x264 to xvid/divx?

[smoki]

How can i convert x264 material to xvid?
avi.net doesn't recognize .avi inputs

virtualdub doesn't work either...

thanks!

[junkmalle]

If it's an AVI file: Install ffdshow, enable its x.264 decoding to VFW, open in VirtualDub, encode to Xvid.

[smoki]

thanks i'll try tonight. yes, the x264 file is avi

virtualdub doesn't encode 2 passes one after another, does it? what should i use to convert using 2 pass automatically?

[junkmalle]

thanks i'll try tonight. yes, the x264 file is avi

virtualdub doesn't encode 2 passes one after another, does it? what should i use to convert using 2 pass automatically?

You can't do two passes automatically with VirtualDub. You should set everything up the way you want, set the codec to 2-pass first pass, Save as AVI. When it's done change the codec to 2-pass second pass and Save as AVI again.

If you are interested in quality and don't care about the exact file size consider using Xvid's Quantization (constant quality) mode. It only takes a single pass and, at a given file size, will have the same quality as 2-pass. The drawback is that you don't know how big the file will be beforehand. Try Q values from about 2 to 4:

At Q=2 the results are pretty much identical to the source even if you look at enlarged still frames.

At Q=3 there will be a little macroblocking in the results but it won't be noticeable at normal playback speed.

At Q=4 macroblocks will be slightly visible at normal playback speed.

You can use decimal values like 2.5 too.

[smoki]

the material is about 2 hours and almost 2GB. I would like to compress it to max. 2CDs size (1400MB) in xvid.

Boy am i waiting for the new Dr.Divx, it looks very promising. Xvid configuration is a place i get lost really fast

[junkmalle]

the material is about 2 hours and almost 2GB. I would like to compress it to max. 2CDs size (1400MB) in xvid.

Unless the frame size is really large that shouldn't be a problem.

[smoki]

virtualdub reported a bad VBR audio encoding or something and asked me if it should rewrite the header. I'll try with ffdshow later on and see if it works this time.

[junkmalle]

Virtualdub doesn't like VBR audio encodings. When it asks that question I usually answer no, then set audio to full processing mode, and set the compression to LAME (or whatever audio codec you want). If audio is still out of sync after that, then export the audio as uncompressed PCM WAV file, and use that WAV file as the audio source.

[smoki]

hmm, still doesn't work. i probably didn't to something right in ffdshow:

i went to "decoding" and i enabled H263 and H264 using libavcodec, clicked "apply".

virtualdub complains it can't find a decompressor for H264

[junkmalle]

You probably set the WDM configuration, not the VFW config.

Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow --> VFW Codec Configuration. Go to the Decoder tab, enable the h.264 section.

If that doesn't work, check the fourcc in the AVI file with AviCodec or Gspot.

[smoki]

H263/264 are enabled in ffdshow using the libavcodec

Gspot reports the files as using

4CC:H264/x264
Name: ITU H.26n
Stat: Codec NOT installed
Stream Type: OpenDML AVI
IMRR 1.00
I/L: 1 vid frame (40ms), p=504, Split:no

This is weird because i installed the latest "x264-Full_r292" package, and since i can use VFW Config, etc..it means the installation was complete.

BSplayer, WMP play the file with constant flickering?!
Virtualdub(mod) still doesnt open it

VLC is the only one which plays it right!

[celtic_druid]

x264 doesn't include a decoder, this is why you need ffdshow.

To make sure you get it right, select ffdshow in VdubMod's codec config, then go to the decoder tab and enable decoding.

What build of ffdshow are you running?

Also to do two passes automatically in VDub(Mod), when you go to save the first pass, add it to the job's list, do the same for the 2nd then run the jobs.

[smoki]

x264 doesn't include a decoder, this is why you need ffdshow.

To make sure you get it right, select ffdshow in VdubMod's codec config, then go to the decoder tab and enable decoding.

What build of ffdshow are you running?

Also to do two passes automatically in VDub(Mod), when you go to save the first pass, add it to the job's list, do the same for the 2nd then run the jobs.

i can't find the codec config in virtualdubmod.
the ffdshow build is 292

[celtic_druid]

Video-->Compression-->ffdshow-->Configure

Not sure what you mean by ffdshow build 292 sounds like you are talking about x264 svn revision 292.

[smoki]

ah, mixed up ffdshow with the x264 package.
can't check the info now but both should be the latest versions, i dloaded them yesterday

[celtic_druid]

x264 r293 was out yesterday.

