Size Limit - VirtualDubMod

Hey im new here.
i have a little question:

i have an avi format video and its realy big! (something like 1.5 GB)
and i want to encode the video using VirtualDubMod.

now... i know how its done - what i dont know is - how to limit the file size to 700 MB so i can burn it to CD.
does option like that even exist??? and if it does how can i do it?

im sorry about the bad English...

anyway - Thanks...

PLEASE try post in correct forum. This is no DVD authoring. Moving you to the Conversion forum.

Select Video->Compression and choose a codec like the XviD Codec or the DivX Codec (install them if you can't find them in the list). Click Configure to specify the video bitrate that decides the output file size. Use a bitrate calculator to calculate the bitrate to get it to 700 MB.

If this sounds too complex use AutoGK or Dr. DivX, open the video, set the output file size and convert to AVI DivX or XviD.

and welcome to our forum!

OK, ill try it, thank you very much!!!

okay i tryed it and it worked well but i lost quality from the movie - and i heard that i can convert to xvid using the Two Passes Encoding and get better results...

how can i do it?
can i have a guide or something?

Thanks!
and also know that im really appreciate your help!!!
you're the best!

Originally Posted by GangstaRap

and i heard that i can convert to xvid using the Two Passes Encoding and get better results...

You heard wrong. XviD is lossy compression. If you are shooting for 700MB size your best bet is to rip from the original DVD.

the problem is that i aint got the original DVD...
i only got one big AVI file (1.5GB) and instead of cutting it i prefer encoding the file to 700MB... hopefully not losing to much quality...

And if the Two Passes Encoding doesnt present better results - what is it useful for?

You're cutting the size by more than half, and you don't think you should lose an appreciable amount of quality?

Maybe post the AutoGK log here so we can give some better advice. At this point we have no idea what you did, or what settings you used or forced.

And if the Two Passes Encoding doesnt present better results - what is it useful for?

Better results than what - the original? Keep dreaming.

when i said better i ment better than the Single Pass Encoding - not better than the original video - surely i didnt mean that...

what do you mean by saying post the AutoGK log?
a picture of the AutoGK after i loaded the video file?

thanX!

AutoGK creates a log file that shows all the settings and the steps it went through. Look around for it. Logs are called MovieName_agk.log.

when i said better i ment better than the Single Pass Encoding

If you're saying 2-pass encoding is better than the 1-pass Target Quality percentage based encoding (aka CQ encoding) that AutoGK does, then that's not accurate. Sure, 2-pass VBR is better - way better - than 1-pass CBR encoding, but AutoGK doesn't do any of that.

OK i tryed AutoGK (great tool!!) and the quality of the video is fine and heres the log that i've got after converting:

[24/02/2007 15:10:06] AutoGK 2.40
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] OS: WinXP (5.1.2600).2
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Job started.
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Input file: E:\Shes The Man.avi
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Input codec: XviD
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Source duration: 1h 45mn 13s 849ms
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Output file: E:\Shes The Man_agk.avi
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Output codec: XviD
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Audio 1: 448 Kbps AC3 6ch
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Subtitles: none
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Format: AVI
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Target size: 700Mb
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Audio 1 settings: CBR MP3 with bitrate: 128Kbps
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Started encoding.
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Source resolution: 640x336
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Source fps: 23.976
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Output will contain 151381 frames
[24/02/2007 15:10:06] Demuxing audio.
[24/02/2007 15:10:50] Decoding audio.
[24/02/2007 15:13:38] Normalizing audio.
[24/02/2007 15:14:55] Encoding audio.
[24/02/2007 15:29:28] Audio1 size: 101,021,184 bytes (96.34 Mb)
[24/02/2007 15:29:28] Overhead: 1,797,632 bytes (1.71 Mb)
[24/02/2007 15:29:28] Video size: 631,184,384 bytes (601.94 Mb)
[24/02/2007 15:29:28] Running compressibility test.
[24/02/2007 15:29:28] Writing the following script to E:\agk_tmp\Shes The Man_agk_comptest.avs
================================================== =========
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\DGMPGDec\DGDecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\autocrop.dl l")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\RemoveGrain SSE3.dll")

movie = DirectShowSource("E:\Shes The Man.avi",23.976).KillAudio()
movie = isRGB(movie) ? ConvertToYV12(movie) : movie
movie = isYUY2(movie) ? ConvertToYV12(movie) : movie
cropclip = autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples= 10,aspect=0,threshold=0,
samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd=0,topadd=0,b ottomadd=0)
fixed_aspect = 1
c_width = width(cropclip)
c_height = round(height(cropclip) / fixed_aspect)
input_par = float(c_width)/float(c_height)
input_par = (input_par > 1.4) || (input_par < 1.25) ? input_par : (4.0/3.0)
out_width = 640
out_height = round(float(out_width) / input_par)
hmod = out_height - (floor(out_height / 16 ) * 16)
out_height = (hmod > 4) ? (out_height + (16 - hmod)) : (out_height - hmod)
new_aspect = (float(out_width) / float(out_height)) / fixed_aspect
autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples= 10,aspect=new_aspect
,threshold=0,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd =0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
LanczosResize(out_width,out_height)
SelectRangeEvery(300,15)
================================================== =========
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Duration was: 2 minutes 23 seconds
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Speed was: 52.78 fps.
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Compressibility percentage is: 44.42
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Using softer resizer.
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Chosen resolution is: 576x304 ( AR: 1.89 )
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Predicted comptest value is: 56.59%
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Running first pass.
[24/02/2007 15:31:52] Writing the following script to E:\agk_tmp\Shes The Man_agk_movie.avs
================================================== =========
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\DGMPGDec\DGDecode.d ll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\autocrop.dl l")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\AutoGK\filters\RemoveGrain SSE3.dll")

