Is XVID HD worth it?

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ocmdiaz714
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Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by ocmdiaz714 »

I've been encoding bluray rips to a XVID files with a resolution of 960x544. Now, what I want to know is, is such a resolution worth the added GB to say a 720x400 file? Because, I've heard that an avi file, no matter the resolution, will look the same.
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

it certainly wont look the same, but depends on screen/connection/bitrate etc. AVI is not actually relevant here. That's just a container for the audio/video data.

I transcode to 1280x720 with ffmpeg's mpeg4 codec in mkv container rather than xvid, as I can control min/max bitrates and with mkv, can copy the subs and audio as is from the source material.
ocmdiaz714
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by ocmdiaz714 »

BuZz wrote:it certainly wont look the same, but depends on screen/connection/bitrate etc. AVI is not actually relevant here. That's just a container for the audio/video data.

I transcode to 1280x720 with ffmpeg's mpeg4 codec in mkv container rather than xvid, as I can control min/max bitrates and with mkv, can copy the subs and audio as is from the source material.
I'm new to encoding, and I lookup the original bluray rip's bitrate and set that as the bitrate to use on MEGUi. I simply want the best available quality, to make use of my component cables and 32" plasma.
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

i use (commandline ffmpeg)

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -i some_1080p_infile.mkv -scodec copy -acodec copy -vcodec mpeg4 -b:v 3000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 4096k -s 1280x720 -f matroska -y outfile.mkv
single pass (as I transcode in realtime using mediatomb), but results look decent.
ocmdiaz714
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by ocmdiaz714 »

BuZz wrote:i use (commandline ffmpeg)

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -i some_1080p_infile.mkv -scodec copy -acodec copy -vcodec mpeg4 -b:v 3000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 4096k -s 1280x720 -f matroska -y outfile.mkv
single pass (as I transcode in realtime using mediatomb), but results look decent.
I'm going to try encoding XVID at a true 720p resolution. I don't know if you're familiar with MEGUI, but you are given the option of selecting the video bitrate, but no control over setting a max. So what I do is go with whatever the bitrate is on the original bluray rip I'm working with.

And I appreciate the code you posted, but I have to go with MEGUI as I don't even know where to start with the code, where to enter it, what to edit, nothing.

Edit: Tried FFMPEG:

Image
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

ocmdiaz714 wrote: I'm going to try encoding XVID at a true 720p resolution. I don't know if you're familiar with MEGUI, but you are given the option of selecting the video bitrate, but no control over setting a max. So what I do is go with whatever the bitrate is on the original bluray rip I'm working with.
that's the reason I am recommending ffmpeg's mpeg4 codec - you can control maximum bitrate, rather than just an overall average. using xvid you may end up scenes where you get dropped frames etc.
ocmdiaz714 wrote: And I appreciate the code you posted, but I have to go with MEGUI as I don't even know where to start with the code, where to enter it, what to edit, nothing.

Edit: Tried FFMPEG:
it would have worked, cept your ffmpeg is ancient. no idea where you found that!

http://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html links to http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/ for windows builds
ocmdiaz714
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by ocmdiaz714 »

BuZz wrote:
ocmdiaz714 wrote: I'm going to try encoding XVID at a true 720p resolution. I don't know if you're familiar with MEGUI, but you are given the option of selecting the video bitrate, but no control over setting a max. So what I do is go with whatever the bitrate is on the original bluray rip I'm working with.
that's the reason I am recommending ffmpeg's mpeg4 codec - you can control maximum bitrate, rather than just an overall average. using xvid you may end up scenes where you get dropped frames etc.
ocmdiaz714 wrote: And I appreciate the code you posted, but I have to go with MEGUI as I don't even know where to start with the code, where to enter it, what to edit, nothing.

Edit: Tried FFMPEG:
it would have worked, cept your ffmpeg is ancient. no idea where you found that!

http://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html links to http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/ for windows builds
Ok I went ahead and downloaded the lasted static build, and everything seems to be working fine. Mind telling me the code to run a 2pass encode?

I'm in the process of encoding a movie. What's the audio codec and bitrate going to be? I guess 448kbps AC3 would be the best choice for a 720p file? I was using 640kbps for my 960x544 encodes.
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

the commandline copies the audio from source. as I use this to transcode from hd rips etc, I don't want to re-encode the audio, as I pipe it though my surround system.

you will need to look up / search about 2 pass encodes. maybe thats only xvid anyway. unsure about ffmpegs mpeg4 codec.
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by spicemuseum »

BuZz wrote:
ocmdiaz714 wrote: I'm going to try encoding XVID at a true 720p resolution. I don't know if you're familiar with MEGUI, but you are given the option of selecting the video bitrate, but no control over setting a max. So what I do is go with whatever the bitrate is on the original bluray rip I'm working with.
that's the reason I am recommending ffmpeg's mpeg4 codec - you can control maximum bitrate, rather than just an overall average. using xvid you may end up scenes where you get dropped frames etc.
Agree.
Just for reference, XVID and ffmepg's "mpeg4" are both example implementations of the official standard MPEG4 (Pt2) Advanced Simple Profile (ASP), or H.263 *, coding scheme - DIVX is yet another example. Each has strengths and weaknesses, but all (largely) conform to the standard.

