Running a test, any suggestions

[ajp]

Well it has been years since I encoded a movie to .avi at 700mb's. I remember it used to be a very crappy final product so I just quit doing it. Well recently I saw an action movie at 700mb and was very impressed. So that brings me to this post. I want to figure out the "best" way to encode a movie, and if the auto programs are better or worse than say gordian knot. I need help with listing all the programs I should test. But here is what I plane to do. I will use the movie Matrix widescreen R1, I will encode the whole movie with 128kb mp3 sound. I plan to do both Xvid and Divx just to keep it fair. I will do 2 pass encoding. Obviously this wont be a quick test as it takes several hours per encode, and I like to leave my machine alone while it encodes. So far here are the programs I plan to test.

1. Gordian Knot - Xvid
2. Gordian Knot - Divx
3. Auto Gordian Knot - Xvid
4. Auto Gordian Knot - Divx
5. AVI.net - Xvid
6. AVI.net - Divx
7. Fairuse Wizard 2 - Xvid
8. Fairuse Wizard 2 - Divx
9. Dr. Divx
10. Divx Create

Please let me know of any other programs to give a shot.

[UncasMS]

most definitely:

- StaxRip

or its predecessor:

- DVX

[ajp]

Ah yes Staxrip will be added also then.

[anonymez]

ajp, there will be little difference in picture quality, as i'd imagine all codec settings will be the same in each test. btw, see doom9's codec shoot-out, xvid beat divx

if you want the "best" way, here it is:

1. decrypt dvd

2. use dgindex to create projectfile & demux audio

3. write avisynth script, do cropping & resizing here (especially if you have a dual-core system! ) optional, you could also transocde audio in this step.

4. load script into vdubmod, select fast recompress, set up xvid (not divx), encode video

5. besweet to encode to VBR mp3

6. vdubmod to mux

that's it. you may be surprised to know that the 2 players on your list, gordian knot and staxrip, do almost the exact same things i listed above, they just make it a little easier

[ajp]

I have done my first encode I used the fairuse wizard with xvid. I will now try DR. Divx.

[ajp]

that's it. you may be surprised to know that the 2 players on your list, gordian knot and staxrip, do almost the exact same things i listed above, they just make it a little easier

what about AGK? how is it differant? or fairuse?

[anonymez]

AGK uses the same method as GK, only its a one-click tool, so it hides the more advanced options.

not sure about fairuse though

[ajp]

I like fairuse as it is a one click, I can crop the movie, and I can select final size, and control the encoder. Maybe I will just do matrix with Divx and Xvid in Fairuse and compare that.

[ajp]

Ok I am re-doing the test, Instead of testing programs I am going to test codecs. Here is my list

1. Xvid
2. Divx
3. h264
4. ????

[anonymez]

can i ask what the purpose of the test is, ajp?

[celtic_druid]

h.264 is a standard, so your list should be:
1. MPEG-4 Part2
2. H.264
or
1. Xvid
2. Divx
3. an AVC implimentation like x264 or Nero Digital/Ateme.

You need to compare standards or implimentations.

I can already tell you though that it would be:
1. x264
2. XviD
3. DivX

There really is no way that XviD/DivX (being MPEG-4 Part2) can beat x264 (being MPEG-4 Part 10).

[ajp]

can i ask what the purpose of the test is, ajp?

I want to put several movies on my laptop to take with me on vacations and such, but I want them to be the highest quality I can get for 700mb's

[anonymez]

then x264 is the way to go-- it is slower than xvid though

[ajp]

Ok I know this is slow going but I have encoded the movie in both xvid and x264(mp4). Below are screen shots from each video. Each video was encoded from the same source file, and each is 700mb in length. The xvid version has 128kb/s mp3 sound and the x264 version has HE AAC VBR 120-150kb/s. Ok the x264 shots will be first, then the xvid shot.