Abnormal projected file sizes in VirtualDub???

[Drelletje]

Hi all

Not having used VirtualDub for a month or so, I find that when I want to compress movies now, using DivX 5.02 for the video and some APDCM 22-bit for the audio, the projected file sizes are ridiculously large, like 8000 to 120000MB(!!) for files that are originally up to 700MB.

As far as I know I don't have my DivX configured in any abnormal way: encoding bitrate 2000Kbps, max quantizer 4, min quantizer 2 and default settings for the rest I think. And changing the settings (e.g to bitrate 1000Kbps) doesn't seem to have any noticeable effect.

I didn't use to have this problem before; any idea what could be causing it?

Thanks a lot in advance!

D.

[Batman]

If you do not intend to re-compress the audio, then simply select "direct stream copy" in the "audio" tab. Perhaps, I am merely speculating,(though I can't be sure of this, since I've never heard of this audio codec) the audio codec you are utilizing is causing the "abnormal" file sizes.

[Drelletje]

Batman, tx for your suggestion .

To be honest, though, I'm skeptical about it, as I've used the audio codecs in question before without any problems. One of them, incidentally, is actually a Microsoft product; I'm sure you do know it, perhaps I should have described it in more detail.

I'll give it a go anyway, even though I really do want to compress the audio.

Will keep you posted.

D.

[khp]

In addition to the projected filesize, virtualdub also displays the amount of video and audio data seperatly, on the fly durring the conversion. So it should be easy to see what is causing the problem.

[Batman]

Just curious, did you by chance add a few extra zero's in your first post ?

With a bitrate of 2000 kbps it may not be unusual to have a 1-2 gb rip.

[Drelletje]

khp, tx for your suggestion. Just checked a random movie with an (encoding bitrate at 800kbps just to make sure this is not causing the problem): after only 1000 (out of 165,000) frames the video data is up to 300 MB (!!!); the audio (Windows Media Audio V2) 7000 KB. Both way to much, it seems to me.

Oh, and projected file size: 50,000 MB -- and no, I'm not being inaccurate with my zeroes (if only !). Worth a try, Batman, but alas...



D.

[Drelletje]

Just now uninstalled 1.4.10 and installed 1.4.11. No difference...



D.

[Drelletje]

Oh, and it turns out that it's not only DivX 5.02 that causes these ridiculous file sizes; DivX 4.12, XviD MPEG-4 and several others I've tried (with default settings) also give a projected file size of around 50,000MB.

In fact the only way I can get sub 1GB file sizes is by selecting direct stream copy for video and audio...

If anyone knows how to solve this, pleazzze help, I'm really getting desperate!

D.

[Qyd]

It might not be the answer, but...
Sometimes, when a movie starts with a fast action scene the projected file size is exagerated at the beggining, but after a while it turns back to normal (VBR I suppose). It happend to me with Amores Perros for example.
Another thing: you have both DivX 4.xx and 5.x on your system: I wonder if they don't bother each other...
And another thought: this is windows, so it might help if you thoroughly clean up your system and start fresh...
And yes, 2000 is way to high a bitrate for my taste.

[Drelletje]

Qyd, tx for your ideas.

Re the action sequence: I've also seen this happening with some movies I compressed in the past, but the difference between projected and actual file size was never THAT big (perhaps projected size was 1.5 GB but not 120 GB). Moreover, it doesn't matter which movie I try, even if it starts off really quiet and peaceful I still get these ridiculous file sizes.

Re cleaning up my system: I've just gotten rid of temporary files etc. No noticeable effect yet, but I guess I'll do a defrag tonight.

As for the 2 DivX versions, mmm, possible. Only problem is I don't know how to remove 4.12. It's not in my Add/Remove programs list and there's no uninstall icon in the folder.

Have also just removed XviD as that codec was defnitely something I added since the time when VirtualDub was still working properly. Didn't make any difference...

Guess my system is possessed by

D.

[khp]

The numbers Drelletje are reporting fall way outside any bitrate fluctuations caused by vbr encoding.

The only resonable explanation is that virtualdub is producing uncompressed output. As a test could you try encoding a very short clip (10 seconds will be fine) to divx5 and mp3. And open the encoded file in virtualdub, and select File->'file infomation'. I would expect this to tell you that both video and audio is uncompressed.

As another test you might also try setting audio to 'no audio', and encode a short clip to divx5, to check if this problem is caused by an audio confict.

[Batman]

You may want to take a look at the guides at divx-digest.com, perhaps you have mistakenly, as KHP has pointed out, creating uncompressed video and/or audio.

[Drelletje]

Tx khp, will try that now.

In the mean time: it just occurred to me that before, when I didn't have these problems, whenever I loaded a movie into VirtualDub it took a couple of seconds, during which the program displayed a little progress indicator, until the movie was completely loaded. Now movies seem to be loaded instantaneously; I don't see a progress meter anymore. Wonder if this is relevant?

[Drelletje]

Well, I did this and using the info function on my newly created test file I found that VirtualDub had produced compressed video and audio.

However, I tried this with DivX 4.12. This I had to do because 5.02 gave me an error message saying that I was not running the required spyware -- true -- and that I needed to reinstall it .

I then decided to completely uninstall all my DivX stuff and do a fresh install of 5.02. Using VirtualDib again after that it turned out that I hadn't actually managed to uninstall 4.12 -- where the hell is it hiding??

But anyway, for some reason or other, all is back to normal since this reinstall!!! Projected + actual file size of recompressed files is as manageable as it ever was.

So I guess the question is: was my removing the spyware, a couple of months ago, really responsible for all this mess????

Any thoughts?

D.

[Batman]

According to divx.com by removing spyware, the divx502 adaware bundle will no longer function. From the evidence you've provided I think removing spyware was the cause of your problems. Glad to see everything worked out fine....in the end