recommended cropping tool

[marcopolo1]

I need to crop and avi and wondered which tool could be recommended. I started using Virtualdub with null filter but I'm unsure whether I'm performing the task correctly or if I could use another tool. I'd like if possible not to lose any quality, with some readme advice.

Thanks

[DarrellS]

Virtualdub would be my tool of choice.

Anytime you have to recode you are going to lose some quality and cropping the video means that you have to recode. The quality loss that you incur depends on the source file and the bitrates that are used. The quality loss from a high quality source file may not be too noticable.

[marcopolo1]

Cheers, do you have quick readme, so far I've done the following and unsure if this is correct.

Selected the filter and crop area, set video (full processing) and audio as was, then I save as avi. The projected file size looked enormous.

Thanks,

Mark

[AlanHK]

Selected the filter and crop area, set video (full processing) and audio as was, then I save as avi. The projected file size looked enormous.

In the "Save as" dialog under "Video mode " is another box "Compression". Its default is "Uncompressed". Click on "Change" and choose compression settings -- DivX, etc.

[redwudz]

Just to add. I usually check the file when I load it to see what bitrate it uses. (File>File Information) Then using the same codec, I go a little higher with the bitrate to try to make up for encoding losses. How much higher depends on how much bigger you can tolerate the file size and how good of quality the source file is.

[DarrellS]

What redwudz said.

As for compression

Video > Full Processing Mode > Compression > DivX or Xvid (set bitrate as redwudz instructed)
Audio > Direct Stream Copy
File > Save As > New.AVI

[marcopolo1]

Thanks everyone for your input, I'll give it a go

Oh, where is the bitrate changed?

Cheers

Mark

[redwudz]

You change the bitrate in the codec settings: 'Video>Compression' then click on your codec and 'Configure' and you will see the bitrate settings. If the Xvid codec is selected, click 'Target quantizer' if it is showing, and it will change to 'Target bitrate'. Put your selected bitrate there.