x264vfw + VirtualDub + mbTree/rclookahead

[Makaveli84]

Hello, I recently installed x264vfw to encode to x264 from within VirtualDub. I used to use AviDemux for simple cutting/editing and encoding/re-encoding of x264 videos, but x264vfw + VirtualDub gives me better frame accuracy, plus more filters to chose from, but I digress...
The problem now is that I can't see an option to enable mbtree and rclookahead from the x264vfw encoding settings. These should be enabled by default, but it seems the -no-mbtree flag is pre-set/hardcoded into x264vfw. Am I right? Am I wrong? Is there more to this? What are my options? May this be a shortcoming of the x264vfw implementation I'm using? Are there other implementations? All I know is that my setup file is named "x264vfw.2273kMod.x86.exe". Help!

Thanks...

[poisondeathray]

mb-tree and rc-lookahead are supported, but you have to use the command line box .

Some of the options NOT supported in the VFW version:
FRAMES/SEEK/MUXER/DEMUXER/INDEX/QPFILE/THREAD-INPUT/NOPROGRESS/VISUALIZE/TUNE/PRESET/PROFILE/SLOWFIRSTPASS

The other option is to use x264CLI or ffmpeg with the vdub external encoder feature

[Makaveli84]

But it seems -no-mbtree is set by default, so how can I counter that through the additional command line box?

Oh, and I'd rather stick with a GUI for now.. I like to be able to set individual settings how I wish differently depending on the situation, and I don't like presets, so it'll be a major hassle to type in an endless command with every encode.

[poisondeathray]

You enter the command line same as you would with CLI . Note I'm talking about the command line box, NOT the extra options box.

The problems you're going to have: --preset and --profile don't work in the VFW version, so you have to enter ALL the options manually (the GUI is basically non functional when you check the "use command line" box - it becomes a command line encoder)

Also you might try masternobody's x264VFW GUI, mb-tree might be enabled there (look on sourceforge) , not sure
http://sourceforge.net/projects/x264vfw/

[El Heggunte]

But it seems -no-mbtree is set by default, so how can I counter that through the additional command line box?

AFAIK, only the "Constant Quantizer" ratecontrol option should disable the mb-tree algorithm.

[poisondeathray]

But it seems -no-mbtree is set by default, so how can I counter that through the additional command line box?

AFAIK, only the "Constant Quantizer" ratecontrol option should disable the mb-tree algorithm.

It looks disabled in komisar's version, regardless of ratecontrol method when using the GUI . (e.g. CRF)

I could only "convince" it to use mb-tree when using the command line box

MasterNobody's version has presets/profiles, so that should in theory have mb-tree enabled by default at "medium" or default settings

[poisondeathray]

Oh, and I'd rather stick with a GUI for now.. I like to be able to set individual settings how I wish differently depending on the situation, and I don't like presets, so it'll be a major hassle to type in an endless command with every encode.

Presets are just a starting point, you only enter the commands that deviate from the preset. It saves a lot of typing or clutter on the command line

Regardless if you use a GUI or not, what people often do is save a configuration or text file for different commonly used scenarios and Copy & Paste. E.g. you might have a lot bitrate encode scenario, or a high quality blu-ray scenario, or a cartoon scenario etc.... Manually setting individual settings in a GUI can actually be slower than copy/pasting, and some GUI's can save/load configuration files

[El Heggunte]

^ Thanks for the up-to-date info, DeathRay, because
in fact, I've been using the x264VfW only as a decoder since "I-don't-remember-when" ^.^;;

[poisondeathray]

Same here - I never use it for actually encoding either ; I'm just experimenting because of this thread

But I see nowadays, people that use vdub seem to use external encoder feature more, so you don't have any x264VFW limitations

Even ffmpeg libx264 has limitations - the only unrestricted x264 encoder is x264CLI

[Makaveli84]

MasterNobody's version has presets/profiles, so that should in theory have mb-tree enabled by default at "medium" or default settings

Well, I tried MasterNobody's version, and it doesn't have a GUI for the major x264 settings, so it doesn't help even if it has mbtree enabled by default.
Maybe I can ask for this option to be present in the GUI of komisar's next version, but where can one make such a request??

[El Heggunte]

MasterNobody's version has presets/profiles, so that should in theory have mb-tree enabled by default at "medium" or default settings

Well, I tried MasterNobody's version, and it doesn't have a GUI for the major x264 settings, so it doesn't help even if it has mbtree enabled by default.
Maybe I can ask for this option to be present in the GUI of komisar's next version, but where can one make such a request??