* yes, a simplification, but this subject can get immensely complicted, if you want it to. For example H.264 is actually MPEG4 (Pt10) Advanced Video Coding (AVC), with x264 being an example implementation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4#MPEG-4_Parts


Oh, and yes, BTW, progressive rips of 1280x720 (or less) i.e. "720p", are definitely worth it, even in xvid (H.263, MPEG4 (pt2) ASP) :-).
ocmdiaz714
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by ocmdiaz714 »

Ok I went and I tried BuZz's method as well as a 2 pass XVID encode. No significant change in file size or, in my opinion, quality. Although the 1 pass encode was delivered about a good 8 hours sooner than the 2 pass.

Image

Image

Screenshots suck. I know.
..the FFmpeg encode does look sharper, is smaller in size, and 1 pass seems to work fine and sheds off a great amount of time I'm used to spending with 2 pass XVID encodes. I just find it annoying having to extract the audio to convert it to AC3, and manually calculating to re-size to mod16. And, is there any advantage to 2 pass? If so, can somebody please give me a command line to use? And maybe tell me if it's possible to have FFmpeg also encode the audio.

I also do hope to one day upgrade to maybe an Apple TV or WD TV Live, and want to go with the format that's best compatible, and basically future-proof with home media devices, and obviously in HD.
oeneprs
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by oeneprs »

wait, so you guys can play hd video (720p) on your original xbox using xbmc?
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by Geeba »

oeneprs wrote:wait, so you guys can play hd video (720p) on your original xbox using xbmc?
Yeah! looks good too.... :)
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DIVX Reply

Post by 2 Bunny »

BuZz wrote:i use (commandline ffmpeg)

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -i some_1080p_infile.mkv -scodec copy -acodec copy -vcodec mpeg4 -b:v 3000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 4096k -s 1280x720 -f matroska -y outfile.mkv
single pass (as I transcode in realtime using mediatomb), but results look decent.
Thanks a ton for that. I've been looking everywhere basically forever to find a way to convert HD videos to play on the Xbox in 720p with minimal frame drops, and that did it for me. Is there any way to convert more than one video that way in the command prompt?

- 2 Bunny
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

could wrap it in a script to process multiple files etc.

I tend to use it with mediatomb, and transcode on demand.
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HIGH RESOLUTION Reply

Post by 2 Bunny »

BuZz wrote:could wrap it in a script to process multiple files etc.

I tend to use it with mediatomb, and transcode on demand.
Wow, how does that work? You have files shared by the computer to the Xbox and then when you click on the file in the Xbox, the software converts it on the fly and then it disappears when it's done? The Xbox is fast enough to keep up with streaming the high def over the network? I suppose the computer has no trouble doing this as I was encoding at around 70fps when I did my sample conversion.

- 2B
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Re: HIGH RESOLUTION Reply

Post by BuZz »

2 Bunny wrote: Wow, how does that work? You have files shared by the computer to the Xbox and then when you click on the file in the Xbox, the software converts it on the fly and then it disappears when it's done? The Xbox is fast enough to keep up with streaming the high def over the network? I suppose the computer has no trouble doing this as I was encoding at around 70fps when I did my sample conversion.
you have a UPnP share provided by mediatomb. I have a mediatomb config that uses that commandline for any files that are "mkv", so they get transcoded on demand. you lose the ability to fast forward/rewind etc though.
m7cky
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by m7cky »

Hi Buzz
Can you scrape your upnp source or do you have to use in files mode?
I tried it once but the paths kept changing so no worky.

Thanks for the continued work btw :-)
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

m7cky wrote:Hi Buzz
Can you scrape your upnp source or do you have to use in files mode?
I tried it once but the paths kept changing so no worky.

Thanks for the continued work btw :-)
:) Just in files mode.
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by m7cky »

Ah that's cool anyway, will set it up later, gotta be better than my current SD & HD for every movie I have :-)
Thanks for quick reply, & apologies to OP for hijack!
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Re: Is XVID HD worth it?

Post by BuZz »

I can post my mediatomb config if useful although you may want to use another upnp server.
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