quality control

[kekoa]

Hello-

just recently I have been spending a considerable amount of time of makeing "backups" of some movies... that is, converting dvds into divX format. I have succsessfully compleated one of them using easydivx and virtualdub. There is a problem though, the playback of the final product... looks a little, to put it lightly, $hitty. I was wondering if anyone else might have some suggestions as to how to make the video a little bit more "watchable". Thanks

-Kekoa

[Enchanter]

Tell us more about the information of the video file that you have created (Using VirtualDub's File Information will help) and your CPU speed.

[kekoa]

ok here is the info that you requested,

Cpu speed = 1.3 Gh ram = 256

Video stream

frame size = 360 x 240 fps = 23.983
# of frames and time 144646 (1:40:31)
decompressor = DivX 5.0.2 Codec
# of key frames = 5006
min/avg/max/ total key frame size: 992/5736/29321 (28044k)
min/avg/max/ total delta frame size: 52/4861/44005 (662964k)

Audio stream

sampling rate = 22050Hz
channels = 2(stereo)
sample precision = 0
compression = Fraunhofer IIS MPeg layer-3 Codec
preload skew = 3182 samples (0.14s)
# of frames 144633
min/avg/max/ total frame size = 129/290/3182/ (41036k)

[Nacelle]

What kind of graphics card is in your computer? Or what chipset?That makes a differance. Also your framesize has to be divisible by 16 and = .75
384x288 is this rez it use. If you mulitply the first number by .75 you will get the second. And they both can be divided by 16.
640 x .75 = 480
800 x .75 =600
1024 x .75 = 768
See what I mean. That may not be your quality problem. But, it will help with keeping the correct aspect ratio.

[Enchanter]

A resolution of 360x240 compared to the original DVD resolution of 720x480 is a day and night difference. Use higher resolutions. And one divisible by 16...

I suggest that you keep the sound sampling rate at the original 48kHz as well. 22kHz, for lack of better words, is just too '****ty.' ;) Use a bitrate of 128kbps or higher. Your ears will thank you for it.

[Nacelle]

Don't increase the rez, it will only make your file bigger. And you will have the same bitrate spread over more macroblocks, turning your movie into a blocky mess. Have you tried using Flask to encode movies?
I usually compress audio at 48khz 96kbps, just enough to keep it in stereo.