movie = DirectShowSource("E:\Shes The Man.avi",23.976).KillAudio()
movie = isRGB(movie) ? ConvertToYV12(movie) : movie
movie = isYUY2(movie) ? ConvertToYV12(movie) : movie
cropclip = autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples= 10,aspect=0,
threshold=0,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd= 0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
fixed_aspect = 1
c_width = width(cropclip)
c_height = round(height(cropclip) / fixed_aspect)
input_par = float(c_width)/float(c_height)
input_par = (input_par > 1.4) || (input_par < 1.25) ? input_par : (4.0/3.0)
out_width = 576
out_height = round(float(out_width) / input_par)
hmod = out_height - (floor(out_height / 16 ) * 16)
out_height = (hmod > 4) ? (out_height + (16 - hmod)) : (out_height - hmod)
new_aspect = (float(out_width) / float(out_height)) / fixed_aspect
autocrop(movie,mode=0,wmultof=4,hmultof=4,samples= 10,aspect=new_aspect,
threshold=0,samplestartframe=0,leftadd=0,rightadd= 0,topadd=0,bottomadd=0)
BicubicResize(out_width,out_height,0,0.5)
================================================== =========
[24/02/2007 15:52:48] Duration was: 20 minutes 55 seconds
[24/02/2007 15:52:48] Speed was: 120.54 fps.
[24/02/2007 15:52:48] Expected quality of first pass size: 53.44%
[24/02/2007 15:52:48] Running second pass.
[24/02/2007 16:27:46] Duration was: 34 minutes 57 seconds
[24/02/2007 16:27:46] Speed was: 72.16 fps.
[24/02/2007 16:27:46] Job finished. Total time: 1 hour, 17 minutes 39 seconds

I really dont know what it says but can you give me advices upon this log?

thanks for helping me!!!

Hehe, about the only advice I might give is not to bold-face the log at the same size. If you put it in quotes, it won't take up so much space.

It looks to me like you did everything right. You had it convert the AC3 audio to MP3, better for 1 CD. You let it choose the final resolution based on the results of the compressibility test. I was afraid you had forced it to keep the original resolution. About the only thing I might suggest is to give the end credits lower quality, so the main movie will have a slightly higher quality. To do that, if you decide to, open the AVI in VDub(Mod) before sending it to AutoGK. Scroll to where the end credits begin. Write down the frame number. Then open the AVI in AutoGK and set up the encode. Press CTRL-F9 to access the Hidden Options, and in the Credits (XviD Only) section write in the frame number you wrote down. The default 20 will free up a lot of space, especially if there are 5-10 minutes of end credits, but they may not look all that good. Give it a 40-50 if you want them looking decent. After a few tries, you'll find a number that suits you. You can check the greyscale box if they're white-on-black scrolling type end credits. You don't need to fill in the framerate as that's only necessary if you're giving AutoGK the time the end credits start, rather than the frame number.

http://www.autogk.me.uk/modules.php?name=TutorialEN#6

Since you're compressing to half the size, and since you're (correctly) getting a lower resolution as a result, the reencoded AVI will never look as good as the original. At the very least it's going to look softer, without the detail or sharpness of the original. Other than that, though, it should look OK.

i've never expected it to have the same quality as the original file, of course, but the video quality now is not so bad...

i have last question since it seems to me like you have a lot of knowledge:

what's the different between conversion with AutoGK to conversion with VirtualDubMod?

And Thank you for helpin me!!!

what's the different between conversion with AutoGK to conversion with VirtualDubMod?

Everything's automated in AutoGK. The AviSynth script is more-or-less preset. If you read your log, it did switch to a softer resizer for the encode. But that's one of the few changes it might make (besides the crop/resolution stuff). If you encode manually, you have access to the full range of AviSynth filters. Sometimes you don't need them, but it's good to know they're there.

Some kinds of sources AutoGK can't handle. If I have a bad PAL2NTSC conversion on DVD, AutoGK will only deinterlace it and keep it at 29.97fps. If I encode it manually, I can unblend it, make it 24.975fps, and clean it up a lot. If I have a PAL DVD with shifted fields, AutoGK will deinterlace it, whereas I can realign the fields again to make it progressive. That might not mean much to you, but you have a degree of freedom if you know your way around AviSynth. that you don't have using AutoGK.

As for the XviD settings, I pretty much like them the way they are. I had a lot of input in their choosing. Not everyone, if they know their way around XviD, and know the settings, would make the same choices. So, encoding directly in VDubMod allows you the full range of XviD settings.

I will say, though, that AutoGK is very good at what it does. It's not just beginners that like it. Plenty of very experienced encoders use it because it's so easy and the results are so good. And to do a better job, you have to be pretty experienced in both AviSynth and with using the XviD codec. So, if you're the type that likes to do things yourself, and doesn't much like all-in-one apps, make a few encodes with AutoGK, study those logs and AviSynth scripts, learn what you can, read a few guides, and then have a go at making your own scripts (maybe with the help of GKnot or AvsEdit) and doing your own encoding.

And Thank you for helpin me!!!

You're welcome.

wow! thank you! im not that expert but i think i got it...
anyway AutoGK looks much more easy for me...
i think i'll stay with it...