35 min @ 839 MB?

[WeenBoy]

I'm compressing fast and the furious at 2500 kbps on 3 CDs (I'm keeping it at 720x480) I used a bitrate calculator and it said 2500 would fit 3 CDs. Two problems/questions: I have compressed much more time with smaller kbps and gotten smaller files; the only thing I could think was maybe because of all the effects and fast motion/speed, it came out bigger. The other is that even at 2500 kbps, lines still come across the screen alot and it even lags. What's going on here? I've made dozens of DIVX and this has never happened (ripped, compressed, etc. same way)

[Enchanter]

A few things spring to mind:

and it even lags

1. Too much bitrate. Use something lower, preferably not higher than 1500. I doubt you'd see much quality difference going from 1500 to 2500. And your CPU apparently is not coping well with the bitrate you have used.

I'm keeping it at 720x480

2. Lower your resolution to no higher than 640x(). This high resolution is adding to the stress your CPU is already having, and it does not help the quality at al if playback is all jittery.

lines still come across the screen alot

3. This is interlacing artifacts. It has got nothing to do with the amount of bitrate you have assigned. Use a deinterlacer to remove it.

[WeenBoy]

where is it?

That seems a little strange since I did Gladiator at 720x480 @ 2500 kbps and it came out perfect (I restarted since then, so memory was freed up;exact same conditions), but I'll try it at 640x and 1500 kbps. Where do I turn on/change the setting to deinterlace? I'm using VirtualDub 1.4.10 and Divx 5.0.2

[Enchanter]

Enable it via the Virtualdub Filter settings (ie. Video -> Filter -> Deinterlace). I recommend downloading and using Smart Deinterlacer, which gives better results and allows you more options.