642. It is one of the most popular ones out there that plays Divx.

Any other comments?

[yoda313]

Hello,
I don't know much about settop divx players. However, you might try buying a real divx converter. There's a ten dollar dvd ripper program you can pick up at a bestbuy for decent results. Or of course for 30 or 40 bucks you could buy dr divx for the best results (www.divx.com). Good luck.
Kevin

[Suntan]

No dvix/xvid program that you buy will give you any better results than the readily available freeware programs can give you.

Have you searched various forums for anyone with experience encoding spicifically for a Philips 642? I agree with aguillon, most likely it is that your settop doesn't like some of the settings you are using (as is proved by the fact that your PC plays them fine.)

Do you know if you are using/your settop supports B-frames, GMC, Qpel, etc. Those are the most likely culprets.

-Suntan

[wulf109]

When you intall AutoGK there's an option to intall a "fix" for ESS chipsets.
Your Philips 642 uses an ESS chipset. If you didn't check this option,re-install AutoGK and be sure you check the ESS option.
I have a Philips 642 and use AutoGK with no problem.

[X-treme]

Wulf, no I don't believe I clicked that option. I will have to re-install and try again.

Do you find when you back your dvd's you are able to compress most of them to 700mb? Do you configure any of your own manual settings?

My friends pirated movies are unreal. I can't believe the quality; however, it can't be too hard to do myself.

Time to give Autogk another shot.

[wulf109]

700 MB's depends on the codec I use. I use DIVX 5.01. Manual options are few,audio-ac3,fixed width-640,codec-DIVX.
Let me know if reinstalling with the ESS option checked works?

[X-treme]

Wulf, I just finished encoding the movie WITH ESS option, and it did work. Thank you.

Here's my current problem.

After taking my fullscreen movie (would widescreen make a difference?) I only selected the file to fit 1 cd (700mb), but once finished the final product was only a mere 580mb. I burned that to dvd and tried it in my philips player and the quality was 'poor', but 80% better than what I originally had.

So, with that said, I'm trying to get 'good quality', and of course you know what that means, but i'm trying to squeeze on 5 (4 is the minimum) onto dvd. Before I go ahead and re-encode it again, would it be best to select a perferred max size, which will be 1400 mb? or 75% of the original quality? If I would choose 1400mb, will the final product BE 1400mb? or is that just a 'guesstimate' and will most likely be smaller in size?

Last thing, would it be best for me to use manual settings? Doesn't AutoGK use (what you stated) automatically when encoding?

I'm just trying to find the best way to convert, but at the same time it doesn't have to be the simplest.

Thanks for your help!

[FulciLives]

I just started playing around with autoGK (have used the full blown Gordian Knot in the past) and so far it is making SUPER nice looking Xvid files for me.

I've been using the custom size 1400MB (which is about 1.4GB) which will give you one single file. Sometimes it is ever-so-slightly less than 1.4GB (smallest yet is 1.32GB) and sometimes just barely over (like 1.41GB).

I'm thinking of getting a Philips 642 as WALMART has them now for only $57 and change.

I've been doing some DVD back-ups and doing each DVD twice ... once with the ESS option for stand alones and again with the MTK/SIGMA option for stand alones.

In my opinion ... on the computer ... the ESS encodes look better. I wonder why?

I can see how autoGK may be "too automatic" when it comes to a non-progressive source. So far I've done 5 DVD discs with autoGK but all have been NTSC 23.976fps progressive. Nothing "complicated" like IVTC or hybrids.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
I've been using FIXED WIDTH = 640 since I am a "quality" freak. I also have been using the original 5.1 AC-3 audio. So far everything looks fine. I've done one 640x480 DVD as well as "ultra WS" 640x272

[Paul_G]

After taking my fullscreen movie (would widescreen make a difference?) I only selected the file to fit 1 cd (700mb)

I would not recommend you do a fullscreen film for one cd, two cds at least (ie 1300mb file).

My friends pirated movies are unreal. I can't believe the quality; however, it can't be too hard to do myself.

Better to use the word backup or some cry baby will report you

[jtoolman2000]

At the risk of coming accross as a total ASS, why go thorugh all that and not simply back up to DVD r directly. DVD r are about 30 cents a piece and it takes me about40 total from rip/shrink irf neede and burning to disk. I also have a phillips but I could not come up with a reaso to purposely take a perfectly good DVD and degrade it to a Divx just to be able to fit several movies to a DVD r and watch them on my phillips. The phillips is a dvd player first. It just happens that it also plays Dvix and Xvid. I would be like buying something just because you have a discount coupon and not because you really needed it.

I appologize but butting in but it justs makes me wonder whenever I see postings about DVD to divx convertions. Even though I once did them, I soon discovered the better backup option.

[Cobra]

My friends pirated movies are unreal. I can't believe the quality; however, it can't be too hard to do myself.

Do not advocate warez. Since this is a borderline case I am leaving it at an informal warning.

Better to use the word backup or some cry baby will report you

You too are advocating warez and are recieving an informal warning. Further to that, your attitude needs some work. VideoHelp is a busy place, and moderators often find reports useful in keeping VideoHelp a clean and legal place where those with legitimate questions and projects can seek help. These people have the best interests of this forum at heart. Don't run them down.

I'll allow this to continue on the premise that the conversion of DVD --> MPEG4 is for a legitimate purpose.

[sam9s]

No dvix/xvid program that you buy will give you any better results than the readily available freeware programs can give you.

Have you searched various forums for anyone with experience encoding spicifically for a Philips 642? I agree with aguillon, most likely it is that your settop doesn't like some of the settings you are using (as is proved by the fact that your PC plays them fine.)

Do you know if you are using/your settop supports B-frames, GMC, Qpel, etc. Those are the most likely culprets.

-Suntan

642 does not support GMC, Qpel, I dont know about B-frams. Also 642 was not able to play many Divx encoded files. Thats why I waited for Philips DVP 5500S Playes every thing

[RabidDog]

1400mb is a more realistic option for keeping the quality up (keep ac3 sound)
Actually you have to manually select something slightly (+/- 1mb) other than 1400mb otherwise AGK will give you two perfectly formed 700mb avi files, perfect for burning to two CDR. Incidentally they wont be two equal halves, timewise. 642 afaik is a perfectly good machine. Personally I want a modix 350 (not available in Uk tho) ;- (

NNb is DTS sound dead/dying ?? not many movies have it today..