divx quality issue using dvdx

[knowan]

I've been using the program DVDx 2.2 to back up my DVD's to Divx format, and I've encountered a problem. At the same time that I encode with dvdx I also set the divx 5.02 pro codec to make a copy as well. I'm new to this so I left most of the settings at their default.

My problem is that the .avi file (made by dvdx 2.2) has horrible picture, but wonderful sound. Divx 5.02 on the other hand makes wonderful .divx video, but of course there is no sound (I wasn't expecting any either).

Obviously Divx is handing this wonderful picture to Dvdx. Dvdx then somehow messes up this picture and adds the sound.

I've been messing around with the settings in both dvdx and divx for the last few days now and cannot seem to get it straightened out. I thought that I had it fixed my setting both programs to use the same screensize, but then when I lowered the bitrate the .divx video is again noticably better than the .avi

I've been banging my head over this for the last week and can't seem to get it solved. Is there anyone else out there who has sucessfully used the dvdx 2.2 software for divx encoding? Or should I just abandon the whole thing and start learing how to use gknot? I originally chose dvdx because it was recommended to me as the easiest to use for a novice.

Enjoy!
Knowan

[knowan]

No replies. Ah well, I geuss I'll start trying to learn gnot.

[alcskid]

Prefer 4 than 5 a lot !

Well just a suggestion. For a newbie like me Better to use DivX 4.12 instead of DivX 5 which had a complex setting.

I liked DivX 4.12 cause it doesn't need to set some complex parameters, just grab convert and you will get a good quality DivX movie.

I had convert many DVD disc using DVDx, and I had no problem at all with my DivX 4.12 codec and movie quality. Try it ! Uninstall DivX 5 and just install 4.12 ! The perfomance itself I feel 4.12 faster than 5 (Especially when you run on low processor speed like I had) !

[UncasMS]

using a different tool than dvdx might be a good start.

if you like to take a look at gordianknot, maybe this could help:

http://www.atlandide.net/~uncasms/en/index.php?page=gordian

the best tool imho is DVX:

http://www.atlandide.net/~uncasms/de/dvx/dvx3_english.htm

using divx 4.x instead of divx 5.02 would NOT be a good choice
handling divx5 isnt really difficult and it is more precise than 4.x

[knowan]

Thanks UncasMS, That's a very good page for introducing people to gknot. Much better than some of the other pages I was looking at.

Although I have now officially given up on dvdx 2.2, I'm still kinda curious. A friend recommended it to me. This friend did not encounter any of the same problems I had and he left everything at defaults. I'm after reformatting my hard drive 3 times, re-installing the codec and dvdx more times than I can count, falling back to dvdx 2.1, I still haven't solved the issue.

[SKD_Tech]

Could it be just a parameter that you continueusly forget to set? Such as the hard to forget bitrate? Not trying to be a smart A#$ just wondering

[knowan]

Ah ha! I found it! It's the max frame setting in DVDx 2.2. I doubled it and now it seems to working fine.

The last thing I have to do now is mess around with the bitrate and frame size until I get the 3 hour movie down to 2 CD's.

Also DVDx has 3 possible settings, bilinear, bicubic or tap bilinear. Which gives the best quality?

What seems to be missing from dvdx is a way to keep the aspect ratio when you resize the picture. Right now when I resize I have to break out the calculator to make sure that I perserve the aspect ratio manually.

[UncasMS]

Which gives the best quality?

very hard to tell

for divx i'd not go below biCUBIC in terms of sharpness (bilinear is blurry imho)

xvid however might be fine even with bilinear