Is there 2 kinds of AVI extensions?

[jbitakis]

I have 2 different softwares, one is Freemake video converter and the other one is Full Video Converter Free. When I converted one of my AVCHD video files that was 850mb to AVI using Freemake video converter, it made it 165mb and changed it from 59 frames/sec to 25 frames/sec
Using Full Video Converter Free, converting from AVCHD to AVI kept it the same size of 850mb and also kept the 59 frames/sec.
So thererfore the Freemake video converter compressed it too much and the video was choppy, but the Full video Converter Free kept it the same mb and frames/sec. so the video looked clear.
Both went from AVCHD to AVI but why did one compress it so much and lower the fps?

[redwudz]

AVI is just the name of the container, not the video codec/format. There are dozens of 'flavors' of AVI. Check both output files with MediaInfo to see what they really ended up as and what specifications they have.

Different encoder programs may also have different default presets, so they can have some differences in output. But it sounds like Freemake has some settings a bit messed up. AVCHD/H.264 can also be called a type of 'AVI', so maybe there was no conversion/re-encoding with Freemake.

[jbitakis]

Ok, my numbers were off a bit. Full video converter free took the original AVCHD (846mb) file down to 791mb (less than a 7% downgrade) & more importantly, kept the video file at 59 fps.
Freemake took that same AVCHD (846mb) file down to 153mb and down to 25 fps. Therefore, the Freemake really DECREASED the quality, while the Full video converter Free software kept most of the quality.

Here is the Freemake mediainfo

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Daddy's HP Laptop\Videos\Disney Avi Video files\10-20-2011_235136.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 153 MiB
Duration : 4mn 32s
Overall bit rate : 4 725 Kbps
Writing application : Lavf52.94.0
Video
ID : 0
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Codec ID : H264
Duration : 4mn 32s
Bit rate : 4 496 Kbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.087
Stream size : 145 MiB (94%)
Writing library : x264 core 112 r1834 a51816a
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0 / me=dia / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=0.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=4 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=0 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=abr / mbtree=1 / bitrate=4496 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.41 / aq=1:1.00
Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 4mn 32s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 8.31 MiB (5%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 24 ms (0.60 video frame)

Here is the Full video converter free mediainfo

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Daddy's HP Laptop\Videos\10-20-2011_235136.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 791 MiB
Duration : 4mn 32s
Overall bit rate : 24.4 Mbps
Writing application : Lavf51.12.1
Video
ID : 0
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L1.3
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=12
Codec ID : H264
Duration : 4mn 32s
Bit rate : 24.2 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 59.940 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.195
Stream size : 787 MiB (99%)
Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : MS Stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 4mn 32s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 4.15 MiB (1%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 26 ms (1.57 video frames)
Interleave, preload duration : 26 ms

[Baldrick]

Freemake used a much lower video bitrate(Bit rate : 4 496 Kbps). You can adjust it and also the FPS in the output settings(edit preset). Increase the video bitrate for higher quality.


But what is your goal with this? If you don't need to shrink you can leave it as AVCHD/mts format.

[jbitakis]

The goal is to put this file on my external hard drive and then connect it to my blu ray player via the usb port and PLAY the video, flawlessly, at the same quality that it was filmed at on my panasonic HD camcorder. At 1920x1080, 59fps, AVCHD HD quality. My blu ray won't play the video in the AVCHD/mts format via my hard drive, UNLESS I put it in an AVI container.

[jbitakis]

Well, the AVI file that I converted from AVCHD to AVI with the minimal downgrade using Full video converter free DOES NOT play well from my hard drive via the usb port on my blu ray player. It plays it with pauses every 6 seconds or so. While the MORE compressed Freemake conversion of the same AVCHD file to AVI plays well (it is just seems to be a grainier lower quality video, but at least it plays without the pauses).

ALSO: Instead of AVI, I changed it to MKV and it still plays bad. I am trying divx now.

[Bjs]

"bluray player" and "via usb" are two terms which need to be clarified.

The only way to know for sure is to read the bluray players operators manual for video type playback and allowable bitrates ... exceed the specs will cause problems such as choppy playback ... I seriously doubt high bitrate as expected and generally used by avc is supported from external hd over usb input, even if it is converted to "avi" or "mkv". so that should be checked first.

[jbitakis]

Via usb meaning, I put the AVCHD video file on my External Hard Drive, then connect to my stand alone Blu ray player via the USB port in front of the blu ray player. I hope that clarifies it.
So, it seems as though, even though I have changed the container to avi or mkv from AVCHD, I need to find out the specs for the Maximum bitrate allowed on my blu ray player, in order for the blu ray player to play the video smoothly, correct?
Is the goal to get the highest bitrate possible in order for the video to play a high quality, but not too high for the specs of the particular blu ray machine to handle, correct?