ffdshow virtualdub problem

[Brooke Holloway]

hi. i use virtualdub to re-encode my videos. The method of compression which became the favorite was ffdshow for reasons which value and options consistently outweighed all the other codecs in virtualdub. the wide selection of optional codecs within ffdshow itself for the re-encoded video within virutaldub as well as an option to enter a numerical value for the bitrate was also a huge + in terms of properly gaging the size and quality of the final re-encode as well.

unfortunately after updating ffdshow i learned most of those options are gone. i became used to using the bitrate option (which had a slider too), there was also a slider option tabbed under mode for "quality" as the latest version of ffdshow still has but, too often it is more difficult than not to gage the actual size of the re-encoded video without the bitrate option so that as well as the loss of codecs within ffdshow is leaving me with incredibly large file sizes.

i used to put them through mediainfo to gage the quality, it almost seemed a misnomer to have a standard 1-100 quality option without an actual choice of usable codecs.

anyway, it was my preffered method and really hoping i don't have to change it. i uninstalled the latest version of ffdshow and installed previous versions but nothing seemed to work. anway anyone could possibly offer some help so i can get it back the way it was? i attached some screenshots. not sure what to do but need help. im pretty sure i was using the h264 coded before, but don't even remember how to set it up. any and all help is appreciated.
i would just use another codec through virtual dub but again ffdshow was the most flexible for me. thank you.

[Budman1]

From all the links I have found they have been removed as you mention. The new VirtualDub version (1.10.3 beta) is moving toward using external
encoders such as FFMpeg, NeroAAC, MP4Box, etc. It is fairly easy to set up, especially if you download a Script (xxxx.vdprof) file that you just import and put all the encoders in one area. Using this method, you can convert straight to MP4, Mpeg2, FLV, AVI, etc.

Like you, I use VirtualDub a lot and use it's codecs as well as the external ones. Basically, now you have 3 choices, load a codec pack that contains VFW codecs ( and that's a lot of unnecessary codecs to install), load just the VFW codecs used by VirtualDub that you need (AC3, AAC, MP3, Divx, Mpeg2, Xvid, X264, WMA,etc.) or set up external encoders that do all like FFmpeg. Below is typical, VFW codecs on left, FFMpeg , MP4Box, NeroAAC on the right.

[Brooke Holloway]

I don't think this had anything to do with VirtualDub. The version I was using was 1.9.1.1 , but I can't remember what ffdshow I was using (what version). All I know is I upgraded to the latest and the slider to change the bitrate was gone.

I tried downloading earlier versions of ffdshow but it's the same so now I'm confused. I think I may have erased some settings. It does not seem to matter what version of ffdshow I try it's back the same thing two options one pass and quantisizer. The way I remember it was one and two pass with a quality option as well as a bitrate option with an open field to manually change the bitrate.

If anyone could tell me how to get it back to the way it was, much appreciated because it's a little frustrating, thanks!

Please see screenshots in initial post for reference.

[Brooke Holloway]

Update. I downloaded an older version of ffdshow (ffdshow_rev3507_20100707_clsid) and it seemed to do the trick. It also gave me a host of codecs to use like before via the dropdown box under encoder. I attached a screenshot for anyone that runs across this problem. It had been about 3 years since I updated ffdshow, it would figure some things would have changed but it threw me for a loop for a sec.

For the record, I like the older of ffdshow better, for anyone interested in older versions of ffdshow you can go to this link here https://www.videohelp.com/tools/ffdshow/old-versions

[Brooke Holloway]

One more thing. The last version of ffdshow that has the bitrate option is ffdshow_rev3631_20101115_clsid, it changes in the very next release which was ffdshow_rev3721_20110107_clsid. Not to be confused with the latest version which is currently ffdshow_rev4515_20130612_clsid

[Budman1]

This was important news to me since I guess I never used the older version, I had never had the codecs. I loaded the older version over K-Lites FFDshow version and everything works as before only Better. Thanks for the feedback and update.

[jagabo]

Yes, the authors decided few people used the other encoders and removed them to make their (the authors) lives simpler.