Changing FlipVideo Format To ????

[D.V. Dee]

I want to burn a DVD for some FlipVideo (MP-4) video files, but I want the output files converted to another format, one that can also play on DVD players (MP-4 won't play on my 2003-era Panasonic player), and also play on most other mediums...

Any suggestions about other appropriate formats?

(...and any suggestions for best frame size, video bitrate and frame rate for the format you suggest would be most welcome, too!)

I'm using Any DVD Converter Professional for format conversions.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[MilesAhead]

Converting to standard dvd, this mini-guide may be helpful
FitCD MiniGuide

Other than DVD I'd say divx/avi is the most prevalent. Divx support on DVD players and set top boxes is quite common. Quick AVI Creator may be able to handle conversion to xvid but you would have to put in the avs script lines for resizing using an AviSynth filter. For sizing down BilinearResize seems to work well. Even though it takes up more space standard DVD is probably the most portable. Many set top boxes can play .iso image files.

Sizing down is usually slower than increasing the video frame size. The converter is doing more work trying to avoid quality loss when outputting fewer pixels, so to speak.

Other than yourself who is the target audience? For set top boxes such as WD you may just need to put it through something that converts the audio to a standard format and keeps the video stream. One of those mp4tomkv tools for example. That's generally faster. Although if the software does 2 passes to eliminate clipping it can still take 45 minutes to convert a 2 hour movie.

Although my WD set top box has its quirks, I've nearly eliminated DVD burning and video conversions other than the type I mentioned because it plays so many formats. I'd like to try the newer model with automatic DTS downmix to stereo. Most of the time the reason I have to process is to convert DTS to AC3. If I could skip that conversion I'd hardly ever process video anymore. It may be worth considering spending $100 or so.

[D.V. Dee]

MilesAhead, I'll check out that FitCD program, Thanks; I've heard of AviSynth, but haven't used it (I'm a bit of a novice with all this)...

My target audience is public officials, a local newspaper (with a web site) and possibly the local cable TV public access station.

I converted some video footage to AVI/Xvid some time ago with AnyDVD Converter Pro (with guesses), but didn't take any notes while doing so. However, the customized settings stayed set on the program:

Video codec - Xvid
Frame size - 320 x 240
Video bitrate - 768
Video framerate -25

If I recall correctly, the converted video played fine on my PC, but not on my DVD player....

Again, my Thanks

[MilesAhead]

I've never used FlipVideo. Do all your files have the same resolution? Perhaps it would be a good idea to post a screen shot of MediaInfo stats for the file. Those specs you posted look like old time interlaced xvid. The frame size is 1/2 640x480 which is a 4:3 format. The output depends on the TV you are using but generally I use a program that autocrops xvid so it will play in a postage stamp on a regular TV or be upconverted to HDTV.

If you post the stats for the source file then it will make it easier to know where to go with it.

[D.V. Dee]

OK, I'll check out this MediaInfo and look into posting a screen shot (not sure of posting-screen-shot procedure) of one of the FlipVideo files....

[D.V. Dee]

MediaInfo FlipVideo Readout

I had some problems posting the MediaInfo FlipVideo file as a screenshot, so I've put the readout in an attachment, Thanks....

[D.V. Dee]

...and???

[admin]

For AVI/DivX/Xvid files to play on standalones, they mostly have to avoid using codec features like GMC or Q-Pel. Some conversion programs won't even offer you the ability to change these settings, and so the AVI/DivX/Xvid files they produce won't work on most standalones that support AVI files (although note that some of the even older DVD players, while supporting AVI files, may only support fairly old codecs or codec features, and so even "properly" encoded AVI files won't necessarily work - the most compatible format for DVD players is probably just still your good old DVD video disc).

I usually just use something like MeGUI to convert MP4 files to AVI, simply because it allows easy access to a codec's advanced features to turn off things like GMC and Q-Pel. For something easier, that also still doesn't (by default) turn on GMC/Q-Pel, I would give TEncoder a go. Just make sure you use MP3 for audio, and not the default Vorbis option.

For existing AVI files that are not compatible, I usually run them through AVI ReComp, which is designed to turn non compliant AVI files into standalone compatible ones. Here's a guide for it:

AVI ReComp AVI to XviD Re-Encoding Guide | Articles - Digital Digest

[MilesAhead]

...and???

If they all have specs similar to what you posted, esp 640x480 resolution, I would use Quick AVI Creator. You don't need to edit the .avs file. Just click Process Video in the menu. When the dialog comes up asking for the bitrate, for movies 2 hours or less in this resolution I use 2000.

QAC uses xvid codec. I don't think you'll have any issues due to QPel etc.. At least I never have. QAC when doing xvid conversions is basically just a Gui front end for xvid_encraw.exe... which is included.

[D.V. Dee]

I tried to load one of my FlipVideo MPEG-4 files (see attachment for specs) into FitCD, and got an error message that read:

"Can't find sequence header"

Now I wonder what that's all about?

[D.V. Dee]

Well, regardless of the bad FlipVideo readout in FitCD, I'll take a crack at using Quick AVI Creator (no clue what that sequence-header error message was all about, tho...)

Thanks to MilesAhead & Admin for your constructive suggestions!

[MilesAhead]

Well, regardless of the bad FlipVideo readout in FitCD, I'll take a crack at using Quick AVI Creator (no clue what that sequence-header error message was all about, tho...)

Thanks to MilesAhead & Admin for your constructive suggestions!

FitCD hasn't been updated in awhile. If you load an .mkv file it will give an error, but still create the .avs script. I don't know if FlipVideo is the same. There may be other newer frame size calculators out there. FitCD works for the stuff I do.

[D.V. Dee]

Interestingly, I got an error message when trying to convert the MPEG-4 files to AVI with Quick AVI Creator, but the same conversion went OK when using TEncoder...

So, at least one of these programs pulled it off!

[admin]

Yeah, TEncoder is based on Mencoder and FFMpeg, which means it pretty much handles all sorts of inputs and outputs and can be a good tool if you need a quick conversion job.

[MilesAhead]

Interestingly, I got an error message when trying to convert the MPEG-4 files to AVI with Quick AVI Creator, but the same conversion went OK when using TEncoder...

So, at least one of these programs pulled it off!

It would seem unusual if you can play the video on the same machine as you can use DirectVideoSource() function in the .avs script.. which is pretty universal. But you don't specify the error. ffmpeg can handle a wide variety of inputs. I also use TEncoder. But it also has its quirks. I've found there is no One Converter that always works. I'm into duplication of tools as often one will work where the other doesn't in a particular case.

I've seen on a lot of boards people swearing by mencoder. But I've never gotten it to work as I expect. Might be what particular platform and bunch of codecs I happen to be using, or some other weird thing I haven't figured out.

The other thing that comes to mind.. if you get the latest release of xvid codec, it comes with a new version of xvid_encraw. It's the first update in quite awhile. Might be worth copying it into QAC folder for future use. I tried it and it didn't break anything.