MOV to XVID using VDub - Is this possible at all?

[LisaB]

There seems to be no appropriate forum for this question, so I'll just post it here.

Is there any way I can use a MOV as a source file for either VirtualDub or AviSynth?

Isn't there some kind of plug-in that would allow VirtualDub or AviSynth to recognize MOV? It seems like the only encoding program that recognizes MOV is TMPGEnc via the MOV Plug-in...but how can I encode to xvid using TMPGEnc?

[Darth Paris]

You can output to an .avi via TMPGEnc, but I don't recommend it. If you really want to go to the file menu, output to file, then choose .avi.

[underwurlde]

This works for me when converting those bloody awkward MOV files....

Setup
====
1) Install QuickTime
2) Install QuickTime Alternative

Installing QuickTime Alternative seems to unlock some options in QuickTime v6.4, such as the abiltiy to import & export to different types of Movie File (Such as AVI or MPEG-4)! However, installing QuickTime alternative may bugger the audio output of QuickTime.
To resolve this try:
Control Panel -> Double click QuickTime icon -> Sound Output:
Select 'Windows Preferred Device'
[Or via QuickTime menus: Edit -> Preferences -> QuickTime Preferences...]

To get .MOV movie properties:
====================
Start QuickTime v6.4 and open required .MOV movie file.

Select Movies -> Get Movie Properties:
Left hand box, select :
'Video Track' or 'Audio Track'
Right Hand Box select various information such as:
'Format' gives movie frame size 'Frame Rate' gives movie frame rate.

Converting a .MOV movie file (Video & Audio Simultaneously)
=======================================
Open .MOV movie file in QuickTime v6.4 but don't play it.
Get movie properties (see above) and note Frame rate and Audio sample rates etc.
File -> Export as AVI Set settings for AVI export:

Options -> Video Settings:
Compression: None
Depth: Thousands of colours
Quality: Best
Frames Per Sec: 23.98 (as original)
Options -> Audio Settings:
Comperssor: None
Rate: 44.1Khz (as original)
Size: 16 bit
Use: Sterio (as original)
Choose a file name and click save to export. Will now get the exporting movie progress bar. Note exported AVI movie may not be unplayable - don't worry about this!

Open VirtualDub and open newly created AVI file.
VirtualDub may then automatically reconstruct the AVI file by "reconstucting the missing index block (aggressive mode)". This process takes about 1 minute per Gb of AVI data.
Now using VirtualDub set up compression formats for video (e.g. XviD) and Audio (e.g. MPEG Layer 3):

Video -> Select 'Full processing mode'
Compression: Select codec (e.g. XviD)):
MPEG-4 Fast Motion
Configure -> Keyframe every 1sec
Audio -> Select 'Full processing mode'
Compression: (e.g. MPEG Layer 3):
Select 128k bits 44.1KHz sterio (as original)
Options:
Deselect Display input video
Deselect Display output video
Select Sync to Audio
File -> Save as AVI.. choose File name then Save.
AnXviD movie will now be created.

Once done, don't forget to delete the huge exported AVI movie file used to created the compressed AVI movie file!

Good luck

Andy.

[LisaB]

Thanks so much, underwurlde! I had used QT's export before, but didn't realize that the default export was some crappy cinepak compression....the results were very bad....I just never explored all the export options before!

[BJ_M]

you can use screenblast or vegas (or many other programs maybe) and encode it to xvid or load it into tmpgenc (with mov plug in) and frame serve it to v-dub from tmpgenc via
vfapiCONV.exe

[iantri]

Buy Quicktime Pro. It allows export to AVI. You may not have many options though; if that is the case have it output an uncompressed (or huffyuv compressed, if you don't have the room) AVI and do what you want to it in Virtualdub.

[gastorgrab]

If you still want to use VirtualDub / AviSynth...

LoadVFAPIPlugin ("C:\VFAPI_Plug-Ins\QTReader\QTReader.vfp","QTReader")
QTReader ("C:\Temp\Example.mov")
ChangeFPS (25)
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