How to convert AVI to .RMVB?

[whatever911]

Hello everyone.

Okay, so i know there are a lot of programs out there that could convert from .AVI to .RMVB, like WinAVI Video Converter for instance. But the output quality isn't good and the size is big too.

I watch and download anime a lot. For anime, usually the quality is around 170 MB in .AVI for standard definition (SD), and about 70 MB in .RMVB, for a length of 25 minutes or so.

I want to convert from AVI to RMVB with the same quality but less in size. But i don't know how to do that. I know that in order to achieve a same quality, or at least, looks the same, it will take longer than normal. I have time, so i could wait. I just don't know how to do the converting thing.

Please help me. Thanks a lot!

[poisondeathray]

Most likely the anime in rmvb is converted from the original source like DVD or blu-ray.

You can expect the same quality converting from .avi to .rmvb, because the .avi has already lost quality from transcoding.

You can use easy real media converter if you want.

[Baldrick]

Maybe try Easy RealMedia Producer. But remember that you also need a good video source, like if you convert the already very heavily compressed 170 mb avis to rmbv it wont look good but from a dvd directly to tiny rmvb it will look better.

You can also convert to h264 mp4 and get good results with small file size(low video and audio bitrate). Convert using for example xvid4psp or avidemux.

edit: poison won....

[poisondeathray]

Ha yeah but I spelled it wrong...

It's easy realmedia producer, not "easy realmedia converter"

LOL You win!

[whatever911]

Thanks guys. You're both helpful! But have you used this program before? If you have, could you point me to a "right" settings that would produce a great output quality? Sorry for the troubles.

[poisondeathray]

Yes I've used it before, honestly h264 using x264 encoder gives better quality/compression. RV10 is based on and old version of h264 years ago; since then x264 has made many improvements.

enter your avg. bitrate for a predetermined filesize (filesize = bitrate x running time, don't forget to include the audio bitrate when calculating this) , RV10/9 settings checkmark "use 2 pass", checkmark use b-frames and choose 3. On the front page, select video code: RV10. The default audio is cook RA8 64kbps, change it if you want. The rest of the default settings are fine.

[Ai Haibara]

Another option that might work is RealAnime.

[redwudz]

I know 'Anime Types' like RMVB, but it's a terrible format, IMO. It's propitiatory, so no 'legal' converters exist except those from Real. JMO, but I would find something more universal, like Xvid.

Any output from a AVI type file to any other will lose quality. There are quality losses in the encoding process. With Real, you would have to experiment with raising the bitrate until the quality is as good as the AVI file if you want to minimize quality loss.

That operation is mostly by 'feel' as we don't know what you started with. I would make up a short representative file of maybe 5 minutes and try different bitrates with Real till you get one that will give you the best quality vs filesize. The filesize will likely have to be higher than other Real videos as you need to make up for encoding losses.

[whatever911]

I know 'Anime Types' like RMVB, but it's a terrible format, IMO. It's propitiatory, so no 'legal' converters exist except those from Real. JMO, but I would find something more universal, like Xvid.

Any output from a AVI type file to any other will lose quality. There are quality losses in the encoding process. With Real, you would have to experiment with raising the bitrate until the quality is as good as the AVI file if you want to minimize quality loss.

That operation is mostly by 'feel' as we don't know what you started with. I would make up a short representative file of maybe 5 minutes and try different bitrates with Real till you get one that will give you the best quality vs filesize. The filesize will likely have to be higher than other Real videos as you need to make up for encoding losses.

I have a RMVB standalone player (it reads RMVB! no kidding)

So, what you're saying is that there is no "fixed" settings for re-encoding from AVI to RMVB?

But there has to be like an "average" settings that work best, right? (wait, are we still talking about the Easy RealMedia Producer program?)

[redwudz]

No matter what you are encoding, there are really no 'standard' settings. It's always by what pleases you. Using a short representative clip is the easiest method. Then you can judge the output quality.

So much depends on the quality of the source material that there is no way to determine a fixed bitrate. Just try some trial encodes with the material and you should be able to arrive at the needed settings. The more you do this, the easier it is to estimate what bitrate/settings will work best with your material. No guides for all that.

[whatever911]

I see. But could you explain for me one more thing? What are one-pass bitrate and two-pass bitrate?

[oldfart13]

The people who run the club and the convention here like mkv with the H264 codec. Nice high quality but the playback requirements are too steep for me....

[redwudz]

I see. But could you explain for me one more thing? What are one-pass bitrate and two-pass bitrate?

I'll take a shot at that, but I'm not sure about those exact terms. A one pass encode is just as it says. It could be variable or fixed bitrate.

A mulitipass variable bitrate encode makes a first pass to set the distribution of bitrate by what's in the scenes. Static scenes can get away with less bitrate while fast action scenes may need more. It then takes that pass and uses it a a guide for the next pass(es). This can allow you to make better use of the available bitrate in a low bitrate encode. In a very high variable bitrate encode, the quality will often be the same as a single pass fixed bitrate encode at the same bitrate. A two pass encode will also take twice as long.

They may also be referring to a fixed bitrate encode VS a variable bitrate encode as in a multiple pass encode. Depends on your encoder settings. You can do a single pass variable bitrate encode, but there no way to know what size it will come out to. With a multipass variable bitrate encode, you can set the output size. With some encoders, there is also a quantizer fixed bitrate setting. This sets the quality but not the filesize of the encode.

Hopefully, this is all correct, though probably confusing. Others may be able to supply better information.

[whatever911]

Thanks for the explanation, though i'm not sure i got half of what you said. From what i understand based on what you explained, one-pass bitrate produces okay quality output whereas two-pass bitrate produces higher quality but requires twice as much time as one-pass bitrate. This then leads me to many other questions that i want to know. Hope you would help out. Thanks!

1. How do we know which settings work best for a movie that has ... say, 60% of actions and 40% static scenes?

2. Do we have a bitrate calculator that would tell us what works best for a RMVB output?

3. What do you suggest the standard setting should be? (one that would work best for static and non-static scenes)

Thanks again for helping. Sorry for the troubles.

[redwudz]

1. How do we know which settings work best for a movie that has ... say, 60% of actions and 40% static scenes?

2. Do we have a bitrate calculator that would tell us what works best for a RMVB output?

3. What do you suggest the standard setting should be? (one that would work best for static and non-static scenes)

1> You don't most times. Experience helps. A lot depends on your projected filesize and the codec used. If you have to squeeze the file to a certain small size, then multiple pass VBR may be a good choice. If quality is more important than size, a single pass, high bitrate encode is much faster.

2> Any bitrate calculator will work. Bitrate is the same with any codec. Bitrate X time = filesize. How good of quality a different codec produces at a set bitrate does differ. That means you can easily set the size of a single pass or a multiple pass VBR encode, but not so easily the quality. That's why testing with a representative file and experience in encoding with that codec helps.

3> Again, depends on the quality of your source material and the codec and bitrate used to encode. Do a short sample encode of both fast action and slow action scenes with different bitrates. Someone else may be able to suggest a bitrate to start with for your codec. You can look at other RMVB files to get an idea of what bitrate they use.

Sorry, I know of no simple way to determine a optimum bitrate or 'standard' bitrate. I rarely encode to RMVB, so not much help with that format. In the end, it depends on what quality you want and what source quality you have to work with and the desired file size.

[whatever911]

Thanks, redwudz. Your explanation is very informative. You're a big help! Thanks again