Best way to convert/re-encode XviD to DivX?

[papaholmz]

I have done extensive searching through the forums and have found that the reason some of my *.avi files won't play on my stand alone divx player is because they use qpel. I have started checking all my *.avi files with MPEG4Modifier and I know which ones use qpel.

I have also searched through the conversion guides, and nothing comes up when you choose "XviD to DivX" or "XviD to XviD"

So, I need to know the best way to either convert from XviD to DivX so I can get the qpel out; or I need to know the best way to re-encode the XviD to XviD without qpel.

I have tried using virtualdub to re-encode and it does an ok job, but the quality drops drastically. I know that I will have some quality loss, but this is really bad, there has to be a better way to do this.

So, if you know a better way to convert/re-encode XviD to either XviD or DivX so I can take out the qpel, please let me know.

Thanks,
papaholmz

[junkmalle]

The conversion from Xvid to Xvid in VirtualDub should lose very little quality. I'm guessing you have a VBR source and are converting to CBR. Try using two pass variable bitrate or single pass quantization (constant quality) mode.

Also, since you're not using any filters (or are you?), use Video -> Fast Recompress. This leaves the video in YUV format, avoiding the unnecessary conversion to RGB and back.

[bazooka]

I use virtualdub and it works good for me.

It depends on your source.

The main difference is that xvid uses variable bitrate audio.

[papaholmz]

Junkmalle: thanks, i'm trying your suggestions now...... it should be done in about 30 more minutes, i'll post my success or failure in a few minutes.

Thanks again,
papaholmz

[papaholmz]

Well, the video turned out great for a re-encode using your method junkmalle............ however, the audio got out of sync really bad in a lot of places...... so I'm trying it again and leaving it as mp3-vbr instead of converting it to cbr...... do you think this will fix the problem?

thanks,
papaholmz

[bazooka]

select audio full processing and save the avi under a new name and it should straighten out.

[junkmalle]

Well, the video turned out great for a re-encode using your method junkmalle............ however, the audio got out of sync really bad in a lot of places...... so I'm trying it again and leaving it as mp3-vbr instead of converting it to cbr...... do you think this will fix the problem?

thanks,
papaholmz

Glad to hear the video turned out ok. VirtualDub doesn't like VBR audio much but Audio -> Direct Stream Copy is worth a try. If that doesn't work you can Save WAV then use the WAV file as the audio source.

[VidGuy]

Another alternative is to use AViMux (See tools at the left) to mux the audio from the original AVI into a new avi using the video from the reencode and the audio from the original AVI .

[catdaddio6]

hey papa i'm experimenting for the same reason as you,,,did you use 2 pass or the single quantinization metod????
also with vdub i see single pass,2 pass first pass,and, 2 pass second pass,,,if i do 2 pass do i have to run them seperately????

[junkmalle]

hey papa i'm experimenting for the same reason as you,,,did you use 2 pass or the single quantinization metod????
also with vdub i see single pass,2 pass first pass,and, 2 pass second pass,,,if i do 2 pass do i have to run them seperately????

For 2 pass you have to run both both passes with the same settings. During the first pass the codec examines every frame to get an idea of how many bits each frame will take (it creates a file with this information). In the second pass it uses that information to protion out the bitrate over the entire video.

I find 2 pass to be useful only when I want a file of a specific size. Quantization mode is much faster (only one pass) and every frame comes out the desired quality. The problem, of course, is that you don't know exactly how big the file is going to be. While encoding you can watch the projected file size in the status window to get an idea how big the final video will be.

I usually use a Quantization value between 2 and 3. At 2 you can compress just about any source with no visible loss of quality. At 3 you see a little loss, especially if pause and zoom into a frame.

[catdaddio6]

i've done a fast recompress with a slighty higher bit rate,using single pass in vdub,xivd codec,and it came out kinda crappy,i didnt know about the quantization settings though,so will try again,,thanks
one more question i have an avi that mpeg4modifier says (Invalid aspect_ratio setting)and it wont play in my stand alone,,is there a way to change or trick that settin so i dont have to recode??thanks

[StanEis]

Can't play the qpel xvids in the Philips DVP-642. Whenever I run across this I just use Dr. DivX to re-encode. Virtually no changes with the exception of the codec. Tried this for the hell of it and basically it swaps the codecs and makes the avi playable in the Philips. Mission accomplished. I'm sure some of the purists will find exception to this method but all I know is that it works.

[celtic_druid]

Constant quant 2 may be a problem with standalones itself though due to bitrate spikes. If you do a 2 pass encode with full quality first pass then you can keep the quant 2 first pass anyway if you want.

[junkmalle]

i've done a fast recompress with a slighty higher bit rate,using single pass in vdub,xivd codec,and it came out kinda crappy,i didnt know about the quantization settings though,so will try again,,thanks
one more question i have an avi that mpeg4modifier says (Invalid aspect_ratio setting)and it wont play in my stand alone,,is there a way to change or trick that settin so i dont have to recode??thanks

When using quantization mode you don't set a bitrate. The file just comes out whatever bitrate was necessary (at each frame) to get the quality you asked for. If you were setting a single pass bitrate you were using constant bitrate mode, not quantization (constant quality) mode.

Celtic_druid could be right that Q=2 might be too high for some players. I have a Liteon 2002 for Divx/DVD and I never see the problem though. I often loan my Divx DVD's to someone with the Philips 642 and she's never mentioned any problems.

[papaholmz]

junkmalle: I used the "save wav" method and used that as the audio, and it worked like a charm, the file size is a bit big, but beggars can't be choosers. And besides, it looks almost like the original, so I'm happy.


catdaddio6: I used single pass, but listen to what junkmalle says, he knows what he is talking about.

Thanks,
papaholmz

[junkmalle]

junkmalle: I used the "save wav" method and used that as the audio, and it worked like a charm, the file size is a bit big, but beggars can't be choosers. And besides, it looks almost like the original, so I'm happy.

Did you select a compression codec for the audio when you used the WAV file? Use Audio -> Full Processing Mode, and select a codec Audio -> Compression. I usually use MPEG layer 3 around 192 kbps.

[samson]

Just would like to confirm the method to re-encode xvid to xvid w/o qpel.
I need to re-encode and would like one of the experts to confirm.
I am looking for minimum loss in quality.

Using Virtual DUb..
video compression set to xvid codec, quant = 2, single pass, fast compression. All other params set to default.
save audio as WAV, audio compression = wav file. All other params set to default.
save as new name AVI file.

I noticed it takes about 1.5 hours. I have a philips 642

Should i use Dr. Divx instead? Can anyone with the philips player confirm which of the 2 methods would be the best.
Thanks in advance

[Zisguy1]

Encoding is encoding... as long as the Codec parameters are the same, the results should be identical whether you use VirtualDub or Dr. DivX.