Separate steps to convert a footage. Which codecs pack?

[ZikO]

I have recently joined this forum. A previous question was related to All-In-One tools that would help me to convert DVD footage to XviD (AVI) / x264 (MkV), which I successfully manage to work with. However, I realised my options to control the process of converting videos is limitted. What I would like to do is install separate programs for each required step.

As it may become important later, my system is Windows 7 64bit Home Edition.

My understanding is, assuming that I already have VOB files, first I need to index files e.g. by DGIndex taking into account footage properties such as Stream Type, AR, Frame Rate, Frame Type (progressive, interlaced), audio format etc. After indexing, I have *.d2v files and (if that's my choice) *.ac3 audio file(s). Additionally, I may need to use VobSub to extract subtitles. Once I've got everything, I prepare AviSynth script (with plug-ins to resize, filter etc.) and upload such script to another program.

I have a couple of questions regarding my next step.
(1) Which program I should use to open AVS scripts and then compress to XviD / x264? Is it VirtualDub? Should it be 32bit or 64bit?
(2) Which codec pack should I install to compress videos prepared with AVS.
I came across two of them which seem to have good reviews: FFMpeg and CCCP. If I understood that correctly, both are self-contained and don't mess inside the system.

I am ready to take hard route If I missed something in this whole picture, like important in-between steps, please let me know.

Thanks.

[manono]

1. Yes, use Virtual Dub to do your XviD encoding. Go 32-bit all the way - 32-bit VDub, 32-bit AviSynth. Everything 32-bit.
2. None of them. Install any individual codecs you might need as you need them. If you're making XviD AVIs, then of course you'll need the XviD Codec, for starters. I believe installing ffdshow will give you most of what you might eventually need.

Just my opinions, worth about what you paid for them.

[ZikO]

OK I see. Thanks for your answer.

If I have installed Handbrake or MeGUI, there's a chance I have already the required encoders but when I run VirtualDub, It did not find anything. How to setup VirtualDub to enable thoses encoders? ( I mean h.264 and XviD). Ty.

EDIT:
I have just read about Codecs and Containers here. It seems to be a little bit out dated but it did clarify things for me. The website suggests VirtualDubMod. However, when I run it first time, it warned me about handling only basic properties of MKV containers. On this website Matroska, I've read that MKV can contain things like subtitles, chapters, etc. I found MKVToolnix is suggested there and very popular here on VideoHelp. Is this program a substitute to VirtualDub?

[manono]

but when I run VirtualDub, It did not find anything.

Once you've installed the XviD Codec it should appear in the codec list under Video->Compression. Double-click on 'XviD MPEG-4 Codec' and then 'Configure' to set up XviD for encoding. There are ways to get it to encode for h.264 but someone else will have to tell you how. I don't use it for that but only for encoding lossless AVIs these days.

Is this program a substitute to VirtualDub?

No.