Guidelines for choosing among video codecs for file output?

[Scorpion King]

I had to work today. Looks like I missed all the fun.

Just a guess but I would say newbee51 can type 60 words per minute. How much did I miss that by?

Ok seriously. I think once you get a little more experience working video you will see just how good all these answers have been so far. You have asked an easy enough question but at the same time you are demanding that all who reply to stay on topic. Very tough to do because there are so many variables involved.

Ok, back to your second group of questions.

1. use the framerate of the original file if possible. Might save you some problems in the conversion.
2. If you resize then resize down. Try to maintain aspect ratio.
3a -3l. I use AC-3 or Mpeg-1 Audio Layer 2 48,000Hz, 16Bit, Stereo when creating a DVD. I use AC-3 or MP-3 about 160Kbps, 48,000Hz, Stereo when creating Xvid/Divx/x264 video files. When creating a video for someone elses computer I use Mpeg-1 Audio Layer 2 or PCM. The only time I use 44.1Kbps audio is when working VCD. Some for compliance, some for preference, some because I'm stubbern.

II.B - II.C.1.a-b.3.iv. I'm not that big a fan of Xvid and actually don't use it that much. I have read the guides and tried many tests with the codec in the past. If I were to use it today I would probably just use the default values with a custom 2 pass bitrate depending on how large an output file I want. I would determine the bitrate with either a bitrate calculator program or a normal calculator and my brain.

Whew!! How do they expect anyone but video engineers to select or adjust all these things?

It takes many hours of research, testing, and getting your hands dirty. You must be commited enough to do all that is necessary to learn the material. I guess I'm commited to a few subjects where video is concerned, but only the subjects that I want to use and how I want to use them. What do you want to do and how do you want to do it. Once you figure that out then you will need to learn what is necessary to get there. Or something like that anyway. lol

Have a good weekend you guys.
Good luck.

[Nelson37]

What I was attempting to point out was that the information you need along with the explanations as to pros and cons will cover several pages, at least. It is already here, on this site, already typed, with pictures and everything, all you have to do is look for it.

It is not all in one place because of the massive breadth of the question(s) you have asked.

It would be helpful if you would describe in detail the source of the video you are starting with, indications are some sort of capture but this is unclear. The PC in your profile is apparently not the PC you will be using. The profile PC would not be adequate for playback of Hi-def codecs and probably not for Xvid or even MPG2. No capture device listed, insufficient storage for uncompressed AVI capture and working space. The secondary maching you mention would be barely adequate for HiDef encoding or playback, but otherwise sufficient.

There are detailed Guides for every type of AVI encoding, along with others. With each, there is discussion of methods which vary in regard to source type and preferred output methods, storage mediums, etc. Each will answer some of your questions. Read a dozen and most of them will be answered. A dozen more and you will know most of what you need to know. A dozen more and you will learn things you didn't know you needed.

The depth of information you are asking for is simply not going to be covered in a few posts. Do you really want a couple quick thoughts on relative codec merits dashed off in a few minutes or would you like to access the combined input of HUNDREDS of people accumulated over several YEARS, refined, corrected, and improved steadily over that time?

I once told someone much like yourself that I could fill a page with the Questions he needed answers to, most of which he did not know enough to answer yet. The post is still on here somewhere.

I have no objection to your asking the question, I answer lots of them. I am trying to show you the best way to go about extracting what you need to know from the best resource available anywhere. There is just no substitute to doing the reading.