I was going to tell you, "goto Doom9's forum" and/or "send an e-mail to komisar666 at gmail d0t com", BUT
it looks like you already have done that

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1644027#post1644027

Also, apparently it won't be an easy task to convince komisar to release a new VfW build very soon

Why no new x264vfw? => http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=168636

[Makaveli84]

MasterNobody's version has presets/profiles, so that should in theory have mb-tree enabled by default at "medium" or default settings

Well, I tried MasterNobody's version, and it doesn't have a GUI for the major x264 settings, so it doesn't help even if it has mbtree enabled by default.
Maybe I can ask for this option to be present in the GUI of komisar's next version, but where can one make such a request??

I was going to tell you, "goto Doom9's forum" and/or "send an e-mail to komisar666 at gmail d0t com", BUT
it looks like you already have done that

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1644027#post1644027

Hehe, yes, sometimes I ask first, search later.. One tends to forget that Google is your friend

Also, apparently it won't be an easy task to convince komisar to release a new VfW build very soon

Why no new x264vfw? => http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=168636

Well, I will try to make a compelling case

[El Heggunte]

Also, apparently it won't be an easy task to convince komisar to release a new VfW build very soon

Why no new x264vfw? => http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=168636

Well, I will try to make a compelling case

I see, you're going to kidnap his dog

[movmasty]

Some of the options NOT supported in the VFW version:
FRAMES/SEEK/MUXER/DEMUXER/INDEX/QPFILE/THREAD-INPUT/NOPROGRESS/VISUALIZE/TUNE/PRESET/PROFILE/SLOWFIRSTPASS

mb-tree and rc-lookahead are supported, but you have to use the command line box .

Are you sure? because if supported should be enabled by default, and if are not used the --no-mbtree option must show up

but there is not any --no-mbtree option in x264vfw encodings and mbtree is =0

[poisondeathray]

Some of the options NOT supported in the VFW version:
FRAMES/SEEK/MUXER/DEMUXER/INDEX/QPFILE/THREAD-INPUT/NOPROGRESS/VISUALIZE/TUNE/PRESET/PROFILE/SLOWFIRSTPASS

mb-tree and rc-lookahead are supported, but you have to use the command line box .

Are you sure? because if supported should be enabled by default, and if are not used the --no-mbtree option must show up

but there is not any --no-mbtree option in x264vfw encodings and mbtree is =0

Yes I'm sure. Use the commandline box , not the extra options box. It becomes essentially a commandline encoder, and you would use the same commandline that you would with CLI. You can even output MP4/MKV container. It creates a "fake" AVI and muxes into MP4 (can't do audio, however)

eg.
--crf 20 -o "PATH\output.mp4"

(change "PATH" to the real path)

Sample avs script used for input

blankclip(length=48, fps=24, pixel_type="YV12")
showframenumber()
killaudio()

mediainfo

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 100 KiB
Duration : 2s 0ms
Overall bit rate : 410 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2015-01-12 18:40:09
Tagged date : UTC 2015-01-12 18:40:09

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 2s 0ms
Bit rate : 404 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 491 Kbps
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 24.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.055
Stream size : 98.7 KiB (99%)
Writing library : x264 core 130 r2273kMod b3065e6
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / fade_compensate=0.00 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0000 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

[poisondeathray]

In case it wasn't clear, when you use the "commandline" box, the GUI is disabled. Everything is taken from the commandline. In contrast, the "extra options" box, just adds commands the the ones that were set in the GUI

So basically it's not very useful IMO. You might as well use the vdub external encoder feature. That way you can use audio, and any settings without restrictions

As for why x264vfw is like that, I have no idea. You can ask komisar (who posts at Doom9 forum), or MasterNobody (who also posts at Doom9, but also here occasionally)

[movmasty]

I see, but the audio isnt done by Virtualdub??
and you must use an avs script not just load a movie into Vdub??

[poisondeathray]

I see, but the audio isnt done by Virtualdub??

Not if you use the commandline box. x264 only encodes video. When you use that box, it becomes a command line encoder. Like x264cli.

If you use the normal x264vfw GUI, you can use audio (but no mbtree or rclookahead)

If you use vdub external encoder, you can do almost anything, because you can link it to ffmpeg

and you must use an avs script not just load a movie into Vdub??

No, you can load video directly, or with various vdub import plugins