compressing VCD to divx makes it bigger?

[Kamagurka]

i got some vcd files lying around, but since they are quite big for the quality they offer, i figured i'd run them through afast recompress in virtualdub. surprised i was then that the output file was previewed to be nearly twice as big as the output file...
i tried choosing xVid, divx 3, 4 and 5, and twiddled the quality controls. even by running the quality right into the ground the output file was still previewed to be ~10mb bigger than the input file...heelp

[Enchanter]

Use lower bitrates (estimated using a bitrate calculator). Check that you have not set the Video tab mode to Direct Stream Copy too.

Regards.

[Kamagurka]

as said, mode is fast recompress, and i tried pulling the bitrate down nearly as far as it went...the estimate for the output file was still 10mb more than the input file.

[StarRide]

make sure the audio is not on pcm format

[Kamagurka]

how do i do that?
i always leave audio on direct stream copy and i fail to see how that would make it bigger...

[Enchanter]

Set the Audio tab to Full Processing Mode and select a compression format (normally .mp3 is used). Configure the codec and input the desired bitrate. Note: You might have to install an external MP3 codec in order to be able to use bitrates of 128kbps or higher.

Regards.

[Kamagurka]

welp, that worked, thank you. pretty stupid of me assuming that "direct stream copy" means "just copy the stream of the output file to the input file, no changes please" in virtualdubland when it really means "please take the audio, decompress it and THEN save it to the outputfile". but what the hey, i make mistakes to learn. anyway, thanks for bearing with me.

[sfheath]

Originally posted by Kamagurka
pretty stupid of me assuming that "direct stream copy" means "just copy the stream of the output file to the input file, no changes please" in virtualdubland when it really means "please take the audio, decompress it and THEN save it to the outputfile".

Is this what they call an "Undocumented Feature"?

[thanhvn]

hmm, interesting, i'll make a note of this *undocumented feature* for future use (as i'm thinking about converting some of my old vcd's)