[smoki]

Video-->Compression-->ffdshow-->Configure

Not sure what you mean by ffdshow build 292 sounds like you are talking about x264 svn revision 292.

the compression option in the video menu is greyed out until you load a video file. And since i cannot load the x264 file, i cannot access the option.

Isn't this leading to the same configuration Gui that comes with ffdshow? I already enable h263/264 using libavcodec but as i said nothing plays properly or even opens the file except VLC.

[celtic_druid]

Not greyed out here, not in VdubMod or regular VDub.

Yeah, VfW config, but I was just making sure that it was enabled in the right place.

ffdshow works fine here for both VfW and dshow.

If VLC is the only thing that works though, you could use that to re-encode.

[junkmalle]

the compression option in the video menu is greyed out until you load a video file

Are you sure the compression option isn't greyed out because you're in Direct Stream Copy mode?

Just in case it wasn't clear earlier and you're using the wrong one... There are two decoder configurations for ffshow:

Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow --> Video Decoder Configuration

Start -> All Programs -> ffdshow --> VFW Codec Configuration

The former is for the WDM (Windows Device Manager) interface, the latter for VFW (Video for Windows). You want to enable the VFW decoder because that's what VirtualDub uses.

[smoki]

Video-->Compression-->ffdshow-->Configure

Not sure what you mean by ffdshow build 292 sounds like you are talking about x264 svn revision 292.

ok ffdshow doesn't show up in the compression dialog window. i only see x264 - H264/AVC encoder..this is both in vdub and vdubmod

tried transoding with VLC from x264 to mpeg2@3mbps+mp3 audio and it doesn't do anything. i even start it repeatedly from the playlist and it looks like it's doing something. After 1/2 second or so it stops.

[celtic_druid]

If you don't see ffdshow listed then it can't be used to decode. This is why I suggested accessing the config this way rather than via the start menu.

ffdshow is not correctly installed or rather the VfW wrapper isn't. Probably the whole thing though if you can't get playback any anything.

You didn't install the 20041012 or whatever version did you? Because that had a problem with VfW and NT based OS's.

Other possibility would be one of my MSVC7.1 builds where I didn't include msvcr71.dll in the installer. If you didn't already have the file on your system, then ffdshow.ax would fail to register. If it wasn't registered though I don't thing the config would work.

Both 20050909 builds should be fine though.

VfW codecs not installing can also be caused by corrupt vidc enteries, but then x264 installed ok.

[smoki]

hmm, yea i had the 20041012 version
just got the 20050909 from Afterdawn i'll check if it works

[smoki]

gee, guess what...it works now!
was a bad build that 2004 one huh...

now i just need to fiddle with xvid and that quantization mode

[smoki]

ok i extracted the audio as .wav and encoded the video in xvid@1300kbps

how do i proceed in mixing the two, preferably converting the .wav to mp3 before muxing?

[junkmalle]

ok i extracted the audio as .wav and encoded the video in xvid@1300kbps

how do i proceed in mixing the two, preferably converting the .wav to mp3 before muxing?

You could have just used VirtualDub to convert and mux the WAV file while it was converting the video. Since you've already converted the video:

Open the Xvid file in VirtualDub.

Select Video --> Direct Stream Copy.

Open the WAV file in VirtualDub with Audio -> WAV Audio.

Select Audio --> Full Processing Mode.

Use Audio --> Conversion... if you need to change the sample type.

Select Audio -> Compression... to select the audio codec and set parameters.

Use Save as AVI to save the results.

Video Direct Stream Copy will simply copy the xvid video from the source to the destination. Audio will be compressed and muxed with the video.

[smoki]

This is beautiful...many thanks junkmalle.
I actually did it right before asking for help here but i didn;t select Direct StreamCopy...would have waited another 1:30hrs for the new encode.
Thanks again

[celtic_druid]

It was the installer that was the problem. Used the full path on NT based systems so you got program files instead of progra~1. If you manually edit the registry it will show up and work fine. AVC decoding support has been updated a lot since then though.

For some time since then ffdshow has used a VfW wrapper that goes in your sys dir so paths aren't an issue.

[smoki]

druid, thanks as well for pointing out the "wrong" build

[kirashinn]

Hey i was looking for a way to convert a H.264 (AKA x264) into xvid or divx codec from a mkv container. Anyhelp?

[celtic_druid]

You could use AVISynth with directshowsource() to load into VDub, avs2avi, xvidencraw or whatever. Or mencoder with -ovc xvid to encode directly.